{{short description|Traditional resist-dyed fabric originating in the Ryukyuan Islands in Japan}} {{Italic title}} thumb|alt=Fabric decorated with a busy design of diamonds constructed from light green bamboo stems and blue, pink and purple flowers on a white background.|{{transliteration|ja|Bingata}} fabric [[File:Dress in Bingata Stencil Dyeing, Okinawa Main Island, Second Sho Dynasty, Ryukyu Kingdom, 19th century, view 1, bamboo, crane, and plum design on white ramie ground, hemp - Tokyo National Museum - DSC05388.JPG|thumb|alt=The back view of a white kimono dyed with {{transliteration|ja|bingata}}.|19th century ramie Ryukyuan dress showing {{transliteration|ja|bingata}}-dyed design of bamboo, cranes and plum blossoms]]
{{transliteration|ja|'''Bingata'''}} ({{langx|ryu|紅型}}) is a traditional stencilled resist dyeing technique originating in Okinawa Prefecture. {{transliteration|ja|Bingata}} typically features a busy pattern of repeating nature motifs such as fish, flowers and fauna in a number of bright colours. {{transliteration|ja|Bingata}} is worn during traditional Ryukyuan festivals and traditional arts performances.
{{transliteration|ja|Bingata}} dates from the Ryūkyū Kingdom period (14th century), when the island of Okinawa experienced an influx of foreign goods and manufacturing techniques. It is believed to have developed as a synthesis of Indian, Chinese, and Javanese dyeing processes.
== Terminology == The term {{nihongo||紅型|bingata}} was noted in the early 20th century Okinawan usage by Dr. Yoshitaro Kamakura, a Japanese scholar, to refer to painting with dyes.<ref name=":0"/> {{transliteration|ja|Bingata}} was then defined by Kamakura after he had studied the ancient records as connoting cochineal red with cinnabar, which was imported from Fujian, China.<ref name=":0"/> Cinnabar red is the most important colour in the production of {{transliteration|ja|bingata}}.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Metropolitan Museum of Art|title=Notable acquisitions, 1983-1984|date=1984|publisher=Metropolitan Museum of Art|others=Philippe De Montebello|isbn=0-87099-387-9|location=New York|pages=122–123|oclc=11749880}}</ref> Kamakura then concluded that the terminology of "applying {{transliteration|ja|bin}}" eventually began to refer to the colouring of cloth in general, including cochineal, yellow, indigo, and black dyes, which were applied on fabric over a rice-paste resist.<ref name=":0"/>
==History== The techniques used in {{transliteration|ja|bingata}} are thought to have originated in Southeast Asia (possibly Java, or perhaps China or India), and arrived in the Ryukyu Kingdom through trade during the 14th century.<ref name="nakai">Nakai, T. (1989). Dyeing originated in Okinawa. Mitsumura Suiko Shoin Co., Ltd.</ref> The Ryukyu Kingdom, having a strong trade system between Korea, Japan, China and other Southeast Asian countries in the 15th and 16th centuries,<ref name="nakai"/> utilised fabric decoration techniques originating in these countries to create an independent style of dyework featuring nature-inspired designs reflecting the Ryukyu Islands.<ref name="nakai"/> The abundant flora and fauna gave the resulting fabric a strong natural influence, resulting in the development of the designs typically seen in {{transliteration|ja|bingata}} today.
