古代中国通过将自然秩序上升为人间秩序，生成了一套以“天”为轴的“文”之秩序，这套秩序通过文字与礼法为社会运行赋予规则。上古时代未有文字的日本在与大陆的交流中接触到了这一体系，统治者尝试借此构建国家。在此过程中，自大陆而来的渡来人成为了统治者信重的对象以及所能掌控的直系力量。古代日本统治者构建秩序的重点在于氏姓秩序及其背后的祭祀体系，尤其是古坟时代大陆对抽象的“天”的崇敬传入日本以来，通过钦定氏姓、纂修史书，“天”赋秩序与旧有神话的“神”赋秩序融合共存，统治者的权威也借由此得到强化。奈良时代，日本在学习中国的“文”的基础上模仿中国建立起来一套礼法体系，又依照其学制与选官制度完成了大学寮与贡举等相关的制度建设。但奈良时代连续几代的非直系即位导致这一时期的政治局势极度动荡，“礼法”成为了受政治操纵的道具。直到光仁-桓武父子即位之后，开始走向由天皇主导的直系继承路线。9世纪上半叶，桓武天皇开始主导急速唐风化，通过祭天、赐姓、迁都、征夷等政策构建起了强大的天皇权威。嵯峨天皇通过“文章经国”构建起“礼乐刑政”四道为一的王道体制，由此确立了一套“圣王圣代”观，让天皇获得了超脱出古代“神话”所赋予的神圣性。在“文”的体系当中，不论是文学、星占，还是音乐、绘画，都成为了日本朝廷建构文化的工具。8世纪初，日本构建起了以阴阳寮为核心的官方阴阳星占机构。阴阳寮官人在政治上积极向当权者靠近，有时会依照当权者需求将星占内容加以蓄意比附。虽然日本朝廷的天文星占制度几经变迁，但星占引用典籍及应对天变的方式等核心形式依旧留存着自中国传入时的状态。而在“文治”的体系之下，绘画自早期便出现了道德教化的功能，统治阶层通过文字、图画，将自古以来所形成的统治理论、道德体系进行流传与研究，并通过行政将其付诸实践。中国的人物画绘画技法与理念沿着高句丽—新罗/百济—倭国的路线渐次扩张向整个东亚延展，影响到了日本。人物画在平安前期实际成为了统治阶层“以文治国”的具现，同时也成为了建构统治秩序的工具。来自于“文”的制度框架深切地影响到了日本上层统治逻辑的构建，即便朝廷失去了实际的统治能力，新兴的武家政权也未能另起炉灶，只能利用“文”的思想体现进行阐发，由此攫取政治合法性，稳固统治。在此意义上，形成于平安时代的“文”也成为了隐藏在日本中世武家社会之下的底流。
The ancient Chinese system of elevating natural order to societal order created a ＂Wen＂ （文） order centered around ＂Tian＂ （天, Heaven）. This order, governed by text and rituals, provided rules for societal functioning. Ancient Japan, lacking a written script, encountered this system through interactions with the mainland. Its rulers endeavored to establish the nation using this system. During this process, immigrants from the mainland, known as ＂Toraijin,＂ became trusted and directly controlled forces by the rulers. The focus of the ancient Japanese rulers in establishing order was on the clan system and its associated ritual system, especially after the introduction of the mainland‘s abstract reverence for ＂Tian.＂ Through the official designation of clan names and compilation of histories, the ＂Tian＂-granted order merged with the existing mythological ＂Kami＂ （神） order, reinforcing the ruler‘s authority.In the Nara period, Japan, building upon its learning of Chinese ＂Wen,＂ emulated China‘s system of rituals and laws, and completed institutional constructions like Daigaku-ryo （大学寮, Imperial University） and Gongju （贡举, civil service examinations）. However, attempts by Emperors Tenmu and Jito to establish direct lineage succession wavered, and successive non-direct lineage successions led to political turmoil, with ＂ritual laws＂ becoming tools for political manipulation. It was not until the reigns of Emperors Konin and Kanmu that a direct lineage succession led by the Emperor began to take shape. In the early 9th century, Emperor Kanmu rapidly adopted Tang influences, constructing a strong imperial authority through policies like Heaven worship, granting clan names, capital relocation, and subjugating barbarians. Emperor Saga established the concept of ＂sacred king, sacred era,＂ integrating ＂literature, ritual, penal, and governance＂ under the ＂Wangdao＂ system, thereby establishing a legitimacy rooted in ＂Wen.＂Within the system of ＂culture＂ （wen）, literature, astrology, music, and painting all became tools for the Japanese court to construct its culture. In the early 8th century, Japan established an official astrological institution centered around the Onmyōryō （阴阳寮, Bureau of Yin-Yang）. Officials of the Onmyōryō actively aligned themselves with those in power politically, sometimes deliberately interpreting astrological readings to meet the demands of the rulers. Although the Japanese court‘s system of astronomy and astrology underwent several changes, the core practices, such as the use of reference texts and methods of responding to celestial phenomena, remained as they were when introduced from China. Under the system of ＂cultural governance,＂ painting had a function of moral education from early on. The ruling class disseminated and studied the theories of governance and moral systems formed since ancient times through text and paintings, implementing them through administration. The technique and philosophy of Chinese figure painting spread across East Asia along the route of Goguryeo to Silla/Baekje to the Japanese archipelago, influencing Japan. Figure painting in the early Heian period actually became a manifestation of the ruling class‘s ＂governance through culture＂ and a tool for constructing the order of rule.The institutional framework of ＂culture＂ deeply influenced the construction of ruling logic in the upper echelons of Japan. Even when the court lost its actual ruling power, the emerging samurai government could not start anew but had to expound upon the ideologies of ＂culture＂ to seize political legitimacy and stabilize rule. In this sense, the ＂culture＂ formed during the Heian period also became an undercurrent beneath the samurai society of medieval Japan.
