#songdynasty — Public Fediverse posts

Almost scares you at first glance. 👀

A Southern Song dynasty painting. I thought it was modern art.
It’s actually an ad — for eye medicine.

A street vendor covered head to toe in giant eyes.
Hat? Eyes. Robe? Eyes. Bag? Also eyes.
Even his arm has a tattoo.

He’s pointing at a man’s eye, not his head.
Marketing in the 1200s: dress weird, get noticed, sell more drops.

#SongDynasty #AncientAdvertising #EyeMedicine #ChinesePainting #WeirdHistory #ArtHistory

Almost scares you at first glance. 👀

A Southern Song dynasty painting. I thought it was modern art.
It’s actually an ad — for eye medicine.

A street vendor covered head to toe in giant eyes.
Hat? Eyes. Robe? Eyes. Bag? Also eyes.
Even his arm has a tattoo.

He’s pointing at a man’s eye, not his head.
Marketing in the 1200s: dress weird, get noticed, sell more drops.

#SongDynasty #AncientAdvertising #EyeMedicine #ChinesePainting #WeirdHistory #ArtHistory

Almost scares you at first glance. 👀

A Southern Song dynasty painting. I thought it was modern art.
It’s actually an ad — for eye medicine.

A street vendor covered head to toe in giant eyes.
Hat? Eyes. Robe? Eyes. Bag? Also eyes.
Even his arm has a tattoo.

He’s pointing at a man’s eye, not his head.
Marketing in the 1200s: dress weird, get noticed, sell more drops.

#SongDynasty #AncientAdvertising #EyeMedicine #ChinesePainting #WeirdHistory #ArtHistory

Almost scares you at first glance. 👀

A Southern Song dynasty painting. I thought it was modern art.
It’s actually an ad — for eye medicine.

A street vendor covered head to toe in giant eyes.
Hat? Eyes. Robe? Eyes. Bag? Also eyes.
Even his arm has a tattoo.

He’s pointing at a man’s eye, not his head.
Marketing in the 1200s: dress weird, get noticed, sell more drops.

#SongDynasty #AncientAdvertising #EyeMedicine #ChinesePainting #WeirdHistory #ArtHistory

Almost scares you at first glance. 👀

A Southern Song dynasty painting. I thought it was modern art.
It’s actually an ad — for eye medicine.

A street vendor covered head to toe in giant eyes.
Hat? Eyes. Robe? Eyes. Bag? Also eyes.
Even his arm has a tattoo.

He’s pointing at a man’s eye, not his head.
Marketing in the 1200s: dress weird, get noticed, sell more drops.

#SongDynasty #AncientAdvertising #EyeMedicine #ChinesePainting #WeirdHistory #ArtHistory

#Cizhou ware was popular during the #SongDynasty (AD 960-1279) but there were five other kilns more famous for their porcelains. These are the Ding (shown here), Ge, Guan, Jun, and Ru kilns

#Teabowl

Ceramic (stoneware), glaze

12th-13th century AD

Southern #Songdynasty (AD 1127-1279)

China, Jiangxi Province, Jizhou kilns

For Love of a Konbini Idol, I Fought a Cult
Chapter 65.1 Released:
殃 (Yāng) Evil Destiny

By Nara Moore

The dragon bone he’d brought didn’t even need to be baked. The fortune was plain to read.

          “Your destiny lies in the East.”
          “The water spirits must be appeased.”

I didn’t tell Lǐ Zǐhéng that I saw Yāng, “evil destiny.”
But not even I saw the Dragon King of the East Sea (東海の竜王 / 東海龍王)

This is a side story about the apothecary from chapter 65 of “Konbini Idol.” It is a standalone story.

PIXIV Link:
AO3 Link:

Artist: Mai-sensei

Tags: #KonbiniIdol #Mythpunk #Fantasy #PIXIV #AO3 #Yokai #Dragon #SongDynasty #HistoricalFantasy

For Love of a Konbini Idol, I Fought a Cult
Chapter 65.1 Released:
殃 (Yāng) Evil Destiny

By Nara Moore

The dragon bone he’d brought didn’t even need to be baked. The fortune was plain to read.

          “Your destiny lies in the East.”
          “The water spirits must be appeased.”

I didn’t tell Lǐ Zǐhéng that I saw Yāng, “evil destiny.”
But not even I saw the Dragon King of the East Sea (東海の竜王 / 東海龍王)

This is a side story about the apothecary from chapter 65 of “Konbini Idol.” It is a standalone story.

PIXIV Link:
AO3 Link:

Artist: Mai-sensei

Tags: #KonbiniIdol #Mythpunk #Fantasy #PIXIV #AO3 #Yokai #Dragon #SongDynasty #HistoricalFantasy

Special delivery from the Song!

https://piefed.social/c/historymemes/p/1968766/special-delivery-from-the-song

Special delivery from the Song!

https://piefed.social/c/historymemes/p/1968766/special-delivery-from-the-song

Special delivery from the Song!

https://piefed.social/c/historymemes/p/1968766/special-delivery-from-the-song

Special delivery from the Song!

https://piefed.social/c/historymemes/p/1968766/special-delivery-from-the-song

Special delivery from the Song!

https://piefed.social/c/historymemes/p/1968766/special-delivery-from-the-song

A magpie clings to a slender willow branch, its wings half-raised as ink bleeds into the damp paper. The brushwork captures both the weight of rain and the bird’s restless energy—what details reveal the artist’s hand in motion?

#ChinesePainting #SongDynasty #ClevelandMuseumofArt
https://clevelandart.org/art/1982.53

A magpie clings to a slender willow branch, its wings half-raised as ink bleeds into the damp paper. The brushwork captures both the weight of rain and the bird’s restless energy—what details reveal the artist’s hand in motion?

#ChinesePainting #SongDynasty #ClevelandMuseumofArt
https://clevelandart.org/art/1982.53

A magpie clings to a slender willow branch, its wings half-raised as ink bleeds into the damp paper. The brushwork captures both the weight of rain and the bird’s restless energy—what details reveal the artist’s hand in motion?

#ChinesePainting #SongDynasty #ClevelandMuseumofArt
https://clevelandart.org/art/1982.53

A magpie clings to a slender willow branch, its wings half-raised as ink bleeds into the damp paper. The brushwork captures both the weight of rain and the bird’s restless energy—what details reveal the artist’s hand in motion?

#ChinesePainting #SongDynasty #ClevelandMuseumofArt
https://clevelandart.org/art/1982.53

A magpie clings to a willow branch, its black plumage stark against the pale silk. Ink bleeds softly at the edges, as if blurred by mist.

This scroll captures not just a bird, but the fleeting moment between rain and stillness. How many brushstrokes define the magpie’s gaze?

#ChinesePainting #SongDynasty #ClevelandMuseumofArt
https://clevelandart.org/art/1982.53

A magpie clings to a willow branch, its black plumage stark against the pale silk. Ink bleeds softly at the edges, as if blurred by mist.

This scroll captures not just a bird, but the fleeting moment between rain and stillness. How many brushstrokes define the magpie’s gaze?