In 1609, Japan invaded the Ryukyu Kingdom, and trade with foreign countries was prohibited. Japan demanded tribute from the Ryukyu people in the form of handicraft production, and its people were forced to produce various fabrics, including the banana fibers cloths known as {{transliteration|ja|jofu}} and {{transliteration|ja|kafu}}.<ref name="kawakita">Kyōto Kokuritsu Kindai Bijutsukan, & Kawakita, M. (1978). Craft treasures of Okinawa. Tokyo: Kodansha International.</ref> In order to improve the {{transliteration|ja|bingata}} technique, the Ryukyu people invited foreign craftsmen to the island and had their own people travel abroad to master various craft techniques.<ref name="nakai"/> The goods produced for the Japanese by the Ryukyu people were also judged by an exacting and high standard set by the royal authorities,<ref name="nakai"/> resulting in the exported goods reaching a high level of craftsmanship that generated a strong desire for Ryukyu crafts and goods. In a report from a Chinese envoy dated 1802, the writer speaks of the beautiful {{transliteration|ja|bingata}} from Okinawa, commenting that the flowers depicted in the fabric were so vibrant that the fabric must have been produced using a "production secret that they do not reveal to others".<ref name="kamakura">Yoshitaro Kamakura, ''Ryukyu bingata'', 1958</ref>
Pigments used in {{transliteration|ja|bingata}} were imported from Fukien and used in textile dyeing.<ref name="kamakura"/> To achieve the color white, ground chalk or powdered shells were used.<ref name="kamakura"/> Other colours were achieved using cochineal, vermilion, arsenic, and sulphur. Some patterns used up to 18 different colour applications.<ref name="shuefftan">Shuefftan, K. (n.d.). Ryukyu Bingata Dyeing. Association for the Promotion of Traditional Craft Industries. Retrieved Aug. 1, 2008, from, http://www.kougei.or.jp/english/crafts/0211/f0211.html</ref> After the Ryukyu Kingdom came under Japanese rule, the Ryukyu people could no longer trade for these pigments, and sought new ways to continue with their painting.<ref name="kamakura"/> Production of the finer and brighter varieties of {{transliteration|ja|bingata}} had come to a halt and the workers turned to working with the materials which were readily available.<ref name="kamakura"/> Indigo was all that was left, so production for the general public became popular.<ref name="kamakura"/>
Special permission was given to only three families to produce {{transliteration|ja|bingata}}. Each family had their own designs which they passed onto future generations.<ref name="bingatadying">{{cite web |title=Bingata Dying |date=1999 |work=Okinawa Times online |url=http://www.okinawatimes.co.jp/eng/ryukyu/ryu5_4.html |access-date=2008-08-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071024013605/http://www.okinawatimes.co.jp/eng/ryukyu/ryu5_4.html |archive-date=2007-10-24}}</ref> There were a total of 45 dyers, the best residing in the capital of Shuri.<ref name="bingatadying"/> To make the stencils, thin sheets of mulberry paper were glued together with persimmon tannin, making them thick and durable.<ref name="shuefftan"/> Then they were smoked and aged, and finally the designs were drawn onto the paper and cut.<ref name="shuefftan"/> Making {{transliteration|ja|bingata}} kimono was labour-intensive, and only royalty or the wealthy could afford them. The designs were held under strict control, and the distinction between classes was easily recognized by the kimono worn. Patterns for the royal household were very bold and colorful,<ref name="lerner">Lerner, M., Valenstein, S., Murch, A., Hearn, M., Ford, B., Mailey, J. (1983/1984). Far Eastern Art, pp. 119-127. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved Aug 3, 2008, from JSTOR database.</ref> while the general public wore simple and dark patterns of indigo or black.<ref name="kamakura"/> Only the royal family wore the yellow, while nobility wore pale blue. On special occasions, the commoners were given permission to wear certain special colors.