Tomoko Sakomura:	Thank you Patricia for that extremely kind introduction. I'd also like to thank Lisa [inaudible 00:00:10]for organizing today's event, and thank you all for being here today. It is such a treat to see so many familiar faces in the audience, and I'm truly delighted to have this opportunity to present my current thinking about a work I had a chance to view last year in Japan thanks to the generous funding of the Mary Albertson faculty fellowship.
	This research is part of my manuscript project which examines, sorry, the visual culture of Japanese court poetry or Waka, a highly condensed poetic form of 31 syllables in length. The period I work on is the 16th to the 17th century nearly a millennium into the history of Japanese court poetry and it's artifacts. I examine the ways in which artifacts produced during this time serve to promote this culture of legacy as potent symbols of cultivation and status. As a treasured institution, court poetry was integral to the identity of the Imperial court, but also a premium concern to the educated elite including warriors and wealthy commoners, who wish to be considered learned it and to partake in this cultural institution. 
	I am increasingly interested in the ways in which material sites of poetic inscription in showing you a poem sheet on the screen. Such as folding screens, hands scrolled, poetry sheets and, micro writing boxes, contribute to the visual culture of court poetry by suiting it's materiality and its directing inscription of word and image. 
	The object of my focus today, a pair of screens representing the 36 iconic stages of court poetry, exemplified such a example in which an age old iconographic tradition of court portraiture in existence since the 12th century, is re-imagined in the new medium. To put this in a material context, on the top right, I am showing the earliest known example from the early 13th century. A set of hand scrolls which are cut up and remounted as individual portraits. 
	On the top left, is an example of the Thirty-Six Poet portraiture on the wooden plank. A practice that began in the 15th century. You will be able to see this in person in the Japanese art galleries at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. 
	Thanks to the magic of digital imaging, the objects appear the same size. But the screens measure five and a half feet tall. So, in reality, the difference in scale is something like this. Here's an image with a human body next to it to show you that the Thirty-Six Poets are almost life size. Not quite, but almost. 
	This pair of screens is the earliest excellent example that represents the Thirty-Six Poets in this format. And it is believed that the calligrapher of this work, [foreign language 00:03:12] Nova Tada, his dates are 1571 to 1618, played a role in bringing the Thirty-Six Poets to the big screen. A courtier, Nova Tada, was a central figure of the Imperial Court at the turn of the 17th century and he was as elite as they come. Born to one of the five highest ranking aristocratic families. He also made a name for himself with his distinct style of calligraphy. He is best remembered for his bold inscriptions directly on the folding screen surface as seen on the screen below. The direct inscription on the screen surface is a new practice that is considered to have emerged from Nova Tada's [inaudible 00:03:55] and he is celebrated as an unrivaled practitioner. 
	This is to give you a sense of how radical this direct inscription was. It's a truly radical departure from the convention of inscribing poetry on the screen format, which was usually done within a poem sheet or a poem square, which I'm showing you on the screen the top. This screen is then monumental in two regards: in it's large scale rendering of the Thirty-Six Poets and in it's equally large scale execution of calligraphy. What has also caught scholarly attention is the distinctive placement of the female poets. Which I will get to in a moment. 
	What I'm offering today is the first in depth study on this set of screens and I will build on the insights of previous scholars who have, perhaps due to the lack of historical documentation on this work, only cautiously placed it within the general culture milieu of Nova Tada, our calligrapher. My inquiry into the screens began with the fundamental question, "Why the screen?" As previous scholars have noted, the pair of screens is an impressive work of painting and calligraphy. And the pair demonstrates a new chapter in the representational history of the Thirty-Six Poets, with it's selection of this screening format. But the screens are also a material object made for particular use context. The sheer physical presence of the screens was such that I had to view them in separate rooms at the private collector's residence. This is you see two rooms here. And that prompted me to think about what kind of setting that would have allowed the two halves to be placed side by side in a manner that would make the most compositional sense. As I am showing you here. 
