SHKI - THE DEMON QUELLER

Protector Against Evil Spirits & Illness Expels the Demons of Plague Guardian -- Safety of Hearth & Home Protects Homes ith !ale "hildren Protects !ale Heirs to the "hinese #hrone $rigin % "hina Chinese Name = Zhng Ku Chung Kuei Chung K!uei Chung K"ei

Japanese spellings: Shki, Shoki, Shouki, Shooki UPDATE: Aug. 2, 2010

An original ink painting of SHKI by Kitagawa Utamaro !"#$%!&'(), last seen in !*"#, has been re+is,o-ere+ in a pri-ate home in Japan.

Stone Statue, /aish 0ra !*!1%!*1#), in gar+en of site author, Kamakura.

Shki is a +eity from 2hina3s /aoist pantheon who was +epi,te+ often in 0+o% perio+ !(!#%!&(&) Japanese s,ulptures an+ paintings, but one who is to+ay largely negle,te+. 4egen+s about Shki reporte+ly first appear in /ang%era (!&%*'") 2hinese +o,uments. /he +eity rea,he+ Japan by at least the late Heian 5erio+ "*$ to !!&#), for the ol+est e6tant image of Shki in Japan is a s,roll at the 7ara 7ational 8useum +ate+ to the reign of 0mperor 9oshirakawa !!1"%!!*1). 7umerous legen+s surroun+ Shki in Japan an+ the :est. /he three most wi+esprea+ are:
Sh#i is $he Chinese %ei$& "h' ()'$e*$e% Tang-e)a Em(e)') +uan,'ng -.(/ 0ens 123-4156 7)'m ma8e9'8en$ %em'ns: ;**')%ing $' $his 8egen% Sh#i a((ea)e% $' $he si*# em(e)') in a %)eam an% su<%ue% $he %em'ns *ausing his si*#ness: In g)a$i$u%e $he em(e)') a"a)%e% Sh#i $he $i$8e '7 =D'*$') '7 Zh'ngnanshan= -.(: = Sh>nan,an-n'-Shinshi 6: ?& $he "a& Zh'ngnanshan is $he 8egen%a)& <i)$h(8a*e '7 Chinese Ta'sim: I$ is he)e $ha$ Ta'ism@s 7'un%e) La',i -.(: = Rshi6 )e(')$e%8& ga9e *8asses an% ")'$e $he Ta'is$ *8assi* =Ta' Te Ching:= The sa*)e% $e))a*e m'nas$e)& is *a88e% L'uguan$ai : AS'u)*es/ T'#&' Na$i'na8 Museum .;;NUS an% The ;)$ Ins$i$u$e '7 Chi*ag'B Sh#i "an$e% a<'9e a88 e8se $' se)9e as a (h&si*ian in $he im(e)ia8 (a8a*e <u$ "hen he 7ai8e% $he na$i'na8 eCam he *'mmi$$e% sui*i%e in %es(ai): Em(e)') +uan,'ng hea)% $his s$')& an% in (i$& ('s$hum'us8& a"a)%e% Sh#i $he $i$8e =D'*$') '7 Zh'ngnanshan:= Sh#i!s s(i)i$ $he)ea7$e) 9'"e% $' ()'$e*$ $he em(e)') an% em(i)e 7)'m e9i8: AS'u)*e/

.;;NUSB Sh#i "as a Tang-e)a (h&si*ian in $he Chinese ()'9in*e '7 Shensi <u$ he "as 9e)& ug8&: T' a%9an*e his *a)ee) he $''# $he na$i'na8 eCamina$i'n $' en$e) im(e)ia8 se)9i*e an% (e)7')me% <)i88ian$8& s*')ing 7i)s$ (8a*e am'ng a88 a((8i*an$s: ?u$ "hen Sh#i "as ()esen$e% $' $he em(e)') he "as )eDe*$e% <e*ause '7 his ug8iness an% in shame Sh#i *'mmi$$e% sui*i%e: O9e)*'me "i$h )em')se $he em(e)') ')%e)e% Sh#i $' <e <u)ie% in $he g)een )'<e )ese)9e% 7') $he im(e)ia8 *8an: In g)a$i$u%e Sh#i@s s(i)i$ 9'"e% $' ()'$e*$ $he )u8e) an% a88 ma8e hei)s 7)'m %em'ns '7 i88ness an% e9i8: AS'u)*e/ Minnea('8is Ins$i$u$e '7 ;)$B Sa&s Hug' Muns$e)<e)g in his Di*$i'na)& '7 Chinese an% .a(anese ;)$/ EIn China he is *an'ni,e% "i$h $he $i$8e '7 F0)ea$ S(i)i$ua8 Chase) '7 Dem'ns:! He is usua88& )e()esen$e% in a)$ as a 8a)ge ug8& man "ea)ing a s*h'8a)!s ha$ a g)een )'<e an% 8a)ge <''$s an% is usua88& sh'"n ei$he) s$a<<ing ') $)am(8ing 'n %em'ns:G

