Ji-sukashi terminology

[Michal]

Hello!

 

Going through many books, web sites and glossaries I tried to figure out the classification and terminology of open-work techniques applied to Japanese tsuba - sukashi.

There are few books and web sites with quite vast glossaries, but I found that hardly ever glossaries are unanimous:

- W.M. Hawley, 600 Japanese Sword Fittings Terms

- Kazutaro Torigoye, Robert E. Haynes, Tsuba. An Aesthetic Study

 

and websites:

 

- Tsuba terms: http://home.earthlink.net/~jggilbert/glossary.htm

- Glossary for Tsuba: http://www.shibuiswords.com/glossary1.htm

- Nihonto-no-bi (Various Sukashi): http://www.users.on.net/~coxm/7.%20tsuba%20i.html

 

The problem is with ji-sukashi – the openwork where a large amount of ground is removed, leaving design in positive relief. There is no problem with ko-sukashi at all, where all authors are unanimous.

 

Ji-sukashi – some of the authors do not even mentioned this technique in their works, like Hawley (who sees kagesukashi called also akasaka sukashi instead of this). In An Aesthetic Study you’ll find the term, but only in text, not in the glossary, recognized as a “positive silhouetteâ€, and other web glossaries are repeating this term as well. That would be fine and I believe tsuba on the picture below is made with ji-sukashi method, according to these glossaries:

 

 

But some authors (Glossary for tsuba, Nihonto-no-bi) are going even further and are dividing ji-sukashi on two other techniques:

yÅ-sukashi – what would be a positive silhouette in ji-sukashi method, and

kage-sukashi – what would be a form of negative silhouette in ji-sukashi method, looked like outline or sketch of the motif.

According to that, we would have two other techniques like in tsuba here:

 

 

The problem is that very few authors I could reach, mentioned both techniques, especially yÅ-sukashi is rare (even googling), while kage-sukashi is mentioned by Hawley as a “shadow technique†what is a little hard to interpret, if does he meant positive or negative (outline) technique.

 

I would be very glad if someone more knowledgeable could make it clear, or give other ways of interpret these methods, raising a discussion , if these terms are correct or not. Polish books on tsuba (there are only two so far) are making even more mess in this matter, so I won’t even mention them.

 

Regards!

[myochin]

Hi Michal,

 

I have the following descriptions in my glossary (but can't remember where I picked them up):

Yô-Sukashi: positive silhouette used in the Ji-Sukashi method (petal shaped rim)

Kage Sukashi: negative silhouette used in the Ji-Sukashi method (a little vague !!)

 

Hope this sheds some light.

 

Paul.

[Nobody]

I know little about tsuba and I could be wrong. But I think that the problem is very simple. I think that yo (陽) and kage (陰) merely mean positive and negative respectively in that usage. And ji-sukashi only means open-work in general sense.

[Jean]

Moriyama-san,

 

That's the shortest, simplest, clearest illustrated explanation that one can get

[Michal]

Thank you for the replies.

 

Morimaya - the example you posted as a kage-sukashi, according to quoted glossaries, would be KO-SUKASHI, because in a matter of fact, larger part of surface is left on tsuba and only smaller amount of surface was removed.

[Michal]

On the other hand word "kage" means "shadow" so your example would be fine then, but what we would call ko-sukashi then ? Or when ko-sukashi (as a small-sukashi) ends and where kage-sukashi begins?

 

To make it clear: do you think the insects below are made in yo- or kage-sukashi? In my opinion it would be a kage-sukashi (this is what I thought anyway, until today )

 

[Nobody]

Michal,

 

I made a brief search and found a few things about the terminology. It might be meaningless to compare Kage-sukahi and Ko-sukashi, because Kage-sukashi is a general term which also includes Ko-sukashi.

 

Sukashi is roughly classified into Yo-sukashi (陽é€; positive) and Kage-sukashi (é™°é€; negative). Yo-sukashi is also called as Ji-sukashi (地é€). Ko-sukashi (å°é€) is included in Kage-sukashi category and it is the term to mean small negative patterns on a part of a tsuba with Kage-sukashi technique. If the small negative patterns are put on a whole tsuba, then it is called as Ki-sukashi (生é€).

 

Ref. (1) a glossary on Ginza Choshu-ya site (only Japanese): http://www.choshuya.co.jp/weblib01/weblib/weblib.cgi

Ref. (2) 100 Tsuba and Sword Accessories, by Kazuo Iida and Michiko Hiruta

[Michal]

Thank you once again, your explanation sounds quite logic (I never heard of Ki-sukashi!).

