Shoin
Encyclopedia
is a type of audience hall in Japanese architecture
that was developed during the Muromachi period
. The term originally meant a study and a place for lectures on the sūtra
within a temple, but later it came to mean just a drawing room or study. From this room takes its name the shoin-zukuri
style. In a shoin-zukuri building, the shoin is the zashiki, a tatami-room dedicated to the reception of guests.
The emerging architecture of the Muromachi period was subsequently influenced by the increasing use and appearance of shoin. One of the most noticeable changes in architecture to arise from the shoin came from the practice of lining their floors with tatami mats. Since tatami mats have a standardized size the floor plans for shoin rooms had to be developed around the proportions of the tatami mat; this in turn affected the proportions of doors, the height of rooms, and other aspects of the structure. Before the shoin popularized the practice of lining floors with tatami mats it had been standard to only bring out a single tatami mat for the highest ranking person in the room to sit on.
The architecture surrounding and influenced by the shoin quickly developed many other distinguishing features. Since the guests sat on the floor instead on in furniture they were positioned at a lower vantage point than their Chinese counterparts who were accustomed to using furniture. This lower vantage point generated such developments as the suspended ceilings which functioned to make the room feel less expansive, and also resulted in the ceilings rafters being no longer visible as they were in China. The new suspended ceilings also allowed for more elaborate decoration, resulting in many highly ornate suspended ceilings in addition to the much simpler ones. Another characteristic development to arise from the lower vantage point were the tokonoma
and chigaidana. The tokonoma was an elevated recess built into the wall to create a space for displaying the Chinese art
which was popular at the time at a comfortable eye level. The chigaidana, or "staggered shelves", were shelving structures built into the tokonoma to display smaller objects. Occurring at the same time as the development of the shoin architecture, the fusuma
, or "sliding doors", were becoming a popular means to divide rooms. As a result columns began to be created that were square-shaped to accommodate the sliding doors.
The asymmetry of the tokonoma and chigaidana pair, as the well as the squared pillars differentiated the shoin design with the Chinese design
at the time which preferred symmetric pairs of furniture and round pillars. Soon after its advent shoin architecture became associated with these evolving elements as it became the predominant format for formal gathering rooms.
Japanese architecture
' originated in prehistoric times with simple pit-houses and stores that were adapted to a hunter-gatherer population. Influence from Han Dynasty China via Korea saw the introduction of more complex grain stores and ceremonial burial chambers....
that was developed during the Muromachi period
Muromachi period
The is a division of Japanese history running from approximately 1336 to 1573. The period marks the governance of the Muromachi or Ashikaga shogunate, which was officially established in 1338 by the first Muromachi shogun, Ashikaga Takauji, two years after the brief Kemmu restoration of imperial...
. The term originally meant a study and a place for lectures on the sūtra
Sutra
Sūtra is an aphorism or a collection of such aphorisms in the form of a manual. Literally it means a thread or line that holds things together and is derived from the verbal root siv-, meaning to sew , as does the medical term...
within a temple, but later it came to mean just a drawing room or study. From this room takes its name the shoin-zukuri
Shoin-zukuri
is a style of Japanese residential architecture used in the mansions of the military, temple guest halls, and Zen abbot's quarters of the Azuchi-Momoyama and Edo periods . It forms the basis of today's traditional-style Japanese house. Characteristics of the shoin-zukuri development were the...
style. In a shoin-zukuri building, the shoin is the zashiki, a tatami-room dedicated to the reception of guests.
The emerging architecture of the Muromachi period was subsequently influenced by the increasing use and appearance of shoin. One of the most noticeable changes in architecture to arise from the shoin came from the practice of lining their floors with tatami mats. Since tatami mats have a standardized size the floor plans for shoin rooms had to be developed around the proportions of the tatami mat; this in turn affected the proportions of doors, the height of rooms, and other aspects of the structure. Before the shoin popularized the practice of lining floors with tatami mats it had been standard to only bring out a single tatami mat for the highest ranking person in the room to sit on.
The architecture surrounding and influenced by the shoin quickly developed many other distinguishing features. Since the guests sat on the floor instead on in furniture they were positioned at a lower vantage point than their Chinese counterparts who were accustomed to using furniture. This lower vantage point generated such developments as the suspended ceilings which functioned to make the room feel less expansive, and also resulted in the ceilings rafters being no longer visible as they were in China. The new suspended ceilings also allowed for more elaborate decoration, resulting in many highly ornate suspended ceilings in addition to the much simpler ones. Another characteristic development to arise from the lower vantage point were the tokonoma
Tokonoma
Tokonoma , also referred to simply as toko, is a Japanese term generally referring to a built-in recessed space in a Japanese style reception room, in which items for artistic appreciation are displayed. In English, tokonoma is usually called alcove. The items usually displayed in a tokonoma are...
and chigaidana. The tokonoma was an elevated recess built into the wall to create a space for displaying the Chinese art
Chinese art
Chinese art is visual art that, whether ancient or modern, originated in or is practiced in China or by Chinese artists or performers. Early so-called "stone age art" dates back to 10,000 BC, mostly consisting of simple pottery and sculptures. This early period was followed by a series of art...
which was popular at the time at a comfortable eye level. The chigaidana, or "staggered shelves", were shelving structures built into the tokonoma to display smaller objects. Occurring at the same time as the development of the shoin architecture, the fusuma
Fusuma
In Japanese architecture, fusuma are vertical rectangular panels which can slide from side to side to redefine spaces within a room, or act as doors. They typically measure about wide by tall, the same size as a tatami mat, and are two or three centimeters thick...
, or "sliding doors", were becoming a popular means to divide rooms. As a result columns began to be created that were square-shaped to accommodate the sliding doors.
The asymmetry of the tokonoma and chigaidana pair, as the well as the squared pillars differentiated the shoin design with the Chinese design
Chinese architecture
Chinese architecture refers to a style of architecture that has taken shape in East Asia over many centuries. The structural principles of Chinese architecture have remained largely unchanged, the main changes being only the decorative details...
at the time which preferred symmetric pairs of furniture and round pillars. Soon after its advent shoin architecture became associated with these evolving elements as it became the predominant format for formal gathering rooms.