#ChinesePainting #SongDynasty #ClevelandMuseumofArt
https://clevelandart.org/art/1982.53

A magpie clings to a willow branch, its black plumage stark against the pale silk. Ink bleeds softly at the edges, as if blurred by mist.

This scroll captures not just a bird, but the fleeting moment between rain and stillness. How many brushstrokes define the magpie’s gaze?

#ChinesePainting #SongDynasty #ClevelandMuseumofArt
https://clevelandart.org/art/1982.53

A magpie clings to a willow branch, its black plumage stark against the pale silk. Ink bleeds softly at the edges, as if blurred by mist.

This scroll captures not just a bird, but the fleeting moment between rain and stillness. How many brushstrokes define the magpie’s gaze?

#ChinesePainting #SongDynasty #ClevelandMuseumofArt
https://clevelandart.org/art/1982.53

#Songdynasty (/sʊŋ/ SUUNG) was an imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Ten Kingdoms, ending the Five Dynasties and Ten

“The metaphors we use deliver us hope, or they foreclose possibility”*…

It feels only too clear that the global order that defined geopolitics, geoeconomics, and life in the world’s constituent parts is changing fundamentally. But what lies on the other side of this change? It’s a sucker’s bet to try to predict that outcome with any precision; there’s just too much fundamental uncertainty. As Antonio Gramsci said (of another era, though he might have been describing ours): “The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters.”

Still, it’s important that we try. It’s only by wrestling with what’s going on to determine what’s possible, then what’s desirable, that we can shape a future in which we want to live.

The models and metaphors that we use are key to that wrestling. Our natural inclinations seem to tend in one of two directions. Either we tweak the models we have to try to accomodate the change that we see… which seems to work until (given that the change just keeps on coming) it doesn’t. Or we flip to the opposite– we imaging that everything simply falls apart. In geopolitical/geoeconomic terms, we assume that we get an incrementally-revised version of the world order that we’ve known; or we imagine dissolution (into what tends to be called a “multi-polar” world)… neither of which imagines materially different world orders that, as hard as they are to describe, are entirely plausible. Part of our problem in visualizing those new orders is our lack of models and metaphors for them…

The two pieces featured here posit frameworks and metaphors that, while they may or may not prove to be “accurate” in any comprehensive way, can help us open our thinking, and model the ways in which fresh metaphors can help us see problems anew and find new solutions.

First a piece from Trine Flockhart, from the Global (Dis)Order International Policy Programme of the British Academy and The Carnegoe Endowment for International Peace, part of a recent book)…

Is global order a thing of the past? Is the liberal international order fraying and what is
happening to previously stable alliances and cooperative relationships such as the
transatlantic relationship or the relationship between the United States and Canada? Not
such a long time ago, these questions would have been regarded as alarmist, but today the
prospect of large-scale order transformation is part and parcel of daily debates. This rupture
is probably as important as the transformation that followed the end of the Second World War,
and together with the simultaneous transformations in technology and science, the impact
on people and societies may well be on par with the Industrial Revolution. As Gramsci wrote
from his prison cell, we live ‘in times of monsters’ where ‘the old world is dying and the new one
struggles to be born’(Gramsci & Buttigieg 1992). In these circumstances, we see the political
consequences in populist parties as voters seek certainty in an uncertain and turbulent world,
whilst policymakers struggle to find their feet in the emerging world and seek to manage the
fallout from the ending of the old world.

To ensure that the policy decisions of today are relevant for the geopolitical reality of tomorrow,
policymakers must have a clear sense about the likely outcome of the ongoing transformation
– in other words what kind of global order will be in place and what kind of relationships can
be expected within it? These are big and complex questions that have no easy answers, yet
many scholars and policy practitioners seem to already have their answer – the world will be
multipolar (Ashford 2023; Bekkevold 2023; Borrell 2021). At least anecdotally, it seems there
is widespread agreement that the international system is transforming from a unipolar system
anchored in American hegemony, to a multipolar system reflecting the shift of power to a larger
number of states. However, although the idea that the international system will be multipolar
is persuasive, and although the use of analytical concepts such as polarity can be useful for
gaining an overview of complex matters, we must be aware that polarity as a concept rests on
a specific form of analysis that tends to emphasize states, sameness, power and interest, and
which is only partially sighted when it comes to values, identities, lesser powers and complexity.
I worry that the focus on multipolarity, means that policymakers are trying to understand the
current order transformation through conceptual lenses that are blurred and not very relevant.

This article presents a different position. It starts from the counterintuitive position that
it is logically implausible for the global ordering architecture to return to an international
system that was in place a century ago. Those suggesting that we are currently witnessing
a return to multipolarity emphasise shifts in the global distribution of power and the rising
number of powerful states, most notably China. These are certainly important changes, but
The arrival of the multi-order world and its geopolitical implications
other important changes are overlooked, which suggest a fundamentally different global
ordering architecture is in the making. Continuing to portray the world as multipolar belies the
complexity, significance, and extent of many other important changes. This paper presents an
alternative interpretation of the ongoing global order transformation, demonstrating why it will
be neither bipolar nor multipolar but rather multi-order.

A multi-order world is a global ordering architecture consisting of several international orders.
Gramsci was right that order transformations take time, so the multi-order architecture is still
in development, but can be glimpsed through the existence of three independent international
orders already clearly visible within the global ordering architecture – the American-led liberal
international order (albeit that American leadership under Trump is currently in question),
the Russian-led Eurasian order, and the Chinese-led Belt and Road order.1 Other orders and
other forms of relationships of importance are also in the making suggesting a more complex
architecture than a multipolar one. The paper does not claim to present a full picture of the
emerging ordering architecture but seeks merely to demonstrate the importance of embracing
new thinking to contemplate the possibility of an entirely new form of international system
in which multiple international orders with very different dynamics and different behavioural
patterns make up the global ordering architecture. The perspective brings into light important
relationships and dynamics that are not readily apparent in the multipolar perspective –
especially that relationships within orders are just as important as relations between different
international orders, and it leaves room for considering other aspects than powershifts and for
acknowledging the importance of other actors than just a handful of “pole states”. I argue that
awareness of the subtle differences between the multi-order architecture and more traditional
polarity-based understandings is an essential first step towards timely strategic policymaking
fit for the multi-order world.

The paper proceeds in four moves. First, I outline three significant events over the past four
years which only partially fit the polarity-based narrative. Second, I outline the multi-order
perspective by focusing on order as a condition, a social domain, and as practices of ordering.
Thirdly, I show how changes in three characteristics of the global system indicate a multi-order
world rather than a multipolar one. Finally, I briefly consider some of the broader geopolitical
implications of a multi-order world and demonstrate the importance of ordering dynamics
within and between international orders. The picture that emerges challenges some of the
most foundational assumptions about international relations and global order including the
prospect of achieving convergence around common rules in multilateral governance to meet
shared challenges…

– “The arrival of the multi-order world and its geopolitical implications”

The second, by Jessica Burbank, takes a different– and in some ways, more provocative– tack…

… A new world order is here. States (countries) are no longer the highest form of power globally. Power has shifted to wealthy individuals who work in groups and operate across borders: syndicates of capital.

