几帳
THE MEANINGS WOVEN IN
kichō
A wish for a quiet place of your own, with light coming through.
Court Curtains
Calm days →01
Where it comes from
Kichō and misu were the screens of the Heian court. In the wide halls of noble residences, they divided the space for daily use and decorated the room at the same time. A misu is a blind of fine bamboo strips, woven so that one can see through it, while a kichō is a frame of two posts and a crossbar hung with cloth, set up to shield a person from view. Later, these court furnishings were taken from pictures of The Tale of Genji and turned into auspicious designs, often with flowers or scenes from stories.
02
On the cloth
The cloth of a kichō was itself painted or woven with patterns, among them the grain of weathered wood on white. On obi, a kichō may peek out from behind cloud shapes among chrysanthemum and bush clover, or a bamboo blind may stretch across nearly half the width of a summer obi, with maple leaves. Designs that gather curtain stands, blinds, folding fans, and scented balls have been called palace patterns.
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To give
Court curtains suit someone moving into a new room, or anyone who needs a quiet corner. It is a gift for someone you hope will have a sheltered place to rest.
A word to keep
内裏文様
dairi monyō
Palace patterns. Designs that gather the furnishings of the old court, such as curtain stands, blinds, and fans.
Two questions
What does the Court Curtains (几帳) pattern mean?
A wish for a quiet place of your own, with light coming through. Court curtains suit someone moving into a new room, or anyone who needs a quiet corner.
Where does the 几帳 pattern come from?
Kichō and misu were the screens of the Heian court. In the wide halls of noble residences, they divided the space for daily use and decorated the room at the same time.
