Japanese geisha: Do you know the product of comparison, class complexity and human nature oppression?

When it comes to geisha, many people who don't understand it think that this profession is full of mystery and ambiguity, so many people think it is difficult for geisha to be elegant. But in the eyes of people who understand, this profession is very elegant and respected.

Geisha is a very important item in Japanese traditional culture, and it is called the representative of Japan together with Mount Fuji and Kinkaku Temple. Mount Fuji has been dormant since the outbreak of 1707. As one of the largest active volcanoes in the world, tourists all over the world like it very much. Jingu Temple has also undergone many repairs and reconstructions, and has long lost its original appearance. This geisha, handed down more than 400 years ago, has formed a rich and colorful stroke in this bustling metropolis.

The requirements of being a geisha are very strict, and all her skills have been considered repeatedly. The training cost is very high, which is beyond the affordability of ordinary people.

Today we will talk about this traditional culture that has not changed much for hundreds of years. It is also known as one of Japan's three business cards-geisha.

First, the history of geisha development

1603, after centuries of chaos, Tokugawa Ieyasu finally established a shogunate in Edo, but it did not completely control Japan. At that time, many famous figures in Japan had contacts with overseas people and secretly expanded their strength. In order to consolidate his rule, Tokugawa Ieyasu closed its doors to the outside world, cutting off unspeakable ties.

1625, Tokugawa Ieyasu once again ordered local lords to live in Edo regularly, which is called "Hajj Interpretation" in history. When lords go to Edo, they always bring attendants, retainers, servants and money, and the phenomenon of comparison between lords is also very serious. Therefore, in order to highlight their power and financial resources, the entertainment industry has developed rapidly under the stimulation of competition from these people.

However, in the Ming Dynasty, beautiful women were listed as dancers and maids, while the samurai class was single for various reasons, and the imbalance between men and women was very serious. But soon, kabuki suitable for the samurai class began to appear in society. Geisha often perform in Hualiu World. At first, men played this role. After the training, they performed some entertainment programs, which were called "Xiao Sheng Kabuki".

By 165 1, the Japanese government, considering the problem of weathering, issued a decree prohibiting male kabuki performances. Slowly, women began to enter this industry and gradually became the mainstream of this industry, and men basically disappeared in this industry.

Geisha has been influenced by the society and reorganized by the shogunate since it came into being. It was not until 1779 that Japan first introduced a policy to legalize geisha as a profession, and then geisha was basically stereotyped. Until 2 1 century, Japanese geisha performances remained the same, and the performing arts were increasing.

The word refers to men, but since men faded out of this industry, they were renamed "prostitutes". During the Edo period, geisha were also allowed to sell themselves, so they were naturally regarded as competitors by prostitutes. Therefore, there is an agreement in Jiyuan area that art is not allowed to be sold. So geisha and prostitutes drew a clear line from now on, and the "prostitute" originally used to represent women was changed to "geisha".

/kloc-in the 0/9th century, Japan's economy and culture began to prosper. Geisha also thrives under the stimulus of economy. After Meiji Restoration, Japanese industry and commerce rose rapidly, more and more people had more spare money, and the number of banquets increased sharply, which had a very important impact on the rise of geisha. Secondly, with the development of society, prostitutes have a great influence on social weathering, so the shogunate has always adopted a high-handed policy to prohibit private prostitution.

2/kloc-at the beginning of the 20th century, with the integration and exchange of Japanese culture and western culture, it was very difficult for geisha to work. It was estimated that there were only about 200 geisha in Kyoto at that time, and many art galleries were used for other purposes. People's enthusiasm for traditional culture has gradually cooled down, and traditional art has gradually hidden the light of the past in neon lights.

Second, geisha makeup

When we see geisha, we can't help asking, "Why are their faces so white and their mouths so red?"

It is said that at the beginning of geisha's birth, performances were performed in pubs and other places, and the lighting ratio of traditional Japanese buildings was too good. Coupled with kerosene lamps used indoors, it was still impossible to clearly watch the wonderful performances of geisha.

Therefore, in order to show their beauty in a dark environment, geisha will paint thick white powder on their faces and necks and draw bright red lips. But I don't draw hands, because the job of geisha is not only to perform programs, but also to pour wine for guests, so I don't draw hands to show cleanliness.

