6 Color of Passion: Red

* The red color imparts such positive images as "joy," "courage," "energy," "blessing," and "dignity," as well as negative images like "danger," "madness," "stress," and "impulse." Red is associated with a wide variety of items, including flames, a traffic signal, an emperor, and blood. No other color imparts so many diverse images. * Red is the first color to be recognized by newborn infants. All Japanese people start their lives being called "aka-chan" (literally red being; baby). When they grow up, it is believed that the "red yarn of destiny" leads a man to a particular woman, and vice versa, to make them marry. Why should this yarn be red instead of yellow, or blue? In my personal view, this is because our ancestors believed that red is the color of burning passion and flame. Led by the "red yarn of destiny," a man and a woman fall in love. In time, however, their passionate love leads them to grow a flame of jealousy, which consequently burns them both spiritually. I believe that our ancestors were well aware of all those aspects of married life, and attributed them to the mysterious power of destiny, which they called "a red yarn."

Cultural Aspects of Red

* In Japan a kind of red called "kurenai" (dyed with safflower) has been regarded as a gentle and elegant shade. Poets of the Manyoshu (Japan's earliest collection of poems composed mainly in the 7th and 8th centuries) praised kurenai, implying the strong longing of ancient women for this shade of color. During the Heian Period (794 - 1192), safflower dyestuff became extremely popular despite its high price. In response, the government of that time banned the use of this dyestuff as part of the governmental economic policy. * Various tones of red reflect differences in cultures. Typical Japanese tones include "kurenai," yellowish red called "hiiro" (scarlet), "shuiro" (vermilion), which was introduced from China, and "akane" (madder), which is also a plant name. These tones impart Asian flavors and fragrances. In Europe, on the other hand, bordeaux red or wine red is the most typical of all red tones. Since wine represents the blood of Christ, bordeaux red imparts the images of quiet prayers and spiritually enriched lifestyles, instead of the images of excitement and impulse, both associated with ordinary red. * In Christmas season, streets are decorated with red lamps, and shop windows with crimson velvet ribbons. On frozen nights, no colors can enliven the streets and pedestrians more than red does.

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