Japanese Blue and Green #15 _ 青(Ao) in Manyō

Japanese Blue and Green #15

In my previous article, I traced color names up to around the period before the Nara Period, but fundamentally, "青(Ao)" functioned more as a color group name rather than a specific color name. It appears that the conceptual framework of '明(mei), 暗(an), 顕(ken), 漠(baku)' continued to persist, and it could also be said that the breadth of this color category was decisively established by the fact that Chinese "青(qīng)" referred to green.

In this article, I will examine the color sensibilities from the Asuka Period to the Nara Period, focusing primarily on the Manyōshū (Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves).

◆"青(Ao)" in Nara Period Documents

"青(Ao)" of this period includes the following:

[Blue to Green colors]
青淵 (aofuchi), 青頭鶏 (kamo), 緑青 (rokusho), 金青 (konjou), 青碧 (seiheki), 青き盖 (aoki kinugasa), 青角髪 (aomizura), 青柳 (aoyanagi), 青根我峯 (aonegamine), 青旗 (aohata), 青丹吉 (aoniyoshi)

[Unclear]
青雲 (seiun), 青春 (seishun), 青馬/青駒 (aouma/aokoma)

I will omit detailed explanations, but "青き盖 (aoki kinugasa), 青角髪 (aomizura), 青柳 (aoyanagi), 青根我峯 (aonegamine), 青旗 (aohata)" are all plant-related, and "青丹吉 (aoniyoshi)" is the previously introduced "aoniyoshi." Therefore, I will examine the other instances of "青(Ao)" besides these.

青淵 (aofuchi: blue pool)

"Aofuchi" refers to this type of pool, which appears in the Manyōshū. The poet may have envisioned an even deeper pool.

虎に乗り 古屋を越えて青渕に 鮫竜捕り来む 剣大刀もが
(Tora-ni-nori furuya-wo-koete aofuchi-ni mizuchi-torikomu tsurugitachi-moga)

This is a poem that means something like "I wish I had a sword that could capture the shark-dragon in the deep blue pool, riding on a tiger and leaping over houses."

The shark-dragon 鮫竜 (mizuchi) is an imaginary creature with a snake-like appearance, and the Nihon Shoki's Chronicle of Emperor Nintoku also states that "a shark-dragon living in a pool spat poison and tormented people." It seems that such pools have had a frightening impression since ancient times.

Since the Five Elements theory, "青(Ao)" has had the image of spring added to it, but originally it was a word expressing the unclear feeling that continues from "漠(baku)." The pool in the image is a vivid blue, but this "aofuchi" may be used similarly to the "青霧 (aokiri: blue mist)" from my previous article. It's 'Ao' meaning "ominous" that is not a pure color expression.

I think that by adding "青(Ao)" rather than simply using "淵: pool," the poet was able to create a sense of something emerging from unfathomable depths.

青頭鶏 (kamo: duck)

The literal meaning is "blue-headed bird," so it refers to a duck.　There are many such wordplays in the Manyōshū where these three characters are read as "kamo." This is called "戯書 (gisho)" or "戯訓 (gikun)" (playful writing or playful reading).

This "青(Ao)" is also quite ordinary. We can see that "緑(Midori: green)" as a color term had not yet become established at this point.

As was the case with the kingfisher (鴗鳥の青き御衣: blue clothes like the kingfisher's feathers), structural blue colors are straightforwardly described using "青(Ao)." The complexity of the coloration is probably also a factor that makes it easier to categorize as "青(Ao)."

This kind of luster was also called "青(Ao)."

緑青 (rokusho), 金青 (konjo), 青碧 (seiheki)

Rokusho and konjo from the Shoku Nihongi, and seiheki from the Soniryo (Regulations for Monks and Nuns) are color names that appear for the first time. Each of these colors is represented today as follows.

Rokusho refers to the color of malachite. In other words, it is thought to be synonymous with the "青丹(aoni)" in " aoniyoshi ."

The "金(kon)" in konjo is the same as in "紺(kon: navy blue)." In other words, it means navy blue. Originally, "金(kin)" means gold, but it probably seemed more auspicious that way. This color uses azurite as pigment. As I also introduced in "Japanese Blue and Green #13 ," it is used for the color of the hakama of the central woman in Group of Female Figures on the West Wall.

(画像: Asahi Shimbun Digital )

青碧 (seiheki) is the name of a Chinese gemstone that is said to be blue-green in color, and it appears as a color for monks' clothing. In China, "青 ≒ 'green', 碧 ≒ 'blue'," so seiheki represents a blue-green color, but currently in Japan, the Kun-reading of "碧" is both "ao" and "midori."

