KOFUN 古墳 (300-710 CE): “ancient tomb.” Refers to large burial mounds and to the period itself. The mound was typically key-hole shaped, and was decorated with clay haniwa. Kofun contain a burial chamber.
Emperor Nintoku's Tomb 仁徳天王. Osaka Prefecture 大阪 Late 4th to early 5th-century CE (fig. 24)
Haniwa はにわ: Clay burial figures that were placed on the surface of the kofun mound. Basically cylindrical in from, they were often shaped into helmets, shields, parasols, architectural shapes, human and animal figures (figs. 26-32)
Late Kofun-era tombs:
- Takehara tomb 竹原古墳 Fukuoka prefecture 福岡県 Late Kofun. (fig. 40)
- Idera tomb 井寺古墳 Kumamoto prefecture 熊本県 Late Kofun. (fig. 39)
- Takamatsu tomb 高松塚 Late 7th-8th century CE. Ink, color, and gold leaf on plaster. Burial chamber dimensions: height 8.7 ft; width 3.4 ft; length 3.7 ft. Excavated in 1972, in the Asuka region, Nara 奈良 (fig. 42, 43)
a. Four directional deities (shishin zu 四神図) (fig. 42)
East wall, center section: Blue Dragon of the East
North wall: Black Warrior of the North
West wall: White Tiger of the West
South wall: Red Phoenix of the South
a. compare with “chokkomon” 直弧文 design of geometric patterns and curves on mirrors (fig. 34)
b. Sun and moon, constellations (nichigetsu, seiza zu 日月星座図)
East wall, center section: sun
West wall, center section: moon
Ceiling: patterns of 28 constellations. Red pigment and gold foil.
c. Figural paintings (jinbutsu ga 人物画) (fig. 43)
The figural paintings in the tomb alternate with paintings of the Four Directional Deities and by gender according to yin-yang 阴阳 principles (male to south; female to north). The groupings of figures and objects they hold suggest spectators watching a polo match.
Chinese comparisons:
• Paintings by the artist Gu Kaizhi 顧愷之 , 4th century
• Tomb of Princess Yongtai 永泰公主 , Tang dynasty, 706 CE