Describe the arts of medieval Japan and their unified themes

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

For roughly four centuries (794–1185), Japan enjoyed a cultural golden age centered on the imperial capital of Heian (modern Kyoto), from which came Japan's first wholly original literature and a set of aesthetic norms that left a permanent mark on Japanese culture. It was during this time that the world's first novel, The Tale of Genji, was produced. The work paints a detailed picture of Japanese life within a small segment of the population: the aristocracy. The men and women of this class prized elegant clothes, refined manners, and poetic versatility.
From China, Japan imported both Confucian and Buddhist ideals, which, combined with the native Shintoism, influenced much of their culture and society. In sculpture, the Japanese, master woodcarvers, cultivated a style of intense pictorial Realism. Works reveal the Japanese fascination with the human figure in violent action, depicting sentinels directing their wrath toward those who would oppose the Buddhist law. No drama, too, demonstrates the hallmarks of Japanese culture, including a high regard for beauty of effect and a melancholic sensitivity to the pathos of human life.