	It's a completely different visual experience from looking at a reproduction of these screens in a book. The screen is an architectonic format that involves the actual space in which it is placed. And, indeed, as I sat before these Poets, there was a compelling sensation of my occupying the same space as the Poets. To really be in their presence. This sensation was also enhanced by the materiality of the densely patterned and textured robes worn by the Poets. This work was clearly an expensive, elaborate commission featuring the calligraphy of one of the most celebrated couturier calligraphers of the time. What then prompted such a extensive project? This monumental rendering. I took as a challenge to dig up the context that motivated the representation of the Thirty-Six Poets on the screen format. Based on historical documents, and a consideration of how actual poetry contests were conducted at the time. I will offer a new interpretation today.
	My first clue came by the way of Nova Tada's calligraphy. The calligraphic style allows us to place this screen during the first fourteen years of the 17th century during the final years of Nova Tada's life when he brushed in this highly unique mature style. These years also coincide with a particularly charged moment in the political landscape of Japan at the time when important transitions of power took place. A new warrior regime is established in Edo, which is now Tokyo in 1603. Without Edo, there will be no Tokyo. At the imperial court in Koto, where it has been located since 1794, Nova Tada's very own nephew ascends to the throne as the Emperor in 1611. Though the imperial court was under the political sway of the warrior government and also relied on the warrior government's financial support, the two Emperors - I'm showing you on the screen - who reigned during this first fourteen years of the 17th century, [foreign language 00:08:07] to your left and [foreign language 00:08:05] to your right. These emperors are recognized for their efforts to revive imperial prestige by invoking the hey-days of imperial rule of the 9th to 11th centuries. Especially through poetry and court ceremony, cause this is a time when it was very active. 
	In particular, a noted increase of formal poetry gatherings and poetry matches, during these emperor's times, underscores the promotion of poetry as official activities among the couturiers. These were cases in which poetry was judged and commented upon, and the poets were sized up against nearly a millennium of history. And as we shall see, court rank and family lineage dictated the seating arrangement at these events and demonstrate the highly politicized nature of what, in today's eyes, might appear as entertainment.
	The pair of screens which split the Thirty-Six Poets into two groups of eighteen poets each, is also framed as a poetry match. But the placement, postures, gestures, and glances of the poets suggest something more. In my lecture today, I would like to suggest that, when placed in context, the composition almost demands a physical body to be placed between. That the Poets are here summoned by an imperial presence. Which is rather a far out idea actually. 
	First let me acquaint you with the literary and pictorial history of the Thirty-Six Poets and familiarize you with the conventions that set the stage for the screens. In order to demonstrate that the certain aspect of the arrangement and the articulation of the Thirty-Six Poets as you've been seeing, it's historically based. The Thirty-Six Poets come from different eras, spanning the 7th to 10th centuries. It includes, among ... the majority are male poets - courtiers, but there's also two monks and five poetesses, including a priestess [foreign language 00:10:19] and four educated ladies-in-waiting at the court. And ladies-in-waiting are daughters of courtiers, so they're not just servants, but they're educated beings themselves. These Thirty-Six Poets were celebrated poets during their lifetime. But it was thanks to their selection by the renowned scholar poet of the 11th century [foreign language 00:10:43], in his selection of thirty-six poets ... that these thirty-six poets became venerated icons of court poetry. Over time, recognized with the exulted title of [foreign language 00:10:57] which literally means "poetic immortals." 
	The impetus for Kinto's selection is believed to be a debate between him and a prince over which of the two poets [foreign language 00:11:11] was the better one. This chart demonstrates the reception of Kinto's collection in that although his original collection of 150 poems by these poets was not explicitly structured as a poetry match. It came to be couched as one, at least since the late 12th century, when poets where paired in the order in which they appear in the collection. But divided into two teams of the left and the right beginning with [foreign language 00:11:42] who heads the left team and [foreign language 00:11:44] how heads the right team. The chart lists the poets according to the teams of the left on the right column and the right ... the poets of the right on the left column. And this is due to the convention of the Thirty-Six Poets pictures or portraiture's where left is stage left from the poet's perspective, so you're seeing it from the poet's perspective. 
