Classical Japanese vs. Classical Chinese

medium and message

4) One of the interesting features of the multiple writing systems (or languages) in premodern Japan is that certain languages were used for certain types of text. Classical Japanese (the vernacular), for instance, was used for "tale literature," while Classical Chinese (or kanbun) was used for official documents, certain types of poetry, and religious texts, to name a few. For this question, please compare two illustrated texts--one is of a "tale" (The Tale of the Heiji Rebellion), and the other is a sutra. Note that for the external link, you will need to click on the "interactive viewer." In terms of visual impact, how are these two works different? Even if you can't read the texts, what sort of "energy" does each convey? 

This is a long horizontal scroll with several calligraphic inscriptions on the right portion of the paper. On the left are 3 figural scenes. The one closest to the writing shows a male figure wearing a large headdress seated in the lotus position within a circle. Next there is a figure with four arms who stands on the back of a dragon. Two people stand on either side- one a short blue-skinned man who holds a bowl and the other a smaller figure who holds a brush and paper. The third scene shows a male figure, seated in the lotus position, who holds a sword, a wheel, a brush and paper in his four hands.
Japanese
Suiten kyo (Sutra of Varuna, Deity of the Waters)
handscroll, ink and color on paper
11 1/4 in x 81 1/8 in (28.6 cm x 206.1 cm)
Gift of Harold Phillip Stern, presented in memory of Archibald Gibson Wenley

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2021 update: "Interactive viewer" has been changed to "view the scroll."
— by Erin Leigh Brightwell (September 20 2021 @ 4:24 pm)

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Part of 1 Learning Collection

Seal Script
<p>Chinese origins</p>

Bronze
<p>Writing as Decoration</p>

Sutras
<p>Religious texts&nbsp;</p>

Classical Japanese vs. Classical Chinese
<p>medium <i>and </i>message</p>

Art and Information
<p>Camels and Poems</p>

Classical Women Writers Anew
<p>Playing with text and image</p>

Poems and Paintings
<p>One last look at text and image in a different m...

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August 24, 2020 6:34 p.m.

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