Bingata

Bingata (Okinawan: 紅型, literally "red style") is an Okinawan traditional resist dyed cloth, made using stencils and other methods. It is generally brightly colored and features various patterns, usually depicting natural subjects such as fish, water, and flowers. Bingata is worn during traditional Ryūkyū arts performances and historical reenactments.

Bingata dates from the Ryūkyū Kingdom period (c. 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 dying processes.

The techniques used are thought to have originated in Southeast Asia (possibly Java, or perhaps China or India) and arrived in Okinawa through trade during the 14th century. The Ryukyu Kingdom "dominated trade between Korea, Japan, China, and the countries of Southeast Asia in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries". The Okinawans borrowed the technique and created their own nature-inspired designs found throughout the island. The abundant flora and fauna have provided Okinawans with an endless supply of images to reproduce into the artwork called bingata.

In 1609, Japan invaded the Ryukyu Kingdom, and trade with foreign countries was prohibited. Japan demanded tribute from Okinawa in the form of handicrafts, and the people were forced to produce various fabrics, including banana fiber cloth called jofu and kafu. In order to improve their technique, the Okinawans invited foreign craftsmen to the island and had Okinawans travel abroad to "master various craft techniques". The craftsmen were also "forced to pass the exacting standards set by the royal authorities", and therefore their goods reached a high level of craftsmanship and were highly sought after. In a report from a Chinese envoy dated 1802, the writer speaks about the beautiful bingata from Okinawa and how the painted flowers are so vibrant that they must use a "production secret that they do not reveal to others".

Pigment used in paintings were imported from Fukien and used in textile dyeing. To achieve the color white, ground chalk or powdered shells were used. Other colors were achieved using cochineal, vermilion, arsenic, and sulphur. Some patterns can use up to 18 different color applications. After the kingdom was under Japanese rule, the Okinawans could no longer trade for these pigments and sought new ways to continue with their painting. Production of the finer and brighter bingata had come to a halt and the workers turned to working with the materials which were readily available. Indigo was all that was left, so production for the general public became popular.

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Wikipedia