	While [foreign language 00:12:09] dates from the early 11th century, the pictorial representation of the Thirty-Six Poets comes later. In fact, nearly two centuries later. Prompted by a new interest in portraiture. It is therefore a posthumous, imaginary group portrait, bringing together poets from different eras. The formula of the Thirty-Six Poets portraiture is of a portrait, as you see here. And combined with their one verse, one poem, which you see inside here and the name of the poet. So that's the formula, those three elements. Prior to the representation on the screen format, the Thirty-Six Poets appeared first in the format of a hand-scroll, on the right, and later on wooden plaques, on the left. Both the hand-scroll and the plaque capture the idea of a match in ways appropriate to their form and mood of viewing and installation. For instance, a late 13th century hand-scroll version is known from a few fragments of the original scroll and also by two, very close later copies. I'm showing you an example of a 19th century copy. And before they were immortalized and assumed this quasi-diefied status, the Thirty-Six Poets were aristocrats and members of the Imperial court. So the convention is to represent them as courtly portraits, dressed in courtly garb. 
	As you can see, there is considerable emphasis on the garments they were and it's a very two-dimensional representation and there's focus on the garments because that's ... they denote rank and status. But you also notice that if the garments seem rather stiff to you, the faces are rendered much more delicately. And this is a practice that is based on the portrait tradition, what is called [foreign language 00:14:10] or "likeness pictures." Which is a mode of portraiture that emerged in the 13th century, which inserts delicately rendered faces into stylized, two-dimensional bodies which is essentially all robe. And here to, the names of the figures are also inscribed, in addition to the portraits and you can see that the robes are the same, but their faces capture a likeness of each individual. 
	In the case of the Thirty-Six Poet hand-scroll. The poets are represented sitting at regular intervals, occupying their own spatial clusters. It is more of a string of individual portraits than a carefully integrated group portrait. And there is interest in distinguishing the figures by making theme engaged in various modes of contemplation. You see the ... some poets are looking down or looking up. Engaged in thinking about their verse. But it's a very subtle difference between the figures. The hand-scroll format is viewed from the right to the left, following the norm of poetry matches, which is in turn reflective of the greater prestige assigned to the ministers of the left in the political system. Poets of the left are represented first, with their bodies facing left. Followed by the poets of the right, with their bodies facing right. Although some poets of the left, here, turn their faces back as if in acknowledgment of the preceding poet, the bodies of the poets face the center of the scroll, emphasizing the idea of a meeting between the two sides. So within the temporal format of the hand-scroll, it captures the concept of the left versus right, in a single scroll. But because of the way that it's viewed, it's done in this style.
	At the beginning of the 15th century, the Thirty-Six Poets come to be represented on plaques of painted wood that were donated as offerings to shrines and temples. The origin of this practice is not clear, but it was an important step towards further deification, celebration, and commemoration of the Thirty-Six Poets. Dedicatory inscriptions on the plaques indicate that, among wishes for prosperity and the elimination of thieves, they were donated as offerings for success in classical poetry and by warriors, also for victory at battle. This sheds light on the magical potency of poetry. 
	the lat 13th century hand-scroll's configuration of the two facing teams was adapted for early votive plaques. Which this style I'm showing you on the right. In groups, several poets at a time on a set of horizontal plaques ... planks, which is imitative of the hand-scroll progression. Here on the left is an example of this horizontal format. Incidentally featuring the inscriptions by the same calligrapher of the screens, demonstrating how this calligrapher, Nova Tada, had many occasions to brush the poetry of the Thirty-Six Poets. It was a very popular topic and in addition to these plaques that were dedicated, the Thirty-Six Poems were often brushed as calligraphy models. So we have many examples by this particular courtier, Nova Tada. So, it's no doubt, dew to the fame as a master calligrapher that he had these occasions to brush them. 
	The other common style represents the Thirty-Six Poets, I'm showing you on the right, individually and in up-right plaques such as the example on the right. This is one of a set of 36 plaques produced as a group. And these individual portraits were hung collectively as in the example in the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
	What you see here, also, is that a new convention associated with the wooden plaque format. Whereas squares for inscribing poetry are places towards the top register. And the Thirty-Six Poets, customarily sit on Tatami mats - the green mats represented here. And each below his or her poem inscribed on palm sheet placed along the top of the frame. The iconography, the figures, the postures and the gestures of the poets, generally follow the conventions established in earlier examples. Just as that hand-scroll ordered the poets in the direction that the scroll would have been viewed, the plaques arranged the poets radiating outward in accordance with the ways in which it would have been seen. So you see the first poet paired and then the second and the third poet sort of radiating outward in this fashion. 