Syndicates of capital cannot be categorized as legal or illegal. They exist primarily in the extralegal sphere, where either no regulations apply to their behavior or, where laws do exist, there is no entity powerful enough to enforce them in a manner that asserts control over the syndicates’ behavior.

In many occasions, capital is both the power source for syndicates, and the shared goal. Wealthy individuals form syndicates if their strategic objectives align. Those objectives typically revolve around securing new capital flows and preserving existing ones. Syndicates’ power is vast but fragile. If all members of a syndicate were cut off from accessing capital and the resources they control, they would lose their power.

Author’s Note: ​​Sorry to disappoint the conspiracy theorists, but I am not speaking of secret societies, the illuminati, or a cabal. Syndicates of capital do not hide their power, nor do they operate in secret. Their multi-billion dollar deals and contracts are publicly disclosed. They are also not united in ethnic background, religious, or political beliefs.

It is not enough to say: ‘democracies are being replaced with oligarchies because wealthy individuals have too much power in society.’ That may be true, but is not the full picture. Oligarchies are states run by a small group of wealthy individuals. That may accurately describe the politics of one nation, but it does not suffice to describe how power is organized on a global scale.

‘Global oligarchy’ also falls short of describing how power is organized in our world, because there is not one small group of wealthy individuals, there are many, and they compete. Still, the identification of oligarchs is useful for global political analysis because many of the oligarchs within a state also operate globally as leaders or members ofsyndicates of capital.

The new world order emerged before it could be identified. Platitudes like: “our world has gone crazy,” served as an emotional crutch, and an implicit acknowledgement that we lack a sound analysis of contemporary global power. What has felt like an ineffable force, an inexplicable undercurrent of darkness, is the ambiance of global dominion by syndicates of capital.

Though abstract, examining how global power is organized is essential to understanding the world we live in. Developing a coherent framework for evaluating global affairs allows us to more effortlessly make sense of current events. You’ll be surprised how quickly things click and how easily your mind makes connections when you absorb the news with a conception of syndicates of capital…

– “Syndicates of Capital“

Both are eminently worth reading in full: whether or not one buys all– or any– of either set of conclusions, the mental calisthenics are the point…

* Robert Macfarlane

###

As we muse on metaphors, we might recall that it was on this date in 1279 that Mongol forces led by Kublai Khan were victorious at the Battle of Yamen— ending the Song dynasty in China. Kublai has already conquered parts of northern and southern China, and had declared the Yuan dynasty (with himself as the emperor “Great Yuan”). With the fall of the Song, the Mongols ruled all of continental East Asia under Han-style Yuan rule, which was a division of the Mongol Empire.

“The metaphors we use deliver us hope, or they foreclose possibility”*…

It feels only too clear that the global order that defined geopolitics, geoeconomics, and life in the world’s constituent parts is changing fundamentally. But what lies on the other side of this change? It’s a sucker’s bet to try to predict that outcome with any precision; there’s just too much fundamental uncertainty. As Antonio Gramsci said (of another era, though he might have been describing ours): “The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters.”

Still, it’s important that we try. It’s only by wrestling with what’s going on to determine what’s possible, then what’s desirable, that we can shape a future in which we want to live.

The models and metaphors that we use are key to that wrestling. Our natural inclinations seem to tend in one of two directions. Either we tweak the models we have to try to accomodate the change that we see… which seems to work until (given that the change just keeps on coming) it doesn’t. Or we flip to the opposite– we imaging that everything simply falls apart. In geopolitical/geoeconomic terms, we assume that we get an incrementally-revised version of the world order that we’ve known; or we imagine dissolution (into what tends to be called a “multi-polar” world)… neither of which imagines materially different world orders that, as hard as they are to describe, are entirely plausible. Part of our problem in visualizing those new orders is our lack of models and metaphors for them…

The two pieces featured here posit frameworks and metaphors that, while they may or may not prove to be “accurate” in any comprehensive way, can help us open our thinking, and model the ways in which fresh metaphors can help us see problems anew and find new solutions.

First a piece from Trine Flockhart, from the Global (Dis)Order International Policy Programme of the British Academy and The Carnegoe Endowment for International Peace, part of a recent book)…

Is global order a thing of the past? Is the liberal international order fraying and what is
happening to previously stable alliances and cooperative relationships such as the
transatlantic relationship or the relationship between the United States and Canada? Not
such a long time ago, these questions would have been regarded as alarmist, but today the
prospect of large-scale order transformation is part and parcel of daily debates. This rupture
is probably as important as the transformation that followed the end of the Second World War,
and together with the simultaneous transformations in technology and science, the impact
on people and societies may well be on par with the Industrial Revolution. As Gramsci wrote
from his prison cell, we live ‘in times of monsters’ where ‘the old world is dying and the new one
struggles to be born’(Gramsci & Buttigieg 1992). In these circumstances, we see the political
consequences in populist parties as voters seek certainty in an uncertain and turbulent world,
whilst policymakers struggle to find their feet in the emerging world and seek to manage the
fallout from the ending of the old world.

To ensure that the policy decisions of today are relevant for the geopolitical reality of tomorrow,
policymakers must have a clear sense about the likely outcome of the ongoing transformation
– in other words what kind of global order will be in place and what kind of relationships can
be expected within it? These are big and complex questions that have no easy answers, yet
many scholars and policy practitioners seem to already have their answer – the world will be
multipolar (Ashford 2023; Bekkevold 2023; Borrell 2021). At least anecdotally, it seems there
is widespread agreement that the international system is transforming from a unipolar system
anchored in American hegemony, to a multipolar system reflecting the shift of power to a larger
number of states. However, although the idea that the international system will be multipolar
is persuasive, and although the use of analytical concepts such as polarity can be useful for
gaining an overview of complex matters, we must be aware that polarity as a concept rests on
a specific form of analysis that tends to emphasize states, sameness, power and interest, and
which is only partially sighted when it comes to values, identities, lesser powers and complexity.
I worry that the focus on multipolarity, means that policymakers are trying to understand the
current order transformation through conceptual lenses that are blurred and not very relevant.

This article presents a different position. It starts from the counterintuitive position that
it is logically implausible for the global ordering architecture to return to an international
system that was in place a century ago. Those suggesting that we are currently witnessing
a return to multipolarity emphasise shifts in the global distribution of power and the rising
number of powerful states, most notably China. These are certainly important changes, but
The arrival of the multi-order world and its geopolitical implications
other important changes are overlooked, which suggest a fundamentally different global
ordering architecture is in the making. Continuing to portray the world as multipolar belies the
complexity, significance, and extent of many other important changes. This paper presents an
alternative interpretation of the ongoing global order transformation, demonstrating why it will
be neither bipolar nor multipolar but rather multi-order.