At the time, the official view was that "青" and "碧" were considered to be of the same category. However, in Japan both "blue" and "green" were "青(Ao)," and "緑(midori)" had only recently emerged, so interpreting "碧" must have been quite difficult. Since the color of 青碧 (seiheki) is blue-green, if one thinks of "青" as "blue," one would mistakenly think that "碧" is "green." In that case, it would be completely opposite.

In the next article (Japanese Blue and Green #16), I will introduce examples where the difficulty of the character "碧" appears to have had an impact.



青雲 (aokumo)

"Aokumo" appears again. (The previous "aokumo" is here )
This time it is from a poem by Empress Jitō in the Manyōshū.

向南山(きたやま)に たなびく雲の青雲の 星離れ行き 月を離れて
(Kitayama-ni tanabiku-kumo-no aokumo-no hoshi-hanareyuki tsuki-wo-hanarete)

This is a poem meaning "The blue clouds drifting over the northern mountain have gone far away, separated from both the stars and the moon," but it refers to nighttime clouds as "aokumo." Perhaps the clouds are creating light and shadow.

The clouds may have drifted away like this. While close to the image of "漠(baku)," such "青(Ao)" may be unrelated to color. It seems as though special emotions like loneliness and the sense of impermanence are being entrusted to "青(Ao)."

青春 (seishun: youth)

"青春 (seishun)" appears in the Kaifūsō, a collection of Chinese poetry written by Japanese poets, created in 751.

縦賞青春日、相期白髪年

This is a passage from a poem by Tori no Senryō, a government official, and it apparently means something like "enjoying the days of youth and walking through life together until our hair turns white." It is used in the same sense as present-day "青春 (seishun)."

Since it refers to "the days of youth," this is "青(Ao)" that has no direct relation to color at all, but in the Five Elements theory, "wood" corresponds not only to "春 (spring), 青 (blue)" but also to elements such as "fresh greenery" and "youth."

In China, "青春 (seishun)" meaning "youth" had come to be used by at least the 3rd to 4th centuries, but people in the Asuka or Nara periods would have adopted it along with the Five Elements theory.

青馬 (aouma), 青駒 (aokoma)

I will introduce "青馬 (aouma)" and "青駒 (aokoma)" that appear in the Manyōshū. These are examples that symbolize the complexity of "青(Ao)" for Japanese people. Literally, both would mean horses with blue coats, but what does this mean?

First, "青馬 (aouma)" appears in a poem related to the "青馬の節会 (Aouma no Sechie: Ao-colored Horse Festival)," a New Year court event. The "Aouma no Sechie" was first held on the 7th day of the 1st month in the 10th year of Emperor Tenmu's reign (681).

For this annual event, Ōtomo no Yakamochi, a government official who was also a poet, had prepared the following poem:

水鳥の 鴨羽の色の 青馬を 今日見る人は 限りなしといふ
(Mizudori-no kamoha-no-iro-no aouma-wo kyō-miru-hito-wa kagiri-nashi-to-iu)

This means something like "If you see the 青馬 (aouma) with the color of duck feathers today, you will gain infinite longevity!" Ōtomo no Yakamochi seems to have been involved in this event, and I think he was expecting a catchphrase-like effect.

Many explanations say that "duck feather color" refers to a duck's head like in the image above, but would such a horse exist? It also feels somewhat unnatural to refer to the head area as "feathers." I feel it is referring to the area around the wings. I think the underside of the wings feels best described as "青(Ao)."


On the other hand, the poem in which "青駒 (aokoma)" appears contains no description of color.

青駒の 足掻を早み 雲居にそ 妹があたりを 過ぎて来にける
(Aokoma-no agaki-wo-hayami kumoi-niso imo-ga-atari-wo sugite-kinikeru)

This is a poem by Kakinomoto no Hitomaro (the foremost poet of the Manyōshū) that says "Because the horse walks so fast, the place where my wife is can no longer be seen." This "青駒 (aokoma)" is interpreted as an 芦毛(ashige: gray) horse. Indeed, it would be natural to first imagine an 芦毛(ashige) horse when thinking of an "Ao-colored horse" from this period.

Oguri Cap (ashige/gray) 1993

However, it's hard to think that 青馬 (aouma) and 青駒 (aokoma) would be different colors, so what's the situation?

Regarding the naming of horse coat colors, it's mysterious even today:

• 青毛 (aoge): jet black all over
• 青鹿毛 (aokage): mostly jet black with slightly brownish areas in some places

These two types are basically black. In the horse world, "jet black" becomes "青(Ao)." When completely black, it can appear to have a slight bluish tint depending on the lighting. If there's a luster like a duck's head, the "青馬の節会 (Aouma no Sechie)" becomes even more difficult to understand.