	Typically these plaques are hung along the wall just below the ceiling in the worship hall at a shrine or temple. And started with the head poets, [foreign language 00:19:26] at the center, the plaques radiate outward along the wall to the left and to the right. And again this is as viewed from the poet's perspective. So here the center and I'm showing you plaques of the left team, which is from their perspective aligned along this way and on the other side of the wall, you would see the poets of the right. Some of the poets heads may face left or right, but most of their bodies are angled towards the other team. Reiterating the notion of an imaginary meeting between the two teams of the left and right. And here they meet across the room, so to speak. 
	The plaque introduced the Thirty-Six Poets to a wider audience, since unlike the hand-scrolls, which are more suited for private consumption, the plaques could be seen in the semi-public precincts of shrines and temples. Contemporary diaries often mention dedication ceremonies of these plaques, suggesting that the Thirty-Six Poets had also become, in a sense, a religious spectacle in some respects. 
	Placed along this trajectory, it becomes clear that the poet's screens capitalize on the folding-screen format which usually come in pairs of two halves. Whereas the hand-scrolls and plaques align the poets in a straight line, the screens have the two groups share the same space. Each poet shown in 3/4 view and inclined towards the other screen. The choice of the screen format then, is an elegant pictorial solution for designating the classic teams of the left and the right. The poets of the left appear on your right and the poets of the right appear to the left. I think I've said enough times that you've got ... okay. The screens are staged as a contest between the two sides, facing off as they would in an actual poetry match. But with no Tatami mats depicted in the pictorial field, the poets appear just opposite the viewer, and the effect of their occupying [inaudible 00:21:33] space is even stronger when the screens are standing with folds open. 
	Now I'd like to show you how the iconography of these poets, largely follow the conventions found in the hand-scroll and plaques. But with important modifications. One such modification is in their gaze. Most of the male poets direct their gaze squarely on the other team. Even when their gestures are contemplative and following an established pose, with the hand to the chin or to the cheek for example ... this gesture of contemplation, you see that they're eyes, their gazes are strictly directed towards the other's head ... directed ahead. So with this modification, the poets appear less contemplative, in fact in parting a temporal and spatial collectively, sort of in that moment, sharing that moment together, a sense of the poets giving their full attention to the other team, as if in a poetry match. 
	The sense of immediacy is heightened by the open mouths of some of the poets of the left team. The idea of the poetry match is further cued by the first two poets [foreign language 00:22:42], facing off where the right and left screens meet. And their special statuses as head poets is underscored by their poems inscribed a full character lower than the rest. 
	The difference to the left side is proclaimed by notation "left," that precedes [foreign language 00:23:03] poem and also by Nova Tada setting off the first five syllables of his poem ... classical Japanese is read from the right to the left, so this is where the poem begins ... and you can see that it's written in separation. And this is a technique literally called "writing in separation." And by making these syllables stand out from the rest of the poems, which are inscribed in this fluid, continuing mode of calligraphy inscription, where the letters flow from one another to the next, without pause. The calligrapher, Nova Tada, cues the viewer to the starting point of this poetry match enacted before your eyes.
	The poems which are inscribed across the upper half of the screen in two to three lines each, are in the conventional order of the poet. So 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 to 18 on the left and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 to 18 on the right, the right team. So the numbers act as locators for the remaining poets, so we know that it starts here, these are the first poets and then the rest is there. The poets are staggered, forming rows that produce a loose semi-circle of male poets. So this is poet 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and on the left screen is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. And so you have this sense of very general semi-circle like that. Which then changes the characterization ... my characterization a little bit, because this makes it into a assembly in which the head poets are not at the center, but they're actually at the front of their respective teams. And this arrangement, this particular arrangement here makes it appear that the five female poets are place farther into space beyond the semi-circle of men. Which literary scholars, Joshua Mastow, has characterized as, "Scattered in the background rendered marginal." 