A multi-order world is a global ordering architecture consisting of several international orders.
Gramsci was right that order transformations take time, so the multi-order architecture is still
in development, but can be glimpsed through the existence of three independent international
orders already clearly visible within the global ordering architecture – the American-led liberal
international order (albeit that American leadership under Trump is currently in question),
the Russian-led Eurasian order, and the Chinese-led Belt and Road order.1 Other orders and
other forms of relationships of importance are also in the making suggesting a more complex
architecture than a multipolar one. The paper does not claim to present a full picture of the
emerging ordering architecture but seeks merely to demonstrate the importance of embracing
new thinking to contemplate the possibility of an entirely new form of international system
in which multiple international orders with very different dynamics and different behavioural
patterns make up the global ordering architecture. The perspective brings into light important
relationships and dynamics that are not readily apparent in the multipolar perspective –
especially that relationships within orders are just as important as relations between different
international orders, and it leaves room for considering other aspects than powershifts and for
acknowledging the importance of other actors than just a handful of “pole states”. I argue that
awareness of the subtle differences between the multi-order architecture and more traditional
polarity-based understandings is an essential first step towards timely strategic policymaking
fit for the multi-order world.

The paper proceeds in four moves. First, I outline three significant events over the past four
years which only partially fit the polarity-based narrative. Second, I outline the multi-order
perspective by focusing on order as a condition, a social domain, and as practices of ordering.
Thirdly, I show how changes in three characteristics of the global system indicate a multi-order
world rather than a multipolar one. Finally, I briefly consider some of the broader geopolitical
implications of a multi-order world and demonstrate the importance of ordering dynamics
within and between international orders. The picture that emerges challenges some of the
most foundational assumptions about international relations and global order including the
prospect of achieving convergence around common rules in multilateral governance to meet
shared challenges…

– “The arrival of the multi-order world and its geopolitical implications”

The second, by Jessica Burbank, takes a different– and in some ways, more provocative– tack…

… A new world order is here. States (countries) are no longer the highest form of power globally. Power has shifted to wealthy individuals who work in groups and operate across borders: syndicates of capital.

Syndicates of capital cannot be categorized as legal or illegal. They exist primarily in the extralegal sphere, where either no regulations apply to their behavior or, where laws do exist, there is no entity powerful enough to enforce them in a manner that asserts control over the syndicates’ behavior.

In many occasions, capital is both the power source for syndicates, and the shared goal. Wealthy individuals form syndicates if their strategic objectives align. Those objectives typically revolve around securing new capital flows and preserving existing ones. Syndicates’ power is vast but fragile. If all members of a syndicate were cut off from accessing capital and the resources they control, they would lose their power.

Author’s Note: ​​Sorry to disappoint the conspiracy theorists, but I am not speaking of secret societies, the illuminati, or a cabal. Syndicates of capital do not hide their power, nor do they operate in secret. Their multi-billion dollar deals and contracts are publicly disclosed. They are also not united in ethnic background, religious, or political beliefs.

It is not enough to say: ‘democracies are being replaced with oligarchies because wealthy individuals have too much power in society.’ That may be true, but is not the full picture. Oligarchies are states run by a small group of wealthy individuals. That may accurately describe the politics of one nation, but it does not suffice to describe how power is organized on a global scale.

‘Global oligarchy’ also falls short of describing how power is organized in our world, because there is not one small group of wealthy individuals, there are many, and they compete. Still, the identification of oligarchs is useful for global political analysis because many of the oligarchs within a state also operate globally as leaders or members ofsyndicates of capital.

The new world order emerged before it could be identified. Platitudes like: “our world has gone crazy,” served as an emotional crutch, and an implicit acknowledgement that we lack a sound analysis of contemporary global power. What has felt like an ineffable force, an inexplicable undercurrent of darkness, is the ambiance of global dominion by syndicates of capital.

Though abstract, examining how global power is organized is essential to understanding the world we live in. Developing a coherent framework for evaluating global affairs allows us to more effortlessly make sense of current events. You’ll be surprised how quickly things click and how easily your mind makes connections when you absorb the news with a conception of syndicates of capital…

– “Syndicates of Capital“

Both are eminently worth reading in full: whether or not one buys all– or any– of either set of conclusions, the mental calisthenics are the point…

* Robert Macfarlane

###

As we muse on metaphors, we might recall that it was on this date in 1279 that Mongol forces led by Kublai Khan were victorious at the Battle of Yamen— ending the Song dynasty in China. Kublai has already conquered parts of northern and southern China, and had declared the Yuan dynasty (with himself as the emperor “Great Yuan”). With the fall of the Song, the Mongols ruled all of continental East Asia under Han-style Yuan rule, which was a division of the Mongol Empire.

#WordWeavers: 11. Give an example of brilliant writing. What's special about it? @dandylover1

I may have an opinion on what I like, but the word "brilliant" implies clever. But very well. Since my objection is how culture bounds the question, here "billiance" in a different mode.

暗⾹·旧时⽉⾊
姜夔 〔宋代〕

旧时⽉⾊，算⼏番照我，梅边吹笛？
唤起⽟⼈，不管清寒与攀摘。
何逊⽽今渐⽼，都忘却春风词笔。
但怪得⽵外疏花，⾹冷⼊瑶席。

江国，正寂寂，叹寄与路遥，夜雪初积。
翠尊易泣，红萼⽆⾔耿相忆。
长记曾携⼿处，千树压、西湖寒碧。
又⽚⽚、吹尽也，⼏时见得？

Dim Scent

#JiangKui, 1155–1221, Southern #SongDynasty

Aged moonlight, how many times

have you shone on me, beside the plum blossoms?
Listening to the sound of flute.

Wake up, love—despite the air being cold
like washed jade, we climbed

to pluck the newest buds. Now,
as I’ve aged, my oblivious brushstrokes too weak

to recite the Spring wind, the sparse,
rose-colored dapples beyond the bamboo forest

sending a sharp fragrance.

….

The water provinces, desolate.

I want to send you this sprig of plum blossoms
tonight. Tonight, snow piles

for ten thousand miles. The emerald wine glass
weeps against the damp petals.

Remember where we held hands, the moment
when a thousand trees suddenly

bent crimson beside a lake.

Then piece by piece, taken by the wind.

These assembled past … when, again, will I see?

#Poetry

#WordWeavers: 11. Give an example of brilliant writing. What's special about it? @dandylover1

I may have an opinion on what I like, but the word "brilliant" implies clever. But very well. Since my objection is how culture bounds the question, here "billiance" in a different mode.

暗⾹·旧时⽉⾊
姜夔 〔宋代〕

旧时⽉⾊，算⼏番照我，梅边吹笛？
唤起⽟⼈，不管清寒与攀摘。
何逊⽽今渐⽼，都忘却春风词笔。
但怪得⽵外疏花，⾹冷⼊瑶席。

江国，正寂寂，叹寄与路遥，夜雪初积。
翠尊易泣，红萼⽆⾔耿相忆。
长记曾携⼿处，千树压、西湖寒碧。
又⽚⽚、吹尽也，⼏时见得？

Dim Scent

#JiangKui, 1155–1221, Southern #SongDynasty

Aged moonlight, how many times

have you shone on me, beside the plum blossoms?
Listening to the sound of flute.

Wake up, love—despite the air being cold
like washed jade, we climbed

to pluck the newest buds. Now,
as I’ve aged, my oblivious brushstrokes too weak

to recite the Spring wind, the sparse,
rose-colored dapples beyond the bamboo forest

sending a sharp fragrance.

….

The water provinces, desolate.

I want to send you this sprig of plum blossoms
tonight. Tonight, snow piles

for ten thousand miles. The emerald wine glass
weeps against the damp petals.