Shki3s popularity peake+ in Japan +uring the 0+o perio+, when people began to hang
images '7 Sh#i 'u$si%e $hei) h'uses $' "a)% '77 e9i8 s(i)i$s %u)ing $he ?'&s@ Da& 7es$i9a8 -Tang' n' Se##u Ma& 3 ea*h &ea) <u$ n'" a 7es$i9a8 7') a88 *hi8%)en '7 <'$h seCes6 an% $' a%')n $he ea9es an% en$)an*es '7 $hei) h'mes "i$h *e)ami* s$a$ues '7 $he %ei$&: T'%a& Shki is a minor +eity relati-ely negle,te+ or forgotten by most Japanese eC*e($ (e)ha(s in

Kyoto ,ity, where resi+ents still a+orn the ea-es an+ rooftops of their homes with Shki3s effigy to war+ off e-il an+ illness, an+ to prote,t the male heir to the family. Rediscovered Painting of Sh i !" #itaga$a Uta%aro &1'()*1+0,-

Shoki, the ;emon <ueller S,roll%mounte+ ink +rawing on paper. H = &! ,m, : = 1".# ,m >riginal brush painting by Kitagawa Utamaro !"#$%!&'(). 5hoto: 8aini,hi ;aily 7ews Aug. 1, 1'!')

Sa&s 0ina C'88ia-Su,u#i@s H8'a$ing ;8'ng in $he I')8% '7 .a(anese J)in$s/ ET"' ')igina8 <)ush (ain$ings <& Ki$aga"a U$ama)' 8as$ seen a$ an eChi<i$i'n in KL43 ha9e <een )e%is*'9e)e% in a ()i9a$e h'me in T'*higi .a(an:G ;<'9e *8'seu( (h'$' 7)'m 0ina C'88ia-Su,u#i: Sa&s $he Maini*hi Dai8& Ne"s -;ug: 5 5MKM6/ ET"' ')igina8 ()in$s <& 8egen%a)& E%'-(e)i'% a)$is$ U$ama)' Ki$aga"a "hi*h ha% n'$ <een 8'*a$e% 7') nea)8& N3 &ea)s ha9e <een 7'un% a$ $he h'me '7 an e8%e)8& 7ami8& in T'*higi *i$& '77i*ia8s ann'un*e%:G ;<'9e s*)'88 image 7)'m Maini*hi:

?e8'" TeC$ C'u)$es& '7 .;;NUS

A go+ in the 2hinese /aoist pantheon known as the ?;emon <ueller,? often +epi,te+ in s,ulpture an+ painting. A +e-ote+ but flawe+ stu+ent, @hongkui faile+ the national e6amination an+ in +espair ,ommitte+ sui,i+e. :hen 0mperor AuanBong Jp: 9ens, (&#%"(1) hear+ of this e6treme a,t he ha+ the +egree an+ title ?;o,tor of @hongnanshan? Jp: ShCnanBan%no%Shinshi ) posthumously bestowe+ on @hongkui. In return, the ghost of @hongkui appeare+ to AuanBong in a +ream an+ promise+ to prote,t the empire from e-il +emons. Another -ersion hol+s that when the 0mperor was ill @hongkui appeare+ in a +ream an+ kille+ the +emons who ha+ plague+ the 0mperor, an+ in gratitu+e AuanBong awar+e+ @hongkui the title. 5i,tures of @hongkui were hung in homes to prote,t or ri+ them from +emons espe,ially at the DoyEs Festi-al on 8ay #, an+ the pra,ti,e of pla,ing a small statuette of @hongkui un+er the ea-es of a house sur-i-es in Japan. In paintings @hongkui is usually shown with large eyes, a bushy bear+, an+ wearing bla,k robes an+ an offi,ialEs ,ap. He is often +epi,te+ +rawing a large swor+ or using it in battle with +emons. Ge,or+s mention images of @hongkui from the /ang perio+, but a painting attribute+ to the 7orthern Song artist 4i 9onglin Jp: Gi Krin, !'$*H%!!'() seems to be the earliest e6tant image. In Japan, of the ,ountless paintings of @hongkui, those by Iama+a ;an fl.!(,, 0nkakuJi , Kanagawa 5refe,ture), Kan /anEyC ! !('1%"$), :atanabe KaBan "#$ !"*K%!&$!) an+ /anomura 2hiku+en %&' !"""%!&#K) are well known. Len+ JAA7US MuoteN