	This arrangement is at least in part prompted by the screen format and the representation of poets as occupying the collective, integrated space. Now looking at the screen, this characterization by Professor Mastow at first seemed reasonable. But also, to me, but also prompted the question of what was behind this specific arrangement. Why the semi-circle and why females poets in the back? It was not until I came across records of 17th century poetry matches and poetry gathering, which shed light on this particular arrangement. And suggested that the imaginary poetry matched, enacted in the screens, in fact mirrored actual poetry events.
	This is a document of a slightly later date than the screens. It shows a diagram of seating arrangements. And this is a manuscript titled, "Records of Poetry Matches of the [foreign language 00:26:18] era between the time between 1624 and 44. This event was hosted by the retired Emperor [foreign language 00:26:27]. Nova Tada's nephew. In his [foreign language 00:26:32] palace sometime between 1632 and 1640 and I'm getting this thanks to the ranks of some of the poets that are represented here. The drawing shows the retired emperor at his place, at the very front. Who naturally served as the host and assumed the honored place of the first poet of the left. So you see here that there's nine poets of the left team here, because the retired Emperor's is the first poet. And then there are ten poets on the right team. And this diagram also shows that the poets of the left are to his left and the poets on the right are to his right. 
	And I ... this is a little bit of a grainy image, but I wanted to show you ... sort of, make it a little more direct for you. If we were to imagine the diagram placed on it's side, and this is 19th century rendering of court ceremony, but we see here the Emperor seated and in his back, the screens ... a pair of screens. We see the seat for the reciter and then we see the poets lined up. Just as it says in the diagram.
	Also the diagram talks about [inaudible 00:27:53] lines being drawn, right here. The [foreign language 00:28:06]lines being drawn in front of the Emperor for example. In this image it's not clear, but there're [foreign language 00:28:04] lines drawn here and the [foreign language 00:28:04] look like this when they're both up. 
	Here is a more detailed translation of that particular diagram. And the participants of this event comprised the main poets of [foreign language 00:28:15] poetry circle. Ordered by status and rank, with the highest noblemen seated closest the retired Emperor. As their life dates show ... And I know it's probably pretty difficult to just quickly scan the life dates ... But it shows that the order is not dictated by seniority, age, but by rank and courtiers of certain families had significant advantage in terms of rank and promotion. For example, our calligrapher, Nova Tada, was born to one of the five families that had rights to become Chancellor, the highest position at the court bureaucracy. And since entering the court at age twelve, Nova Tada rapidly rose among the ranks and had his first opportunity to become Chancellor at the age of twenty. Many of you in the room, students, your age. But he was thwarted by a political rival, the [foreign languaget 00:29:14] who managed to become adopted into Nova Tada's family, the [foreign language 00:29:19] family to assume this position. This is a gripping story of it's own, but it's for another occasion.
	But it serves to show that heritage mattered greatly. This is further illustrated by the fact that on the left team, two Princes, [foreign language 00:29:35], follow the Emperor. They're the Emperor's brothers. And only then, the Palace Minister, is seated here. The second poet on the right, [foreign language 00:29:48], is Nova Tada's nephew and a younger brother of the Emperor. And the prince and Emperor's brother's seated here. Another brother, so all brothers here. Who became Nova Tada's, our calligrapher's adopted son and 18th heir to the bamboo blinds. The diagram shows the retired Emperor seated in front of a pair of bamboo blinds. If we imagine the first two halves of the poet screens flanking the Emperor, as I've proposed, this places the head poets closest to him and importantly the poets of the left and the right correlate to his left and right. So when considered in context then, the left poets are looking at the left poets and the right poets are looking at the right poets. So there's a real mirror image going on between the two sides of the past and the present that it represented and the actual, living human beings.
	Although it often goes out without mention, poetry events were performances. Centered on the recitation of poetry and governed by ceremonial procedures, many influenced by religious ritual. The preparation of a gathering involved required objects, such as the central icon, that is represented here in this particularly famous image. This detail is from a 14th century illustrated hand-scroll and is ... this scene is cited over and over again because it famously shows the portrait of [foreign language 00:31:24] who is our first poet of the left time, hung at such gatherings. Before the Thirty-Six Poets came to be represented, [forgeign language 00:31:35], the first poet, was an acclaimed poet on his own and he had his own portrait tradition. This happened in 1118, when the first poetry gathering was dedicated to his portrait and since then, if you were a practitioner of court poetry, you needed to have ... you need to own a portrait of [foreign language 00:31:58] that you could hang in your room when you also had memorial poetry gatherings for him. So in fact there are many examples of [foreign language 00:32:06] portraiture that exists today. 