Cesario (青毛: aoge)	Kizuna (青鹿毛: aokage)

( https://www.netkeiba.com/ )

The "青馬の節会 (Aouma no Sechie)" was an event where many horses were brought out into the courtyard to be viewed while holding a banquet, with the meaning of making a wish that "seeing those horses would prevent illness." This event continues to this day, but from the mid-Heian period onward, it came to be written as "白馬節会 (White Horse Festival)." Moreover, the established theory is that the reading "aouma no sechie" remained the same.

It is still held on the same date of January 7th as in ancient times: at 上賀茂神社(Kamigamo Jinja) in Kyoto as the "白馬奏覧神事 (Hakuba Sōran Jinji)," at 住吉大社(Sumiyoshi Taisha) in Osaka as the "白馬神事 (Aouma Shinji)," and at 鹿島神宮(Kashima Jingu) as the "白馬祭 (Ōme-sai)." Now they use completely white horses.


White horse at Kamigamo Jinja

Initially, black horses were used following Chinese historical precedent, and then in the mid-Heian period, believing that white was more sacred, they changed the written form to "白馬節会" while keeping the reading "aouma no sechie," and switched to 芦毛(ashige) horses—this theory is considered the most plausible. However, there are multiple theories, including one that says 芦毛(ashige) horses were used from the beginning, and no conclusion has been reached.

It appears that the "青馬(aouma)" of ancient China truly had black coats, so whether Japan properly followed this precedent seems to be the point of contention. Chinese "青" is truly difficult as well.

Most of those who support the theory that "芦毛(ashige) horses were used from the beginning" seem to hold the opinion that:

• 1. Ōtomo no Yakamochi simply associated the color of duck feathers from the designation "青(Ao)"
• 2. Since it was a poem composed before he had actually seen the horses, it cannot be used as reference

I would like to support the theory that "they were 芦毛(ashige) horses from the beginning, and were compared to the color of duck wing feathers." Since 芦毛(ashige) horses become increasingly white with age, it would also be natural to change the written form to "白馬(white horse)."

Oguri Cap in 1990	Oguri Cap in 2008
(JRA: https://www.jra.go.jp/)	(https://www.netkeiba.com/)

For example, "aosagi (grey heron)" has this kind of appearance.

Grey Heron

It also appears as "青鷺 (aosagi)" in the Fudoki. I think this kind of appearance was the most natural "traditional 青(Ao)." Since this is "青(Ao)," the young Oguri Cap would be a "青馬 (aouma)."

It also resembles the color of duck feathers, so I think the horses at the first "青馬の節会 (Aouma no Sechie)" were probably 芦毛(ashige) horses.

Summary

In this article, I introduced many examples of "青(Ao)" from the Manyōshū era. While "青(Ao)" meaning youth appeared for the first time, there were no major changes otherwise. Including the fact that mysterious "Ao" remains, the situation has not changed much.

Also, simple "青(Ao)" does not appear in official documents. After "青絹 (blue silk)" which was the material for caps in the Seven-Colored Thirteen-Tier Crown , there is no standalone "青(Ao)." With such thoroughness, rather than avoiding misunderstanding, it begins to feel as though "青(Ao)" was somehow a word from a different dimension.

In the end, there may not have been a concept like "the color blue." Even calling it a color group, there are parts that cannot be explained at all by hue, yet the complexity of "青(Ao)" is not solely a matter of tone either. For "blue" and "green," it might be acceptable to call them "青(Ao)" regardless of saturation, but other hues can also become "青(Ao)" if they have low saturation and medium brightness.

Furthermore, there is "青(Ao)" that supplements situations like "hard to see," "ambiguous," and "complex with subtle hidden colors," as well as "青(Ao)" imbued with emotions like "melancholy," "abyss," and "frightening." There are no symbolic blue objects, and the fact that non-color elements influence color expression might be said to be very Japanese.


Let me organize the conditions under which "青(Ao)" was used up to the Nara Period:

1. Plant colors
2. Complex blue-based colors like structural colors
3. High color temperature with low saturation
4. Gray-based colors
5. Ambiguous, hard to see, poor visibility conditions
6. Ominous states, anxious situations
7. Being young

Something like this, perhaps.
While it cannot be denied that "青(Ao)" is a word related to color, with such complexity, it may be somewhat unreasonable to classify it as a color name.


Starting next time, we move into the Heian Period. Finally, "緑(midori: green)" will appear frequently, and literature will become abundant. Please look forward to it.