Shki % painting by artist Sesson Shukei (&)* !#'$%!#&*) 5hoto 2ourtesy Kyoto 7ational 8useum

?e8'" TeC$ O Jh'$' C'u)$es& '7 $he /okyo 7ational 8useum

The EC')*is$s S*)'88: ;88 $he %ei$ies sh'"n he)e a)e *'nsi%e)e% in China $' <e <ene9'8en$ %ei$ies "h' eC(e8 $he E%em'ns '7 (8ague:G This se$ "as ')igina88& m'un$e% as a han%s*)'88 $ha$ "as #n'"n as $he =se*'n% e%i$i'n '7 $he Masu%a 7ami8& He88 S*)'88:= ;7$e) $he "a) $he han%s*)'88 "as *u$ in$' se*$i'ns an% $he (ain$ings m'un$e% as hanging s*)'88s: The a*$s '7 ea*h '7 $he g'%s in eC$e)mina$ing e9i8 a)e <)ie78& eC(8aine% in $he $eC$s a**'m(an&ing $he i88us$)a$i'ns:

5ortion of s,roll showing Shki 4ate Heian 5erio+, H = 1#.* ,m, : = $#.1 ,m 5hoto /okyo 7ational 8useum. /he s,roll, howe-er, is a treasure of the 7ara 7ational 8useum.

; ?u%%his$ $a8e -.: se$su"a6 )e8a$es $ha$ Sh#i a %em'n-Pue88ing %ei$& 7)'m China ()'$e*$e% $he Tang em(e)') +uan,'ng -1234156 7)'m ma8e9'8en$ %em'ns: He is (')$)a&e% "i$h 8a)ge e&es an% a $hi*# <ea)% an% is "ea)ing a <8a*# )'<e ha$ an% $a88 <''$s: He)e he is sh'"n s$)ang8ing a sma88 %em'n: This s*)'88 *a88e% $he Extermination of Evil -He#iDa-e 6 ') Exorcists Scroll is *'nDe*$u)e% $' ha9e <een ma%e %u)ing $he $ime '7 Em(e)') 0'shi)a#a"a -KK54-KKL56 in $he 8a$$e) (a)$ '7 $he Heian (e)i'% -4LQ-KK236 an% #e($ in $he $)easu)e h'use '7 Renge'-in Tem(8e -SanD>sangen%6: Aen% TNM Pu'$eB