In the early days, these white powders were made of lead or mercury, which were extremely irritating and harmful to the skin. Therefore, although many geisha are young, their skin has already declined. The seemingly simple bun is also very complicated. First, before the bun, you need to apply high-viscosity hair gel to your hair, put it in a bun according to different forms, put a silk in the bun, and sometimes put a piece of paper in order to shape it, fix it with a fork and ribbon, and then match it with a hairpin.

In addition to retro makeup, elegant kimono is another synonym for geisha. At present, the geisha world can almost be called the world of women. Except for a few men who are "dressers", all other occupations are women.

How exquisite are geisha's clothes to show that their profession is specially for them?

Geisha's living expenses are very high, and a large part of them are kimonos. Usually a kimono costs thousands of dollars, and each of them has to buy more than ten sets for the performance. An exquisite kimono even has more than 20 floors and weighs more than 20 kilograms. It is basically impossible for a woman to wear such clothes by herself, so a profession-dressmaker was born, which specializes in dressing geisha.

The kimono worn by geisha is very different from ordinary kimono. The traditional kimono wraps a woman's neck tightly, but the kimono of geisha not only shows her neck, but also leans back on purpose. It is said that in the eyes of the Japanese, geisha's neck is charming.

Third, geisha etiquette

Being a geisha has to go through many hardships, and the skills you need to master are also varied. Geisha make a living by art, so learning art is naturally a compulsory course. They should practice poetry, dance, harp, tea ceremony, calligraphy, illustration, speech and other arts, but also learn how to walk, how to bow, how to pour wine, and even how to gracefully open the sliding door and other life etiquette.

But this is not enough. As a qualified geisha, their memory and ability to observe colors are also a great test. If you want to let customers relax and show their extraordinary conversation, you must know everything about the world, ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign, have a certain understanding of international news, and even know the gossip like the back of your hand, so as to activate the atmosphere at the first time.

More importantly, the ability to read words and observe emotions, and get along with customers freely, can not be mastered in three days. Men get a sense of relaxation and happiness from entertainment in their communication with geisha, but for geisha, this is a very serious process and a manifestation of their years of study and practice.

It is even more difficult to cultivate a "famous prostitute", but once it is cultivated, it will be sought after, and many giants and business tycoons will spend a lot of money to explore the style.

Fourth, the industry rules of geisha.

Geisha in feudal times generally began to learn art at the age of 10, but now geisha can only learn art after graduating from middle school, usually at the age of 14 or 15. It usually takes five years to study in a famous art museum.

Because the content that geisha needs to learn is very complicated and the process is very difficult. So there are countless people who leave halfway. Moreover, because geisha is an ancient traditional culture, the class system in Japan is more prominent.

/kloc-you can be a dancer at the age of 0/6, and then you can be a geisha. Generally speaking, a geisha's career can only last until she is 30 years old. If she intends to continue to be a geisha after the age of 30, she must be demoted and become a foil to a beautiful young geisha.

In the whole career of geisha, geisha are not allowed to get married in order to maintain their "pure" image. As for the way out after retirement, most people find a suitable person to marry; If you have more savings, you can also open your own geisha house. However, due to social prejudice and misunderstanding, in fact, many geisha have a miserable life after retirement.

Geisha's activities are relatively closed, and it is difficult for outsiders to intervene. If someone wants to enter this circle or watch a geisha performance, they must be recommended by an acquaintance, otherwise, even if you have arrived at the pub where they perform, you will not see the performance.

abstract

Geisha is a projection of traditional Japanese society. The traditional class system is complex and suppresses human nature, and the harsh training requirements are also prohibitive. However, women's puberty lasts for more than ten years, the thick white powder on their faces irritates their skin, and they soon lose sex and love, and the security system after retirement is not good. It is a book for those who want to become geisha.

As people in the new era, many people think that this profession suppresses women and mainly pleases men, which is even more inconsistent with our desire for equality between men and women.

Geisha has now become a "sunset industry" Maybe you can see the prosperity of geisha in Wuhua Street in Kyoto. It may only be a matter of time before the geisha die, but the geisha here are still working hard for it, touring around the world to raise the popularity of geisha and attract more people to inherit the tradition.

Geisha is elegant but not vulgar. It swims in bars, art galleries and other places. In the bustling Kyoto, it plays an ancient Japanese musical instrument, Sanweixian, and sings ancient music in its mouth. It is also a beautiful scenery.