Remember where we held hands, the moment
when a thousand trees suddenly

bent crimson beside a lake.

Then piece by piece, taken by the wind.

These assembled past … when, again, will I see?

#Poetry

#WordWeavers: 11. Give an example of brilliant writing. What's special about it? @dandylover1

I may have an opinion on what I like, but the word "brilliant" implies clever. But very well. Since my objection is how culture bounds the question, here "billiance" in a different mode.

暗⾹·旧时⽉⾊
姜夔 〔宋代〕

旧时⽉⾊，算⼏番照我，梅边吹笛？
唤起⽟⼈，不管清寒与攀摘。
何逊⽽今渐⽼，都忘却春风词笔。
但怪得⽵外疏花，⾹冷⼊瑶席。

江国，正寂寂，叹寄与路遥，夜雪初积。
翠尊易泣，红萼⽆⾔耿相忆。
长记曾携⼿处，千树压、西湖寒碧。
又⽚⽚、吹尽也，⼏时见得？

Dim Scent

#JiangKui, 1155–1221, Southern #SongDynasty

Aged moonlight, how many times

have you shone on me, beside the plum blossoms?
Listening to the sound of flute.

Wake up, love—despite the air being cold
like washed jade, we climbed

to pluck the newest buds. Now,
as I’ve aged, my oblivious brushstrokes too weak

to recite the Spring wind, the sparse,
rose-colored dapples beyond the bamboo forest

sending a sharp fragrance.

….

The water provinces, desolate.

I want to send you this sprig of plum blossoms
tonight. Tonight, snow piles

for ten thousand miles. The emerald wine glass
weeps against the damp petals.

Remember where we held hands, the moment
when a thousand trees suddenly

bent crimson beside a lake.

Then piece by piece, taken by the wind.

These assembled past … when, again, will I see?

#Poetry

#WordWeavers: 11. Give an example of brilliant writing. What's special about it? @dandylover1

I may have an opinion on what I like, but the word "brilliant" implies clever. But very well. Since my objection is how culture bounds the question, here "billiance" in a different mode.

暗⾹·旧时⽉⾊
姜夔 〔宋代〕

旧时⽉⾊，算⼏番照我，梅边吹笛？
唤起⽟⼈，不管清寒与攀摘。
何逊⽽今渐⽼，都忘却春风词笔。
但怪得⽵外疏花，⾹冷⼊瑶席。

江国，正寂寂，叹寄与路遥，夜雪初积。
翠尊易泣，红萼⽆⾔耿相忆。
长记曾携⼿处，千树压、西湖寒碧。
又⽚⽚、吹尽也，⼏时见得？

Dim Scent

#JiangKui, 1155–1221, Southern #SongDynasty

Aged moonlight, how many times

have you shone on me, beside the plum blossoms?
Listening to the sound of flute.

Wake up, love—despite the air being cold
like washed jade, we climbed

to pluck the newest buds. Now,
as I’ve aged, my oblivious brushstrokes too weak

to recite the Spring wind, the sparse,
rose-colored dapples beyond the bamboo forest

sending a sharp fragrance.

….

The water provinces, desolate.

I want to send you this sprig of plum blossoms
tonight. Tonight, snow piles

for ten thousand miles. The emerald wine glass
weeps against the damp petals.

Remember where we held hands, the moment
when a thousand trees suddenly

bent crimson beside a lake.

Then piece by piece, taken by the wind.

These assembled past … when, again, will I see?

#Poetry

#WordWeavers: 11. Give an example of brilliant writing. What's special about it? @dandylover1

I may have an opinion on what I like, but the word "brilliant" implies clever. But very well. Since my objection is how culture bounds the question, here "billiance" in a different mode.

暗⾹·旧时⽉⾊
姜夔 〔宋代〕

旧时⽉⾊，算⼏番照我，梅边吹笛？
唤起⽟⼈，不管清寒与攀摘。
何逊⽽今渐⽼，都忘却春风词笔。
但怪得⽵外疏花，⾹冷⼊瑶席。

江国，正寂寂，叹寄与路遥，夜雪初积。
翠尊易泣，红萼⽆⾔耿相忆。
长记曾携⼿处，千树压、西湖寒碧。
又⽚⽚、吹尽也，⼏时见得？

Dim Scent

#JiangKui, 1155–1221, Southern #SongDynasty

Aged moonlight, how many times

have you shone on me, beside the plum blossoms?
Listening to the sound of flute.

Wake up, love—despite the air being cold
like washed jade, we climbed

to pluck the newest buds. Now,
as I’ve aged, my oblivious brushstrokes too weak

to recite the Spring wind, the sparse,
rose-colored dapples beyond the bamboo forest

sending a sharp fragrance.

….

The water provinces, desolate.

I want to send you this sprig of plum blossoms
tonight. Tonight, snow piles

for ten thousand miles. The emerald wine glass
weeps against the damp petals.

Remember where we held hands, the moment
when a thousand trees suddenly

bent crimson beside a lake.

Then piece by piece, taken by the wind.

These assembled past … when, again, will I see?

#Poetry

Along the River During the #QingmingFestival (simplified Chinese: 清明上河图; traditional Chinese: 清明上河圖; pinyin: Qīngmíng Shànghé Tú) is a handscroll painting by the #Songdynasty painter Zhang Zeduan (1085–1145) and copied or

#teabowl ceramic stoneware glaze 12th 13th century ad southern #songdynasty 1127 1279 china probably jiangxi province jizhou

Tani Bunchō's "Gazing at a Waterfall" captures the serene fusion of nature and humanity through a majestic winter landscape. The scene invokes Li Bai's poetry, bridging cultures and time. What emotions does this harmony evoke for you?

#Art #ClevelandArt #TaniBuncho #ChineseArt #SongDynasty
https://clevelandart.org/art/1972.16

Tani Bunchō's "Gazing at a Waterfall" captures the serene fusion of nature and humanity through a majestic winter landscape. The scene invokes Li Bai's poetry, bridging cultures and time. What emotions does this harmony evoke for you?

#Art #ClevelandArt #TaniBuncho #ChineseArt #SongDynasty
https://clevelandart.org/art/1972.16

Tani Bunchō's "Gazing at a Waterfall" captures the serene fusion of nature and humanity through a majestic winter landscape. The scene invokes Li Bai's poetry, bridging cultures and time. What emotions does this harmony evoke for you?

#Art #ClevelandArt #TaniBuncho #ChineseArt #SongDynasty
https://clevelandart.org/art/1972.16

Tani Bunchō's "Gazing at a Waterfall" captures the serene fusion of nature and humanity through a majestic winter landscape. The scene invokes Li Bai's poetry, bridging cultures and time. What emotions does this harmony evoke for you?

#Art #ClevelandArt #TaniBuncho #ChineseArt #SongDynasty
https://clevelandart.org/art/1972.16

Tani Bunchō's "Gazing at a Waterfall" captures the serene fusion of nature and humanity through a majestic winter landscape. The scene invokes Li Bai's poetry, bridging cultures and time. What emotions does this harmony evoke for you?