Delow te6t from 8inneapolis Institute of Art

;**')%ing $' .a(anese 7'8#8')e $he s(i)i$ '7 $he (h&si*ian Sh#i is a<8e $' s*a)e a"a& %em'ns: Hami8ies "i$h ma8e *hi8%)en e9en $'%a& hang images '7 Sh#i 'u$si%e $hei) h'uses $' "a)% '77 e9i8 s(i)i$s %u)ing $he ?'&s@ Da& 7es$i9a8 -Tang' n' Se##u Ma& 3 ea*h &ea) <u$ n'" a 7es$i9a8 7') a88 *hi8%)en '7 <'$h seCes6: &ho is Sh'(i ) Du)ing $he ea)8& T@ang D&nas$& Sh#i "as a (h&si*ian in $he ()'9in*e '7 Shensi China: He "as *'nsi%e)e% 9e)& ug8&: H'(ing $' a%9an*e his *a)ee) he $''# $he eCamina$i'ns )ePui)e% $' en$e) g'9e)nmen$ se)9i*e: ;8$h'ugh he (e)7')me% <)i88ian$8& Sh#i@s %)eams '7 a%9an*emen$ "e)e sha$$e)e%: S'me sa& Sh#i "as *)ue88& *hea$e% 'u$ '7 7i)s$ (8a*e: O$he)s sa& he "as a"a)%e% 7i)s$ (8a*e <& $he eCamine)s "h' ()aise% his "')# sa&ing i$ "as ePua8 $' $ha$ '7 $he "ises$ an*ien$s: ?u$ "hen Sh#i "as ()esen$e% $' $he *'u)$ $he em(e)') )eDe*$e% him <e*ause he "as s' ug8&: In shame Sh#i $''# his '"n 8i7e 'n $he s$e(s '7 $he im(e)ia8 (a8a*e )igh$ in 7)'n$ '7 $he em(e)'): O9e)*'me "i$h )em')se $he em(e)') ')%e)e% $ha$ Sh#i <e <u)ie% "i$h $he highes$ h'n')s ")a((e% in a g)een )'<e usua88& )ese)9e% 7') mem<e)s '7 $he im(e)ia8 *8an: In g)a$i$u%e Sh#i@s s(i)i$ 9'"e% $' ()'$e*$ an& )u8e) agains$ $he e9i8 '7 %em'ns: AThis is essen$ia88& $he same 8egen% as )e(')$e% <& Hugo 8unsterberg in ;i,tionary of 2hinese

O Japanese Art.N

Shki the ;emon <ueller Dy Utagawa Hiroshige +, !"*"%!&#&)P :oo+blo,k 5rint 5hoto 8inneapolis Institute of Art

This ('(u8a) s$')& '7 Sh#i "as a%'($e% 7)'m China "he)e he "as #n'"n as Chung Kuei: Du)ing $he E%' Je)i'% in .a(an -K1MM-K2126 7ami8ies <egan $' hang <anne)s %e(i*$ing Sh#i insi%e an% 'u$si%e '7 $hei) h'uses %u)ing $he ?'&s@ Da& 7es$i9a8: ?'&s@ Da& is *e8e<)a$e% 'n $he 7i7$h %a& '7 $he 7i7$h m'n$h '7 $he 8una) &ea): ;**')%ing $' an*ien$ $)a%i$i'n $his is a %a& "hen e9i8 s(i)i$s an% <a% 8u*# a<'un%s: Images '7 Sh#i "a)% '77 %ange) 7)'m $he h'mes '7 7ami8ies "i$h ma8e *hi8%)en: Aen% Pu'$e Minnea('8is Ins$i$u$e '7 ;)$B

Shki the ;emon <ueller Dy Katsushika Hokusai -./0 !"('%!&$*)P Ink on 5aper 5hoto 8inneapolis Institute of Art

Shki the ;emon <ueller Dy Utagawa /oyoharu 12 !"K#%!&!$)P :oo+blo,k 5rint. 5hoto 8inneapolis Institute of Art

24>S0U5 of Shki the ;emon <ueller Attribute+ to Katsushika Hokusai 8i+ !&th to !*th ,entury, Ink on 5aper 5hoto 8inneapolis Institute of Art

24>S0U5 of Shki the ;emon <ueller Attribute+ to Utagawa /oyoharu !&th%!*th 2entury, :oo+blo,k 5rint 5hoto 8inneapolis Institute of Art

Shki the ;emon Slayer % 5rint by Ioshitoshi /sukioka 3456 !&K*%*1) 5hoto 8inneapolis Institute of Art. Also see Ukiyo%e 8useum % 7agoya /Q Ser-er

Shki %% 2loseup of :oo+blo,k 5rint, DiJin%ga, 5re%!*1' 5hoto ,ourtesy of I,hiban Japanese AntiMues. >n sale at www.fareastasianart.,om

I-ory 7etsuke, Shki O >ni +emon), Hi+emasa, !*th ,entury 5hoto www.netsuke%inro

Shki % I-ory 7etsuke !&th ,entury oni on hea+) 5hoto SloanEs Au,tioneers O Appraisers

Shki % I-ory 7etsuke 5hoto http:RRsell%antiMue.,om

Shki glaring o-er the ea-es of a town house KI>/> Internet 8agaBineR 2ity of Kyoto, !**"

