Kichō

A is a portable multi-paneled silk partition supported by a T-pole. It came into use in aristocratic households during and following the Heian period (794–1185) in Japan when it became a standard piece of furniture. are similar in appearance to a , but are mounted on a free-standing stand rather than a lintel beam. They are less similar to , which do not include streamers to tie them up, and are generally used in different social settings.

Construction

The curtain or veil () hangs via ribbons or other decorative cording from the top crosspiece () which is supported by the vertical bars () which are supported by the pedestal at the base (). The fabric is generally in two layers: a plain silk back lining, and a fabric with a design on it facing outward. Colorful ribbons of fabric are generally hung in the center of each vertical panel on top of the outer fabric. The ribbons are held in place with a (traditionally) red decorative stitching which runs horizontally a little below the top of the .

The size of the historically depended on where it was used. The largest type, for use just inside bamboo blinds, was four tall by eight wide (about by ), with the five or six tall ( to ) and divided equally into five vertical panels.

A medium size , for use inside a room, was three tall by six shaku wide (about by ), with the four or five tall ( to ) and divided equally into four vertical panels.

The smallest type, generally only used for , was two tall by one , five wide (about by ) and divided equally into three vertical panels. This last type was generally used to veil the pillow where the noble woman slept, with the being made of rosewood or red sandalwood.

Use

The is often placed just on the inside of bamboo blinds, forming a portable double privacy barrier to the outside of the house. They are also used as portable room dividers inside the house. Today, they are most often used as decorations or to hide boxes or other unsightly messes in a home.

In former times, they would often be used to hide noble women from public eyes when they visited shrines or temples, and to provide additional privacy for the women at home. Smaller versions called were carried by the female attendants of a noble woman in order to hide her from public view while she traveled.

In the 1880s (late Edo period), were rare, but possibly still used in the houses of .

File:Murasaki Shikibu Nikki Emaki4L.JPG, used behind blinds for gender segregation; the sleeves of the women protrude from behind the screens, while the men sit on the outside. 13th-century illustration from '' The Diary of Lady Murasaki''.
File:Empress Shoshi and son.jpg, Imperial apartments. Empress Shōshi, her infant son Atsuhira, and an unidentified lady are screened by . Below, her father Fujiwara no Michinaga and her lady-in-waiting, likely Murasaki Shikibu.

See also

* List of partitions of traditional Japanese architecture
* (textile doorhanging)
* (reed blind)
* (folding screen)
*Pipe and drape
*Purdah

References

External links

*

彩る調度の品々

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kicho
Furnishings
Japanese traditions
Japanese bamboowork
Japanese words and phrases
Partitions in traditional Japanese architecture
Portable furniture