	So since 1818, when memorial poetry gatherings came to be held in honor of [foreign language 00:32:16] portrait, [foreign language 00:32:16] was transformed from a sage of poetry to a deity of poetry. 
	Articles on poetry etiquette, which is another document I came across, a mid 6th century book of instructions, containing nearly eighty passages. Gives the details of adorning spaces at poetry gatherings. It says, the first passage, on the adornment of the gathering space, it says, "Place the three objects: flower vase, candle holder, incense burner. At the alcove the [inaudible 00:32:53] gathering. Or at informal gatherings, only install an incense burner or incense container." Here we see the incense burner here, flanked by two vases. "There should be flowers in the vase," it says. Appropriate for the central icon are the names of [foreign language 00:33:10], who are gods of poetry, or a portrait of [foreign language 00:33:16] as we see here. In the case of gatherings at the Imperial Palace, it says, because the Emperor takes the place of the icon, the [foreign language 00:33:26], the main icon is not necessary. 
	Such poetry gathering manuals confirm the placement of objects in [foreign language 00:33:34] event illustrated here. Including the inverted lid of the writing box, which contains the verses written on poem sheets. These poem sheets, the size of these poem sheets differed according to gender and rank. And it was submitted beforehand and placed in front of the central icon. Seated behind the lid, the container, is the reciter, diagonally flanked by two scribes. At poetry gatherings, poems were composed beforehand on a pre-circulated topic and were inscribed on poem sheets. The submission of which was an important ritual step of the gathering. 
	The poems and names of poets were first announced by the reciter and then sung in unison by the other select participants. Inviting the possibility that the open mouths of some of the poets in the screens denote this performance. The red line here also marks the paths the poets of the two teams followed before taking their places. So it's a very ritual oriented ... performance oriented gathering.
	The diagram also helps to explain the position of the poetesses in the poet's screens. In the adjacent room, here, to the left of the Emperor's seat, are the notations, bamboo blinds hung across, and a crowd of listening ladies-in-waiting, indicating that women were in attendance, but behind bamboo blinds. The notations situate the women in a separate space, but closer to the Emperor, much like that of the screens if we are to imagine an Imperial presence at the center. Furthermore, if we take a closer look at the poetesses, they cast their gazes downward. 
	[foreign language 00:35:27] who is usually painted on votive plaques looking back at the viewer, appears here in profile in this screen. Her head slightly bowed. These gestures impart a sense of difference and modesty, particularly in contrast with the male poets who project forward to the other screen. If we assume the Emperor is seated in-between as I proposed, the downcast glances of the women can be read as expressions of respect towards the actually imperial presence and also to the fifth poetess [foreign language 00:36:01] who is the only poet of imperial rank among the Thirty-Six Poets. [foreign language 00:36:07] is often given special treatment behind curtains of state in Thirty-Six Poets iconography. Although she is typically represented with part of her head as showing, as in these examples, here on the screen, she's completely hidden between not one but two layers of curtains. Bolstering the possibility of an imperial commission that would've expected such attention paid to the Priestess. 
	When these poetesses were active, during the classical age, which is the Han period, dating from 794 to 1185; talented ladies-in-waiting served as hosts and head poets of poetry gatherings. But the role and place of women at poetry events in the 17th century were quite different. In her study of women at Medieval poetry matches and gatherings, literary scholar [foreign language 00:36:59], notes that the more official the event, the more strictly the seating arrangement reflected court rank and that the women at the court, ladies-in-waiting who are mainly daughters of aristocrats, belonged to a hierarchy of rank and social standing, separate from the male courtiers. So in this respect, the positioning of women poets outside the semi-circle of the male poets in the poet's screens, is accord with the social reality of the 17th century present when the screens were made. But I don't believe that this merits the characterization that the poetesses are, "scattered in the background, rendered marginal." In fact, composition ally speaking, they are given preferential clarity unlike most of the male poets who are shown overlapping a teammate, you can really see the poetesses in clear sight.