 

It is still strange to me, that there are so many differences or misunderstandings in explanation of this basic techniques by the authors. Anyway, one lesson I learned, it is better to use ji-sukashi term as a description of the positive silhouette without getting involved deeper in to any classifications (I tried to be "more royal then the king").

 

One more question, if you allow me: how does it look on original NBTHK papers? Do they use only ji-sukashi term or can one find yo-sukashi and kage-sukashi terms as well on their papers?

 

Thank you in advance!

[Nobody]

One more question, if you allow me: how does it look on original NBTHK papers? Do they use only ji-sukashi term or can one find yo-sukashi and kage-sukashi terms as well on their papers?

I just found three typical papers for now.

From the top;

1) Kasane-bishi sukashi tsuba (é‡ã­è±é€é”) – the paper says Ji-sukashi

2) Moko Hanabishi-mon sukashi tsuba (木瓜花è±ç´‹é€é”) – the paper says Ji-sukashi

3) Sekka ni Tsurara sukashi tsuba (雪è¯ã«æ°·æŸ±é€é”) – the paper says In-Yo-sukashi (陰陽é€)

 

 

Additional info (but may include my guess):

- é™°é€ (Kage-sukashi) also reads In-sukashi. This reading might be proper when it is the companion to Yo (陽).

- Literal meaning of Ki-sukashi (生é€) is pure-sukashi, but this is my understanding.

- Ji-sukashi (地é€) literally means openworked background, so as a result, positive images remain. Then that is called Yo-sukashi (陽é€; positive sukashi) from the other point of view.

[Brian]

Just to confuse matters (which have been very nicely explained by everyone so far) I see on Rich's page he also has a description which is listed as such:

文透 Mon-Sukashi

An openwork method mainly used in Ko-Tosho and Ko-Katchushi sword gaurds. Shapes are pierced in negative silhouette into the flat body of the guard. The image is defined by the removal of the iron from the base.

 

Just wondering if this is a common term, and if it would only be used in the case that the sukashi is in the form of a mon?

 

Brian

[Michal]

 

Just wondering if this is a common term, and if it would only be used in the case that the sukashi is in the form of a mon?

 

Brian

 

It seems to be a common term used for the sukashi in the form of mon. Both books mentioned at the top of this thread seems to confirm it:

 

Hawley:

Mon Sukashi - crest design open works on guards. (...)

Aestethic Study:

Mon sukashi - the design motif using MON, usually in negative openwork. In Yoshiro work the MON are inlaid openwork brass medalions.

 

It is clear so far - the problem, as I understand, how to distinguish if the motif is MON or not, what can be hard if it is treated lightly, as a decoration, not made literally heraldic

 

Moriyama - thank you very much for this papers.

 

Kage-sukashi) also reads In-sukashi. This reading might be proper when it is the companion to Yo

 

I'm not quite sure if understand you well - do you suggest using yo-sukashi term when the motifs are made in kage-sukashi on tsuba aswell, in the same time?

[Nobody]

Kage-sukashi) also reads In-sukashi. This reading might be proper when it is the companion to Yo

 

I'm not quite sure if understand you well - do you suggest using yo-sukashi term when the motifs are made in kage-sukashi on tsuba aswell, in the same time?

I wanted to say how to read the term é™°é€ as a word. Ref. 1 in my previous post says Kage-sukashi, but Ref. 2 says In-sukashi. é™° alone can read Kage or In, but when it is used as an opposite concept of Yo (陽), it commonly reads In (é™°).

[Michal]

Thanks, and sorry for misunderstanding

 

Regards!

[Ford Hallam]

I think it is also misleading to think of these various sukashi related terms as techniques. They aren't, they merely function as descriptive labels. As such they are of use to collectors in describing pieces but not in terms of describing how they were made.

The technique used is always the same, regardless of the end result.

 

Another thing to bear in mind is that prior to the modern period there was no universal glossary of technique names, alloy and metal names or design effects. Most of those we have learned have a number of alternative terms.

 

Shakudo for instance; u-kin, u-do and karasu-gane, to mention just 3 synonyms.

 

Japanese artists and artisans have always taken apparent delight in creating poetic names for the their processes, materials and aesthetic effects. I think it would be missing this lyrical expression if we were to insist on too much conformity. We just need to learn more

 

Regards, Ford

[Stephen]

Thanks to all who have gave us a very interesting thread, would have expected Rich etc. to ring in but they must be busy else where. Thanks agan