<ref name="bingata">Bingata, Ryukyu Indigo and Uji Dyes. (2005). Okinawa Convention & Visitors Bureau. Retrieved Aug 3, 2008, from {{cite web |url=http://www.ocvb.or.jp/card/en/0000000981.html |title=Bingata, Ryukyu Indigo and Uji Dyes:: Mahae plus :: Okinawa Travel Information |access-date=2008-08-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081028124346/http://www.ocvb.or.jp/card/en/0000000981.html |archive-date=2008-10-28 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The women in the royal family were very particular about their kimono, and forbade anyone to copy the same kimono pattern style.<ref name="charles">Charles, B. (2006). Colorful Bingata an Okinawa Tradition. Japan Update. Retrieved Aug 3, 2008, from http://www.japanupdate.com/?id=6976</ref> The patterns painted on the kimono were usually birds, flowers, rivers, and clouds on silk, linen, and {{transliteration|ja|bashofu}} (a cloth woven from ''musa basjoo'' fiber).<ref name="gross">Gross, J. (1985, Oct. 18). The New York Times. Retrieved Aug 3, 2008, from ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times database.</ref>
During the Battle of Okinawa, much was lost, and production stopped due to the destruction of the shops.<ref name="bingatadying"/> After the war, a former {{transliteration|ja|bingata}} artist, Eiki Shiroma, went to mainland Japan in search of original {{transliteration|ja|bingata}} stencils which had been taken by collectors and Japanese soldiers.<ref name="bingatadying"/> He found some and brought the art back to life.<ref name="bingatadying"/> The U.S. occupation of Japan saw a new type of customer, and the {{transliteration|ja|bingata}} business flourished while the troops bought bingata postcards as souvenirs.<ref name="charles"/> Eiki Shiroma's son, Eijun Shiroma, is continuing the family tradition as the 15th generation of his family to be practicing the techniques handed down since the time {{transliteration|ja|bingata}} was produced under the patronage of the Ryukyu Kingdom.<ref name="exhibitions2002">Exhibitions 2002 - Okinawa Now. (2008). Longhouse. Retrieved Aug 3, 2008, from www.longhouse.org/exhibitmain.ihtml?id=30&exlink=2</ref> Eijun's works can still be seen today at his Shimroma Studio.
The oldest {{transliteration|ja|bingata}} piece known was found on the island of Kumejima and dates to the late 15th century.<ref name="charles"/> The dyes for {{transliteration|ja|bingata}} are made from plants, and include Ryukyuan {{transliteration|ja|ai}} (indigo), {{transliteration|ja|fukugi}} (a high tree of {{lang|la|Hypericum erectum}} family), {{transliteration|ja|suo}} ({{lang|la|Caesalpinia sappan}}) and {{transliteration|ja|yamamomo}} ({{lang|la|Myrica rubra}}), and as pigment, {{transliteration|ja|shoenji}} (cochineal), {{transliteration|ja|shu}} (cinnabar), {{lang|ja-Latn|sekio}} (orpiment), {{transliteration|ja|sumi}} (Indian ink) and {{transliteration|ja|gofun}} (aleurone)".<ref name="ryukyubingata">Ryukyu Bingata. (1997). Kimono. Retrieved Aug 2, 2008, from http://www.kimono.or.jp/dic/eng/11Dye-Okinawa.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160221063606/http://www.kimono.or.jp/dic/eng/11Dye-Okinawa.html |date=2016-02-21}}</ref> In recent years, variations of the pigments have been created, and hibiscus, deigo flowers<ref name="wada">Wada, I. (2003). Kimono Flea Market Ichiroya. Newsletter, No19. Retrieved Aug 2, 2008, from http://www.ichiroya.com/newsletter.htm</ref> and sugar cane leaves have been used in the designs.<ref name="wada"/>
==Manufacturing process== thumb|alt=A well-lit workshop. A length of white cloth patterned with {{transliteration|ja|bingata}} is stretched along the length of the room, and a person works on it in the background.|A {{transliteration|ja|bingata kobo}}, or manufacturing facility
The production of {{transliteration|ja|bingata}} is labour-intensive, with it taking three people three days to paint the material for just one kimono, and then a further month to finish it.<ref name="hitchcock">Hitchcock, J. (2007). The Colorful World of Bingata. Retrieved Aug 1, 2008, from http://www.jahitchcock.com/bingata.html.</ref> Although {{transliteration|ja|bingata}} kimono are hard to come by, hand-made {{transliteration|ja|bingata}} T-shirts can be found for around $40 and {{transliteration|ja|noren}} curtains for around $200. A cotton {{transliteration|ja|bingata}} kimono can cost about $500 and a silk kimono $1,000.<ref name="hitchcock"/>
