Society

150 years ago, Japan released the infamous 'Fart Battle' scrolls

Jul 26 (thebigsmoke.com.au) - Over 150 years ago a group of anonymous artists created a 34-ft long scroll titled He-Gassen (å±åˆæˆ¦), literally: 'Fart Battle.'

The scroll, created during the Edo Period (probably around 1846) in Japan, consists of roughly 15 different scenes depicting people directing their farts at other people or objects. Itâ€™s kind of like Hieronymus Bosch, but after a night on the sauce and a morning with a kebab.

There are people farting at each other. There are people farting through objects. There are people combating farts with fans. There are bags of farts being released. Trees and cats get blown away by farts. And the scroll culminates with a divine gust of flatulence knocking over a ceremony and causing complete and utter chaos.

So why, Lord why? One theory believes the â€˜artâ€™ to be a social jab at the anti-foreigner sentiment that washed over Japan as it emerged from isolation. Iâ€™m unsure if that makes us the farts, the smell or the conflict, but thereâ€™s a message in there somewhere. Perhaps because art is art and farts are funny.

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