Sa"s #"oto .nternet /aga0ine: 0yes wi+e open, a small earthenware image of the /aoisti, immortal, Shki%san, glares out into spa,e from the roof of a house. Fa,ing the street from abo-e the ea-es of KyotoEs town houses, Shki%san is as intense in these mo+ern times as e-er. /his legen+ary ,hara,ter is sai+ to ha-e appeare+ in a +ream of the /ang emperor, Auan @ung, an+ brought him ba,k to health by e6pelling the +e-il of illness. /herefore, Shki%san stan+s abo-e the ea-es, re,ei-ing prayers from the house

o,,upants for safety in the home an+ prote,tion from illness. Shki%san is easily re,ogniBe+ by his hea-y bear+ an+ the short swor+ in his right han+, while the hems of his garments are fore-er trailing in the win+. /here is something strange about those wi+e, glaring eyes. A ,loser e6amination suggests a fa,ial e6pression that is not without humour. Is there anything more one ,oul+ ask for in a +eity prote,ting our homesH Len+ te6t from Kyoto Internet 8agaBineN

Shki on Gooftop, 5hotos ,ourtesy 8ark /. Ha,ala ;ire,tor, 0+u,ation Institute U.S. 7a-y 8emorial Foun+ation, :ashington, ;2

:rites 8ark Ha,ala: SI wante+ to offer you my un+erstan+ing of the Shki statues. /hey sit o-er the +oors of a great many homes an+ buil+ings in Kyoto. 0a,h year I ha-e my stu+ents play ?spot the Shki? as we mo-e through the ,ity. A Kyoto ,abbie informe+ my ,ounterpart that some people also pla,e them in their homes abo-e their sto-es. In either ,ase, he suggeste+ that Shki was suppose+ to be a prote,tor against fire as well as a general%purpose guar+ian +eity.T Len+ Muote from 8ark Ha,ala, April 1''$N

Shki figure, often foun+ abo-e entran,es to Japanese homes

5hoto ,ourtesy of ha".seikyou.ne.JpRhomeRhattR J site) For !' more photos, -isit: ha".seikyou.ne.JpRhomeRhattRsatuei%note.htm

?ELOI TE+T S'u)*e Un#n'"n -N' 8'nge) 'n8ine6: Li#e8& 7)'m 8inneapolis Institute of Art
1ac ground. :hen Du++hism was intro+u,e+ to Japan Japanese also importe+ many other aspe,ts of 2hinese mythology. /he popular story of Shki was a+opte+ from known as 2hung Kuei. ;uring the 0+o perio+ in Japan !(''%!&(&), families began to hang banners +epi,ting Shki insi+e an+ outsi+e of their houses +uring the DoysE ;ay festi-al. DoysE ;ay is ,elebrate+ on the fifth +ay of the fifth month of the lunar year. A,,or+ing to tra+ition, this is a +ay when e-il spirits an+ ba+ lu,k aboun+s. Images of Shki war+ off +anger from the homes of families with male ,hil+ren. Rising /erchant 23ass. ;uring JapanEs 0+o perio+, great ,ities an+ a new, prosperous mer,hant ,lass flourishe+. 8i++le%,lass tastes were signifi,antly +ifferent from those of the Du++hist priests an+ shogunate the go-ernment un+er a shogun) that ha+ +ominate+ artisti, patronage in the past. 8embers of the new mi++le ,lass preferre+ s,enes of e-ery+ay life an+ illustrations of folk stories like Shki the ;emon <ueller. Dy the !&th ,entury many artists +epi,te+ Shki in prints for this new au+ien,e. Prints. As a result of this new patronage an+ the +e-elopment of a many%,olore+ woo+blo,k printing pro,ess, an abun+an,e of printe+ materials were ma+e a-ailable to all. 7o-els, pi,tures, an+ poetry helpe+ inform the Japanese of their own ,ultural heritage as well artisti, styles an+ themes importe+ from 2hina. For ,ommoners who ,oul+ not affor+ a painting, these new prints offere+ an affor+able alternati-e. /he long narrow format of 5I44AG 5GI7/S, a,hie-e+ by pasting together two sheets of paper, was popular an+ pra,ti,al. :hereas most prints were paste+ into albums, pillar prints were hung in the home. /he tra+itional Japanese house ha+ -ery few walls, an+ the sli+ing +oors that +i-i+e+ the rooms were ma+e of paper. Stru,tural woo+en pillars were the only pla,e where pi,tures ,oul+ be hung.
;emon%<ueller @hong Kui) 2ir,a !"$#, woo+blo,k print, ink on paper sumiBuri%e) with han+% ,oloringP urushi%eP pillar print hashira%e)P John 2han+ler Dan,roft 2olle,tion, !*'!.!1'!. 5hoto: wor,esterart.org