	Furthermore, in addition to the particular positioning of the poetesses, a closer look at the poet's screens shows that the other figures are not evenly distributed either. There is a certain clustering in some areas. For example here, and also right here. Furthermore, the poets indicated in brackets ... and there is two poets here ... are placed out of order. They don't match, they are not in sync with the poems inscribed above. Making clear that there is a logic behind this arrangement that departs from convention. And I believe there's two possible reasons for this rendering. First, is familial relations or familial connections. On the right, the exchange of [foreign language 00:38:39] the eight poet and [foreign language 00:38:40] the ninth poet on the right team, so instead of 8 - 9, it's 9 - 8. This may be attributed to artist's error, as both poets are military officials appointed with similar gear. But when we consider how the poets sit in space, this placement puts [foreign language 00:38:58], the poet here, in the same row with his father, [foreign language 00:39:02]. A familial relationship that appears to be emphasized by blue military official attire for both. 
	Similarly, it is possible to connect other familial relationships with an imaginary straight line within and across screens. [foreign language 00:39:18] and her daughter, [foreign language 00:39:18]. [foreign language 00:39:20] and his monk [foreign language 00:39:21], the two monks in the painting. [foreign language 00:39:24] and his son [foreign language 00:39:25]. [foreign language 00:39:27] and his son, [foreign language 00:39:27]. And [foreign language 00:39:29] and his son, [foreign language 00:39:29]. 
	The significance of familial ties and underlying marriage politics, would not have been lost on the original viewers. Indeed, another look at retired Emperor [foreign language 00:39:40] poetry match diagram shows [foreign language 00:39:44] participating with his son, [foreign language 00:39:46]. [foreign language 00:39:50] with his son, [foreign language 00:39:50]. And [foreign language 00:39:54] with his grandson, [foreign language 00:39:54]. And [foreign language 00:39:57] with his brother, [foreign language 00:39:59].
	And in order to be a reciter, you had have a really good, beautiful voice, so he must have been quite good. If we imagine courtiers assembled at a poetry gathering, looking at the screens, the mirrored relationship of the screens make a powerful statement of the longevity of the art of court poetry as embodied by and carried forth through familial successions and function as a confirmation of aristocratic heritage. As practiced by those represented in those present. They would bring home the point that, for the original viewers of these screens, that the Thirty-Six Poets were not abstract, immortalized poets, but ancestors and illustrious members of the imperial court. Furthermore, the dialogue between the past and the present, that was produced as a result of this mirroring relationship between the poets of the past, viewed by the poets of the present, strikes a delicate balance in the screens. Between the characterization of the Thirty-Six Poets as venerated icons on the one hand, and of the celebrated aristocratic past on the one hand, and also as up-to-date aristocrats dressed rank-appropriately for the 17th century present. 
	Once such adjustment that configures the Thirty-Six Poets in present terms, is an introduction of a completely contemporary object, the Chuke fan, contemporary in the 17th century [inaudible 00:41:29]. The Chuke fan, which literally means, "middle opened," where the upper part of the fan is open even when it's folded. This is found in portraits of emperors, courtiers, and warriors in the 16th to 17th centuries. This is Emperor [foreign language 00:41:45] with his Chuke fan, and this is an [foreign language 00:41:49] warrior with his Chuke fan. Introduction of this contemporary element or any contemporary customs of the time of the painting, is actually not unusual in the convention of Thirty-Six Poet portraiture. But the presence and emphasis of the Chuke fan, here ... particularly when, in contrast to the muted representation of the Cyprus fan, which is represented here, not open, but folded. This is the usual signifier of the past but it is folded and sort of downplayed. This is shown in front of the poetesses [foreign language 00:42:26] and [foreign language 00:42:26]. [foreign language 00:42:29] usually has a fully open fan in front of her, so, I believe that this makes the poets more compellingly in the moment, as carrying the same accessory as some of the actual guests in the room ... with the poets in the room. 
	For the most part, the costumes worn by the poets of the screen are also rank-appropriate for the early 17th century court. Densely patterned but solid black formal cloaks. We see a cluster here. Are worn by courtiers of the fourth rank and above. Poets of the lower rank of the fifth, are appointed with what is called a hunting cloak, which is distinguished by open shoulders. And this had become a formal garb ... It was usually more of a relaxed outfit, but it became a formal garb by the 17th century for courtiers as well as warriors of elevated rank. 