#Art #ClevelandArt #TaniBuncho #ChineseArt #SongDynasty
https://clevelandart.org/art/1972.16

Died #OTD in 1283: Wen Tianxiang, Chinese general, scholar and one of the 'Three Loyal Princes of the Song'

All men are mortal, but my loyalty will illuminate the annals of history forever. ~Wen Tianxiang

#history #China #SongDynasty

Died #OTD in 1283: Wen Tianxiang, Chinese general, scholar and one of the 'Three Loyal Princes of the Song'

All men are mortal, but my loyalty will illuminate the annals of history forever. ~Wen Tianxiang

#history #China #SongDynasty

Died #OTD in 1283: Wen Tianxiang, Chinese general, scholar and one of the 'Three Loyal Princes of the Song'

All men are mortal, but my loyalty will illuminate the annals of history forever. ~Wen Tianxiang

#history #China #SongDynasty

Died #OTD in 1283: Wen Tianxiang, Chinese general, scholar and one of the 'Three Loyal Princes of the Song'

All men are mortal, but my loyalty will illuminate the annals of history forever. ~Wen Tianxiang

#history #China #SongDynasty

Died #OTD in 1283: Wen Tianxiang, Chinese general, scholar and one of the 'Three Loyal Princes of the Song'

All men are mortal, but my loyalty will illuminate the annals of history forever. ~Wen Tianxiang

#history #China #SongDynasty

Along the River During the #QingmingFestival (simplified Chinese: 清明上河图; traditional Chinese: 清明上河圖; pinyin: Qīngmíng Shànghé Tú) is a handscroll painting by the #Songdynasty painter Zhang Zeduan (1085–1145) and copied or

"Mountain Market, Clear with Rising Mist" captures the serene journey of a scholar-hermit amidst nature's beauty and human connections. Each vignette reveals a world where scholarship meets the tranquility of landscape. What stories do you see in this art?

#ClevelandArt #ChineseArt #SongDynasty
https://clevelandart.org/art/2015.517

"Mountain Market, Clear with Rising Mist" captures the serene journey of a scholar-hermit amidst nature's beauty and human connections. Each vignette reveals a world where scholarship meets the tranquility of landscape. What stories do you see in this art?

#ClevelandArt #ChineseArt #SongDynasty
https://clevelandart.org/art/2015.517

"Mountain Market, Clear with Rising Mist" captures the serene journey of a scholar-hermit amidst nature's beauty and human connections. Each vignette reveals a world where scholarship meets the tranquility of landscape. What stories do you see in this art?

#ClevelandArt #ChineseArt #SongDynasty
https://clevelandart.org/art/2015.517

"Mountain Market, Clear with Rising Mist" captures the serene journey of a scholar-hermit amidst nature's beauty and human connections. Each vignette reveals a world where scholarship meets the tranquility of landscape. What stories do you see in this art?

#ClevelandArt #ChineseArt #SongDynasty
https://clevelandart.org/art/2015.517

"Mountain Market, Clear with Rising Mist" captures the serene journey of a scholar-hermit amidst nature's beauty and human connections. Each vignette reveals a world where scholarship meets the tranquility of landscape. What stories do you see in this art?

#ClevelandArt #ChineseArt #SongDynasty
https://clevelandart.org/art/2015.517

Seven Lucky Gods

In Japanese mythology, the 7 Lucky Gods that are believed to grant good luck & are often represented in netsuke & in artwork. Netsuke is a miniature sculpture, beginning in 17th century Japan. 1 of the 7, Jurojin, is said to be based on an actual historical figure.

These deities mostly have their roots as ancient gods of fortune from religions popular in Japan like: from Mahayana Buddhism (Benzaiten, Bishamonten, Daikokuten, Hotei), which came to Japan via China but began in India; & from Chinese Taoism (Fukurokuju & Jurojin); the last 1 (Ebisu) is has a Japanese native ancestry.

In the beginning, these gods were worshipped by merchants as the first 2 (Ebisu & Daikokuten) were gods of business & trade. Other classes of Japanese society looked for gods that could parallel with their professions: Benzaiten as the patron of the arts, Fukurokuju as the patron of the sciences, etc.

In ancient times, these gods were worshipped separately. This rarely happens today. Only when it’s required for the specific god to act on behalf of the applicant.

The 7 Gods of Fortune started being mentioned as a collective in 1420 in Fushimi. This was in order to imitate the processions of the feudal lords, daimyos, of pre-modern Japan.

It’s said that Buddhist priest, Tenkai, picked these gods after speaking with the shogun he served, Iemitsu Tokugawa. This was at the order of seeking whoever possessed the perfect virtues: longevity, fortune, popularity, sincerity, kindness, dignity, & magnanimity. Shortly after this, Kano Yasunobu, a famous artist of the time.

List of the deities:

• Ebisu: From the era of the gods Izanami & Izanagi, Ebisu is the only 1 whose beginnings are purely Japanese. He’s the god of prosperity & wealth in business, & of plenitude & abundance in crops, cereals, & food in general. He’s the patron of fishermen & is shown with fishermen’s costumes such as a typical hat, a fishing rod in his right hand & a fish that is either a carp, a hake, a codfish, a sea bass, or any large fish. In general, that symbolizes abundance in meals, like a feast or banquet. It’s now common to see his figure in restaurants where fish is served in huge amounts of in household kitchens.
• Daikokuten: He’s the God of commerce & prosperity. He’s sometimes considered the patron of cooks, farmers, bankers, & a protector of crops. He’s also considered a demon hunter. Legend says that the god Daikokuten hung a talisman on the branch of a tree in his garden &, by using this as a trap, was able to catch a demon. This god is known for his smile, his short legs, & the hat on his head. He’s usually shown with a bag full of valuable objects. Daikokuten’s popular imagery started as a syncretic conflation of the Buddhist death deity, Mahakala, with the Shinto deity, Okuninushi. Syncretic conflation is a blending of different belief systems practices or traditions into a new, single, & often confusing or contradictory whole. The Japanese name Daikoku is a direct translation of the Sanskrit name Mahakala, which means “Great Blackness.” Per the Butsuzozui compendium of 1690, Daikoku can also manifest as a female known as Daikokunyo (literally, She of Great Blackness) or Daikokutennyo (literally, She of Great Blackness of the Heavens).
• Bishamonten: Bishamonten’s origins can be traced back to Hinduism. But he has been adopted into Japanese culture. He comes from the Hindu god Kubera & is also from the name Vaisravana. He’s the god of fortune in war & battles. He’s also connected with authority & dignity. He’s the protector of those who follow the rules & behave properly. As the patron of fighters, he was represented dressed in armor & a helmet. He’s often seen carrying a pagoda. He also acts the protector of holy sites & important places & wields a spear to fight against the evil spirits. He’s usually shown in pictures with a hoop of fire.
• Benzaiten: Benzaiten’s origin is found in Hinduism. As she comes from the Hindu goddess Saraswati. She’s the only Fukujin in modern grouping. She’s named in a number of ways: Benzaiten, Benten, Bentensama, or Benzaitennyo. When she was adapted from Buddhism, she was given the qualities of financial fortune, talent, beauty, & music among others. Often she shows up with a Torii. She’s depicted as a smart, beautiful woman with all the aforementioned attributes. She carries a biwa, a Japanese traditional lute-like instrument, & is normally accompanied by a white snake. She’s the patron of artists, writers, dances, & geisha.
• Jurojin: He’s considered the incarnation of the southern pole star, Jurojin, is the god of the elderly & of longevity in Japanese Buddhist mythology. It’s said that the legendary Juroujin is based on a real person who lived in ancient times. He was approximately 1.82 meters (or 5.97 feet) tall with a very long head. Besides his unique skull, he’s shown with a long white beard, riding a deer, & is often accompanied by a 1500-year crane (the bird) & a tortoise. These are symbols of his affinity with long lives. In addition, he is usually represented under a peach tree. The fruit of this tree is considered, by Chinese Taoism, being able to prolong life. In his hand, he holds a crane & a book or a scroll. The wisdom of the world remains written in its pages. Jurojin enjoys rice & wine &is a very cheerful figure.
• Hotei: He’s the god of fortune, guardian of children, patron of diviners, & barmen. He’s also the god of popularity. He’s shown as a fat, smiling, bald man with a curly moustache. He always appears half-naked. His clothes aren’t wide enough to cover his huge belly. He blessed the Chinese. They nicknamed him “Cho-Tei-Shi” or “Ho-Tei-Shi,” meaning ‘bag of old clothes.’ Hotei was a Zen priest. His looks & some of his actions were against their moral code. His looks made him look like a naughty person & he didn’t have a fixed place to sleep. He carries a bag on his shoulders. The bag was loaded with fortunes for those who believe in his virtues. Hotei’s traits & virtues are contentment, magnanimity, & happiness. Hotei’s original Chinese name was Kaishi. According to legend, he passed away in March 916. The Japanese began to believe in Hotei during the Edo era. The reasoning for why the Japanese have such a great respect for this god comes from a legend that says that, before Zen Buddhism came to Japan, an alternative Buddhist thought was extended by a priest of suspicious aesthetic, who was actually was a manifestation of Miroku. Miroku was the patron of those who couldn’t be saved by the beliefs of Buddha. Hotei was later observed & accepted by the Japanese as a 2nd Miroku.
• Fukurokuju: (Sometimes omitted) The god Fukurokuju also has his beginnings in China. It’s believed that he used to be a hermit during the Chinese Song dynasty. He’s distinguished for being a reincarnation of the Taoist god, Hsuan-wu. He’s the god of wisdom, luck, longevity, wealth, & happiness. This god receives certain credits, such as being 1 of the Chinese philosophers who could live without eating called breatharian. He’s the only god who was said to have the ability to resurrect the dead. Fukurokuju is portrayed by the size of his head, being almost as large as the size of his whole body. He’s represented wearing traditional Chinese costumes. He normally carries a cane in 1 hand & a scroll with writings about the world in the other hand. He’s usually accompanied by a turtle, a crow, or a deer. These animals are frequently used in Japan to symbolize a long life. It’s also said that he likes to play chess. He’s the patron of chess players. The characteristics of Fukurokuju & Jurojin overlap as they both trace back to the Chinese Taoist deity. Nanjilaoren, which is why Fukurokuju’s position is sometimes granted instead to the goddess Kichijoten, as in Butsuzosui compendium of 1783. The Butsuzosui compendium is a collection of Buddhist iconographic sketches said to have been painted by Hidenobu Tosa of the Tosa school. Originally published in 1690 in 5 volumes.
• Kichijoten: (Sometimes omitted) She’s also known as Kisshoten or Kisshoutennyo. She was adapted via Buddhism from the Hindu goddess Lakshmi. Kisshoten has the traits of beauty, happiness, & fertility. In the 1783 edition of the Butsuzozui compendium, Kichijoten replaced Fukurokuju as 1 of the Fukujin. Kichijoten’s iconography is distinguished from the other Fukujin goddesses by the Nyoihiju gem in her hand. When Kichijoten replaces Fukurokuju, & Daikoku is regarded in feminine form, all 3 of the Hindu Tridevi goddesses are then represented among the 7 Fukujin.

During the first 3 days of the New Year, the 7 Lucky Gods are said to pilot through the Heavens the Takarabune or Treasure Ship. A picture of the ship forms an essential part of traditional Japanese New Year celebrations.

There are 4 shrines:

• Imamiya Ebisu Shrine, Osaka
• Nanyo Kanjizai, Shikoku
• Nishinomiya Shrine, Hyogo
• Toka Ebisu Shrine, Fukuoka

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#1420 #1690 #1783 #17thCentury #Benten #Bentensama #Benzaiten #Benzaitennyo #Bishamonten #Biwa #Breatharian #Buddha #Buddhism #ButsuzosuiCompendium #China #ChineseTaoism #ChoTeiShi #Daikoku #Daikokunyo #Daikokuten #Daikokutennyo #Daimyos #Ebisu #EdoEra #Fukujin #Fukuoka #Fukurokuju #Fushimi #HidenobuTosa #HinduTridevi #Hinduism #HinduismPantheon #HoTeiShi #Hotei #HsuanWu #Hyogo #IemitsuTokugawa #ImamiyaEbisuShrine #India #Izanagi #Izanzmi #Japan #JapaneseBuddhistMythology #JapaneseMythology #Jurojin #Kaishi #KanoYasunobu #Kichijoten #Kisshoten #Kisshoutennyo #Kubera #Lakshmi #Mahakala #MahayanaBuddhism #March916 #Miroku #Nanjilaoren #NanyoKanjizai #Netsuke #NewYear #NishinomiyaShrine #NyoihojuGem #Okuninushi #Osaka #Pagoda #Patron #PeachTree #Reincarnation #Sanskrit #Saraswati #SecondMiroku #SevenLuckyGods #Shikoku #Shinto #SongDynasty #SouthernPoleStar #SyncreticConflation #Takarabune #Tenkai #TokaEbisuShrine #Torii #TosaSchool #TreasureShip #Vaisravana #ZenBuddhism #ZenPriest

Seven Lucky Gods

In Japanese mythology, the 7 Lucky Gods that are believed to grant good luck & are often represented in netsuke & in artwork. Netsuke is a miniature sculpture, beginning in 17th century Japan. 1 of the 7, Jurojin, is said to be based on an actual historical figure.

These deities mostly have their roots as ancient gods of fortune from religions popular in Japan like: from Mahayana Buddhism (Benzaiten, Bishamonten, Daikokuten, Hotei), which came to Japan via China but began in India; & from Chinese Taoism (Fukurokuju & Jurojin); the last 1 (Ebisu) is has a Japanese native ancestry.

In the beginning, these gods were worshipped by merchants as the first 2 (Ebisu & Daikokuten) were gods of business & trade. Other classes of Japanese society looked for gods that could parallel with their professions: Benzaiten as the patron of the arts, Fukurokuju as the patron of the sciences, etc.

In ancient times, these gods were worshipped separately. This rarely happens today. Only when it’s required for the specific god to act on behalf of the applicant.

The 7 Gods of Fortune started being mentioned as a collective in 1420 in Fushimi. This was in order to imitate the processions of the feudal lords, daimyos, of pre-modern Japan.