in the (th ,entury, the ,ulture, in,lu+ing 2hinese 2hina, where he was

/asano!u. /he artist >kumura 8asanobu 7&89 !(&(%!"($) in-ente+ the popular pillar print format. He was one of JapanEs most important painters an+ printmakers +uring the !&th ,entury. Dy his own a,,ount, 8asanobu was responsible for +oBens of te,hni,al an+ stylisti, inno-ations in printmaking. LSee photo at top of this web page for painting by >kumura 8asanobu.N Sh i, the De%on 4ue33er. Shki typi,ally appears as a portly bewhiskere+ man. He wears s,holarEs robes, a hat, an+ hea-y knee%high boots an+ ,arries a large swor+. His large eyes, bulbous nose, an+ fier,e e6pression are also ,hara,teristi, features. In this print Shki roun+s a ,orner in hot pursuit of a +emon. His eyes bulge out as he spies his prey. His left han+ tenses, while his right rea,hes for his long broa+ swor+. 8asanobu +eftly -aries his use of line to ,on-ey moo+, te6ture, an+ mass. /he thi,k, wa-y, Jagge+ outlines of ShkiEs +rapery ,apture his intense -itality. /he fine +eli,ate lines of his wil+ win+blown bear+ an+ hair ,ontrast the thi,ker lines of his bushy eyebrows an+ musta,he. 8asanobu uses +ramati, sha+ing in light an+ +ark to emphasiBe the bulk of the figure. 8asanobu ,reati-ely uses this narrow -erti,al format to enhan,e his storytelling. Shki +oes not fill the length of the print, but is relegate+ instea+ to the lower two%thir+s. /his position emphasiBes his short an+ portly stature. Dy ,ropping from -iew mu,h of ShkiEs arms, one leg, an+ the en+s of his hair an+ bear+, 8asanobu gi-es the impression of ,at,hing a Mui,k glimpse of the elusi-e +emon Mueller. /he ,hara,ters the SI8D>4S use+ in the Japanese writing system) pla,e+ in the lower left ,orner of this pillar print of Shki, are the artist 8asanobuEs stu+io name, Hogetsu+o, an+ his signature, >kumura Dunkaku 8asanobu.

Shki the ;emon <ueller, 2arrying /wo Daskets Fille+ with ;emons Attribute+ to Kitagawa Hi+emaro : 0arly !*th ,entury, :oo+blo,k 5rint, SumiBuri%e 5hoto 8inneapolis Institute of Art

Dy Ko,horo KU7ISA;A !"&(%!&(#)

Dy Kawanabe KI>SAI !&K!%!&&*)

Dy Utagawa KU7II>SHI !"*" % !&(!)

5hotos abo-e an+ below) ,ourtesy www.Japaneseprints%lon+on.,omRwarriorsUan+Ulegen+s.htm

Dy Kawanabe KI>SAI !&K!%!&&*)

@hong Kui also spelle+ @hong Kui, @hong Kwei, 2hung Kuei) Ink 5ainting "& ,m by "& ,m) by ,ontemporary 2hinese artist Ai ;ing ;<. A,Muire+ from the son of Ai ;ing by 5. 8. 5atings 4elysta+, 7etherlan+s) in 8ay !**1 in Aiang, 2hina. 5hoto ,ourtesy of 5atings, who runs the /subo%en @en 9ar+en >nline 9ui+ebook an+ /subo%en ;iary. The 2hinese te5t &fro% right to 3eft- reads as fo33o$s: 5ortrait painting of @hong Kui . After the +eath of the first emperor of the /Eang +ynasty (!& V *'"), the roaming spirit of the +e,ease+ emperor ,ause+ the se,on+ emperor Auan @hong 4e 4ong JiP (&#% "(1) to ha-e nightmares with many +emons in them. ;etermine+ to get ri+ of this, Auan @hong summone+, after he ha+ awake+ from a ba+ +ream, the then famous painter :u ;aoBhi an+ or+ere+ him, base+ on the appearan,es in his +reams, to make a painting of @hong Kui, the guar+ian against e-il +emons. /hereafter an+ into the Song +ynasty, representations of @hong Kui be,ame mu,h belo-e+ by the people. ;uring the S;uanwuT festi-al # 8ay) the portrait of @hong Kui is hung on +oors to keep +emons out. /his painting was ma+e by Ai ;ing ;<, famous artist of the Aian +epartment of the Shaan6i pro-in,ial fine arts asso,iation. L/ranslation by 8r. :ang an+ 5.8. 5atingsN