	And I'd like to also draw your attention to the fact that their ... Not only are these poets dressed quite formally, but they're also seated with ceremonious dignity. And this upright posture, with a fan held at the waist, as all these poets are demonstrating. This appears to have been a very formal posture of the time as indicated by numerous contemporary renditions. Very formal portraits, for example. 
	The other men of the screens who wear hunting cloaks, but do not sit in this formal pose, have classic iconographical identities. Really images that really allow the viewer to immediately identify who this poets is. For example, [foreign language 00:44:18], the one of the poets sit with his hand's clasped. [foreign language 00:44:22], has his hands pressed against his left cheek. And I'm showing you a plaque example to illustrate that. [foreign language 00:44:31] has his chin resting against a scepter, a folded fan rather, I'm sorry. And [foreign language 00:44:43], with his hand to his chin or right sleeve to his face rather. In the screens, these figure appears strategically tucked away and placed out of order and tucked away behind formally posed poets. As if to de-emphasize their unique postures. And this is an example of [foreign language 00:45:02], oh sorry, [foreign language 00:45:04]. And some instances, this affects the order of the poets. Indicating that a stately assembly of the Thirty-Six Poets was a stronger concern for the screens than gathering the poets in a traditional order. 
	And just a few examples to illustrate this point further. This courtier, [foreign language 00:45:25] is usually represented with his hand to his forehead, but here you don't even see his hands and he's also placed out of order, sandwiched between two other poets. And this is the famous poet, [foreign language 00:45:39]. Well all thirty-six poets are famous so, but particularly popular because because he is the supposed protagonist of a famous tale. He is in order, he is the fourth poet. But his poses changed, he doesn't have his hand to his chin, but rather his, upright and looking straightly ahead. He's not contemplating about a verse, but he's looking ahead. 
	In a comparison with another set of screens of the Thirty-Six Poets, of a later date than our screen today. This is attributed to the artist by the name of [foreign language 00:46:14]. And in the collection of the [foreign language 00:46:18] Museum of Arts in Tokyo. It brings the distinction in full relief. In the [foreign language 00:46:23] screens, the poets are arranged in the conventional order. And they're placed adjacent to the poems which are inscribed within poetry sheets. Their poses also follow established iconography of the hand-scrolls and the plaques. As you can see, some of them have their backs facing towards us and others with bodies bowed in contemplation, or in this case, the poet is looking upward. In contrast, the poet screens then, tweak the postures to recreate that more formal group portrait of a line official match. 
	So then, what then was the reason for this artistic license? Since the 12th century, it was the custom and as we learned from the mid 16th century articles on poetry etiquette - requirement to hang an image or calligraphy inscription as a central image poetry events. Also, the articles on poetry etiquette declare that when the Emperor is present, he becomes that icon and the object icon is not necessary. If we look at the poetry match diagram, it also shows the screens being a temporary surround of the Emperor. Demarcating his exalted position from his audience. 
	So considering all these records together, I would like to suggest that the poetry screens served ... the poet's screens served a triple purpose: as a main icon of a poetry event, as a backdrop for the Emperor as main icon, and as a mirror image or reenactment of a poetry match. If the Emperor himself was the central icon, than the Thirty-Six Poets are his illustrious attendants. It's very much like a Buddhist icon with the central icon with his attendants. And a hint at the pageantry of the live poetry matches appears in a diary entry by Nova Tada's adopted son Nova [foreign language 00:48:28], that reports the ceremonial procedures of an official poetry match, that took place in 1639. He notes that after the retired Emperor was seated, the bamboo blinds obscuring him from view were ceremoniously lifted and there was a courtier who was in charge of that particular 'raising of the blinds.' Had the poetry screens been used in such a setting, the seated Emperor, flanked by respectfully reduced but impressively large figures of the most renowned poets of Japanese core poetry, under tour-de-force calligraphy, would have been a sight to behold. 
	Indeed, the Thirty-Six Poets appear to be seated with the utmost respect towards the only figure with the rightful privilege to summon the most celebrated poets of the ages.
	Thank you very much.