It’s said that Buddhist priest, Tenkai, picked these gods after speaking with the shogun he served, Iemitsu Tokugawa. This was at the order of seeking whoever possessed the perfect virtues: longevity, fortune, popularity, sincerity, kindness, dignity, & magnanimity. Shortly after this, Kano Yasunobu, a famous artist of the time.

List of the deities:

• Ebisu: From the era of the gods Izanami & Izanagi, Ebisu is the only 1 whose beginnings are purely Japanese. He’s the god of prosperity & wealth in business, & of plenitude & abundance in crops, cereals, & food in general. He’s the patron of fishermen & is shown with fishermen’s costumes such as a typical hat, a fishing rod in his right hand & a fish that is either a carp, a hake, a codfish, a sea bass, or any large fish. In general, that symbolizes abundance in meals, like a feast or banquet. It’s now common to see his figure in restaurants where fish is served in huge amounts of in household kitchens.
• Daikokuten: He’s the God of commerce & prosperity. He’s sometimes considered the patron of cooks, farmers, bankers, & a protector of crops. He’s also considered a demon hunter. Legend says that the god Daikokuten hung a talisman on the branch of a tree in his garden &, by using this as a trap, was able to catch a demon. This god is known for his smile, his short legs, & the hat on his head. He’s usually shown with a bag full of valuable objects. Daikokuten’s popular imagery started as a syncretic conflation of the Buddhist death deity, Mahakala, with the Shinto deity, Okuninushi. Syncretic conflation is a blending of different belief systems practices or traditions into a new, single, & often confusing or contradictory whole. The Japanese name Daikoku is a direct translation of the Sanskrit name Mahakala, which means “Great Blackness.” Per the Butsuzozui compendium of 1690, Daikoku can also manifest as a female known as Daikokunyo (literally, She of Great Blackness) or Daikokutennyo (literally, She of Great Blackness of the Heavens).
• Bishamonten: Bishamonten’s origins can be traced back to Hinduism. But he has been adopted into Japanese culture. He comes from the Hindu god Kubera & is also from the name Vaisravana. He’s the god of fortune in war & battles. He’s also connected with authority & dignity. He’s the protector of those who follow the rules & behave properly. As the patron of fighters, he was represented dressed in armor & a helmet. He’s often seen carrying a pagoda. He also acts the protector of holy sites & important places & wields a spear to fight against the evil spirits. He’s usually shown in pictures with a hoop of fire.
• Benzaiten: Benzaiten’s origin is found in Hinduism. As she comes from the Hindu goddess Saraswati. She’s the only Fukujin in modern grouping. She’s named in a number of ways: Benzaiten, Benten, Bentensama, or Benzaitennyo. When she was adapted from Buddhism, she was given the qualities of financial fortune, talent, beauty, & music among others. Often she shows up with a Torii. She’s depicted as a smart, beautiful woman with all the aforementioned attributes. She carries a biwa, a Japanese traditional lute-like instrument, & is normally accompanied by a white snake. She’s the patron of artists, writers, dances, & geisha.
• Jurojin: He’s considered the incarnation of the southern pole star, Jurojin, is the god of the elderly & of longevity in Japanese Buddhist mythology. It’s said that the legendary Juroujin is based on a real person who lived in ancient times. He was approximately 1.82 meters (or 5.97 feet) tall with a very long head. Besides his unique skull, he’s shown with a long white beard, riding a deer, & is often accompanied by a 1500-year crane (the bird) & a tortoise. These are symbols of his affinity with long lives. In addition, he is usually represented under a peach tree. The fruit of this tree is considered, by Chinese Taoism, being able to prolong life. In his hand, he holds a crane & a book or a scroll. The wisdom of the world remains written in its pages. Jurojin enjoys rice & wine &is a very cheerful figure.
• Hotei: He’s the god of fortune, guardian of children, patron of diviners, & barmen. He’s also the god of popularity. He’s shown as a fat, smiling, bald man with a curly moustache. He always appears half-naked. His clothes aren’t wide enough to cover his huge belly. He blessed the Chinese. They nicknamed him “Cho-Tei-Shi” or “Ho-Tei-Shi,” meaning ‘bag of old clothes.’ Hotei was a Zen priest. His looks & some of his actions were against their moral code. His looks made him look like a naughty person & he didn’t have a fixed place to sleep. He carries a bag on his shoulders. The bag was loaded with fortunes for those who believe in his virtues. Hotei’s traits & virtues are contentment, magnanimity, & happiness. Hotei’s original Chinese name was Kaishi. According to legend, he passed away in March 916. The Japanese began to believe in Hotei during the Edo era. The reasoning for why the Japanese have such a great respect for this god comes from a legend that says that, before Zen Buddhism came to Japan, an alternative Buddhist thought was extended by a priest of suspicious aesthetic, who was actually was a manifestation of Miroku. Miroku was the patron of those who couldn’t be saved by the beliefs of Buddha. Hotei was later observed & accepted by the Japanese as a 2nd Miroku.
• Fukurokuju: (Sometimes omitted) The god Fukurokuju also has his beginnings in China. It’s believed that he used to be a hermit during the Chinese Song dynasty. He’s distinguished for being a reincarnation of the Taoist god, Hsuan-wu. He’s the god of wisdom, luck, longevity, wealth, & happiness. This god receives certain credits, such as being 1 of the Chinese philosophers who could live without eating called breatharian. He’s the only god who was said to have the ability to resurrect the dead. Fukurokuju is portrayed by the size of his head, being almost as large as the size of his whole body. He’s represented wearing traditional Chinese costumes. He normally carries a cane in 1 hand & a scroll with writings about the world in the other hand. He’s usually accompanied by a turtle, a crow, or a deer. These animals are frequently used in Japan to symbolize a long life. It’s also said that he likes to play chess. He’s the patron of chess players. The characteristics of Fukurokuju & Jurojin overlap as they both trace back to the Chinese Taoist deity. Nanjilaoren, which is why Fukurokuju’s position is sometimes granted instead to the goddess Kichijoten, as in Butsuzosui compendium of 1783. The Butsuzosui compendium is a collection of Buddhist iconographic sketches said to have been painted by Hidenobu Tosa of the Tosa school. Originally published in 1690 in 5 volumes.
• Kichijoten: (Sometimes omitted) She’s also known as Kisshoten or Kisshoutennyo. She was adapted via Buddhism from the Hindu goddess Lakshmi. Kisshoten has the traits of beauty, happiness, & fertility. In the 1783 edition of the Butsuzozui compendium, Kichijoten replaced Fukurokuju as 1 of the Fukujin. Kichijoten’s iconography is distinguished from the other Fukujin goddesses by the Nyoihiju gem in her hand. When Kichijoten replaces Fukurokuju, & Daikoku is regarded in feminine form, all 3 of the Hindu Tridevi goddesses are then represented among the 7 Fukujin.

During the first 3 days of the New Year, the 7 Lucky Gods are said to pilot through the Heavens the Takarabune or Treasure Ship. A picture of the ship forms an essential part of traditional Japanese New Year celebrations.

There are 4 shrines:

• Imamiya Ebisu Shrine, Osaka
• Nanyo Kanjizai, Shikoku
• Nishinomiya Shrine, Hyogo
• Toka Ebisu Shrine, Fukuoka

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