7>/0D>>K % G04A/0; 8A//0GS

Japan /imes Arti,le, 8ay 1', 1'!'. ?'&s@ Da& Hes$i9a8 -Tang' n' Se##u
6 he8% 'n Ma& 3 ea*h &ea) <u$ n'" a 7es$i9a8 7') a88 *hi8%)en '7 <'$h seCes: Sa&s Rushi*hi Ueha)a ()esi%en$ an% %i)e*$') '7 In%en-&a C'm(an& in Ramanashi J)e7e*$u)e "hi*h ma#es %ee)-s#in *)a7$"')# a%')ne% "i$h in$)i*a$e %esigns in shin& 8a*Pue)/ ?/he

iris has a -ery long history of use as a me+i,inal plant, an+ was use+ to war+ off both e-il an+ epi+emi,s. It is also a symbol of mas,uline strength, whi,h is one reason iris patterns often were use+ on armor an+ helmets.? /hat asso,iation with health an+ strength is also why people still take a sho!uno"u iris bath) on 8ay #, a++ing bun+les of iris lea-es to their bath water. /hat +ay is now a national holi+ay ,alle+ #odo%o no 6i =>? &2hi3dren7s Da"-, establishe+ in !*$&. Dut it was originally Tangu no Se u &1o"7s 8estiva3-, an+ the iris bath was one way of praying for the safe growth of male ,hil+ren. Samurai also fa-ore+ the iris pattern be,ause thereEs some powerful wor+ play in-ol-e+. Shobu is the wor+ for ?iris,? but if you write it with +ifferent ,hara,ters it means ?militarism.? Substitute yet another set of ,hara,ters an+ it means ?battle.? /his kin+ of wor+ play, ,alle+ goro a$ase @ABCD, was highly priBe+ in many perio+s of Japanese history. LSour,e: Arti,le in Japan /imes 8ay 1', 1'!'

/he Art Institute of 2hi,ago. S/he Japanese often a+opte+ ,hara,ters of 2hinese legen+ as ,ult figures, ,reating a +eman+ that kept artists busily employe+. Among the most popular ,hara,ters was Shki the ;emon <ueller, whose ghost ,ame to /ang%+ynasty emperor AuanBong reigne+ "!1V "#() in a +ream an+ sa-e+ the ruler by -anMuishing a +emon that was making him ill. In the !"th ,entury, the Japanese began using amulets +epi,ting Shki at the annual 1o"s9 8estiva3 to war+ off +isease an+ instill a manly ,ompetiti-eness in the parti,ipants. >kumura 8asanobu3s 7&89 !(&(%!"($) print of a fier,e, mus,ular Shki honing his swor+ on a rough boul+er see photo at right) was likely pro+u,e+ for sale +uring the festi-al. /he figure3s wil+, untame+ bear+, hairy arms, an+ tiger%skin leggings un+ers,ore both his foreignness. LSee photo at top of this page for >kumura 8asanobu.N

Shki Sharpening Swor+ by >kumura 8asanobu. ;ate unknown. 2laren,e Du,kingham 2olle,tion. 5hoto: Art Institute of 2hi,ago

fero,ity an+ his another painting by

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Japanese Ar,hite,ture O Art 7et User System JAA7US). Shki 5age W 8ain 5age /okyo 7ational 8useum, 06or,ists S,roll with image of Shki Kyoto 7at3l 8useum: Shki Fighting ;emons by Kawanabe Kysai EF0 !&K!V!&&*) Kyoto 7at3l 8useum: Shki Atten+e+ by ;emon, by Soga Shhaku GHI !"K'%!"&!) 8inneapolis Institute of Art %% Shki Artwork in their ,olle,tion. ;i,tionary of 2hinese an+ Japanese Art by Hugo 8unsterberg. 5ublisher Ha,ker Art Dooks Jan. !*&1). ASI7: '&"&!"1$&K. ;i,tionary no illustrations) ,o-ering artists, me+ia, motifs, +ynasties, s,hools, ,on,epts, et,. An,ient Sites % Ugly Shoki