There are ten labour-intensive steps to producing Ryukyu {{transliteration|ja|bingata}}:<ref name="shuefftan"/>
# Stencil cutting:{{pb}}Mulberry papers are coated with persimmon tannin and sealed together to form a firm sheet. A design is drawn onto the paper directly or traced from another source. The details are cut with a small blade and afterwards it is coated again to keep it from bending. # Stencil resist painting:{{pb}}A special rice-paste made from boiled rice, rice bran and water is scraped across the top of the stencil on the cloth. # Freehand resist painting:{{pb}}If a large area is needed to be painted, a freehand technique is used to apply the rice-paste resist onto the fabric. The paste is put into a bag and squeezed onto the fabric. # Painting:{{pb}}Prepared paints are painted onto the fabric starting from lighter to darker colours. One design can use from 9 to 18 different colours. # Re-painting:{{pb}}To achieve a more vibrant colour the paints are added once more and this time rubbed into the cloth with a stiff brush made out of human hair. # Details:{{pb}}Details around the edges of each object are added to emphasise the image. Next the fabric is steamed so the colours will set into the fabric and then it is washed. # Background resist:{{pb}}To paint the background a separate colour, the rice-paste resist is now placed on all the previously painted areas. # Background painting:{{pb}}The entire background of the fabric is painted with a wide brush or dipped in a dye bath. # Colour setting:{{pb}}The fabric is set in a steamer for an hour to let the colours set. # Washing:{{pb}}The fabric is washed and dried.
An example of {{transliteration|ja|bingata}} can be found in The Journal of Decorative and Propaganda Arts.<ref name="mimura">Mimura, K. (1994). Soetsu Yanagi and the Legacy of the Unknown Craftsman. The Journal of Decorative and Propaganda Arts, Vol 20, pp. 209-223. Retrieved Aug 2, 2008, from JSTOR database.</ref>
==See also== * Kimono * {{Transliteration|ja|Miyako Jofu}} * {{Transliteration|ryu|Yaeyama Jofu}} * Ryukyuan culture * List of Traditional Crafts of Japan
==References== {{reflist}} *Josef Kreiner. "Ryūkyū." In Grove Art Online. Oxford Art Online, http://www.oxfordartonline.com/subscriber/article/grove/art/T074794 (accessed August 1, 2008). *Kawakami, S. (2007). Ryukyu and Ainu Textiles. Kyoto National Museum. Retrieved Aug 3, 2008, from http://www.kyohaku.go.jp/eng/dictio/data/senshoku/ryui.htm {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181014200524/http://www.kyohaku.go.jp/eng/dictio/data/senshoku/ryui.htm |date=2018-10-14 }} *Okinawa's Dyed and Woven Textiles - Bingata. (2003). Wonder Okinawa. Retrieved Aug 3, 2008, from https://web.archive.org/web/20060331065841/http://www.wonder-okinawa.jp/010/eng/002/index.html
== External links == *[http://kijimuna.info/english/englishpage.htm Bingata Kijimuna] {{Transliteration|ja|Bingata}} painting experience and products *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060331065841/http://www.wonder-okinawa.jp/010/eng/002/index.html {{Transliteration|ja|Bingata}}] at Wonder Okinawa. *[http://www.kyohaku.go.jp/eng/dictio/data/senshoku/ryui.htm Ryukyuan and Ainu textiles] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181014200524/http://www.kyohaku.go.jp/eng/dictio/data/senshoku/ryui.htm |date=2018-10-14 }} description page with pictures
{{dyeing}} {{fabric}}
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Category:Cultural Properties of Okinawa Prefecture Category:Important Intangible Cultural Properties (Japan) Category:Japanese art terminology Category:Japanese dyeing techniques Category:Printed fabrics Category:Ryukyuan culture Category:Textile arts of Japan Category:Prefecturally designated Intangible Cultural Properties (Japan)