Mixed Metal and Bronze Censer - Japanese? | ||
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Posted 8 years ago
ho2cultcha
(5051 items)
i think that this bronze and mixed metal censer is a Japanese piece - meiji or edo? i got it a the flea market today and think it's a really beautiful piece. what do you think?
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no czechglass. a phoenix on each side. thank you!
Great find!!!
thanks shareurpassion! does anyone know the significance of the double strand of something in the mouth of the shishi/foo dog?
Looks like a tail.
"A Chinese envoy brought a gift for the king, a necklace decorated with a figurine of a shisa. Meanwhile, at Naha bay, the village of Madanbashi was being terrorized by a sea dragon that ate the villagers and destroyed their property. One day, the king was visiting the village, when suddenly the dragon attacked. All the people ran and hid. The local priestess had been told in a dream to instruct the king when he visited to stand on the beach and lift up his figurine towards the dragon; she sent a boy to tell him. The king faced the monster with the figurine held high, and immediately a giant roar sounded throughout the village, a roar so deep and powerful that it even shook the dragon. A massive boulder then fell from heaven and crushed the dragon’s tail. He couldn’t move, and eventually died."
https://www.tofugu.com/japan/komainu/
Suanni are on the legs. Google is your friend. Try it!
This site calls it a celestial ribbon in his mouth.
http://www.trocadero.com/stores/101antiques/items/1347473/Antique-Chinese-Ming-Dynasty-Bronze-Buddhist-Guardian
Here:
Ribbon
"The ribbon sometimes seen around a Fu Dog is more mysterious for me. I have found this story, from here, that may explain one reason for it’s appearance. “One story tells of a great lion in heaven, who, like many cats, was curious and playful, always causing mischief. The Jade Emperor was perturbed by this and, due to the lion’s insubordination, had the lion’s head chopped off. He then threw the remains out of heaven, and down to Earth to rot. However, Kwan’Yin, the goddess of mercy, had seen the entire affair, and, feeling sorry for the mischievous lion, descended to Earth in order to help him. She tied his head back onto his body with an enchanted red ribbon. The ribbon, she said, would frighten away evil spirits and keep the lion safe from harm.”
One Buddhist-type reference I found about a ribbon is its use in creating a symbolic device called the Endless Knot; this quote is from here: “Auspicious Drawing-Also known as the Endless Knot, this picture includes a lattice-like drawing with ribbon threads and represents the intersection of religious principles and secular matters. The Auspicious Drawing also symbolizes the joining of wisdom and method, the "inseparability of emptiness", and upon enlightenment, the union of compassion with wisdom.” I like how the last is compatible with the bells definitions mentioned above and could be why sometimes it looks like the bells around a Fu Dogs neck are tied to a ribbon. Another reference, Williams, C.A.S. from the book “Chinese Symbolism and Art Motifs” has this to say about a possible ribbon interpretation: the ribbon "may symbolize the bond which Buddhists believe joins beings of all times, countries, religions and even species." The first image may or may not have ribbons dangling from their mouths, and is from here; I picked it because it may be a ribbon that is working as a harness. The second, having the scrolling ribbon, is from here. The third is from here; yes the red ribbon is cute, but you can just make out the carving of a ribbon running along the leg too!"
https://fudogblog.wordpress.com/2009/04/05/bell-tassel-ribbon-harness-mane-expression-posture/
From the comments on the Fu Dog Blog page (which has more about Foo Dogs than anyone could ever imagine).
I think yours may be Buddhist.
"Red ribbons must be thought of in two contexts, one is the color red and ribbon. One mythos is a buddhist monk used his red sash to tame the lion who was terrorizing a village, the lion later became a guardian of the people.
The second mythos is Kwan Yin using it to tie the lions head back together after the Jade Emperor loped it off for his transgression. The lion thanked Kwan Yin and henceforth promised to do good. Red is the color of blood which is the life force hence yang, it also symbolized the color of the sun (power) and fire used to fight beast-all yang energy. Also red is a homonym for vast and great so it was thought it had the power to magnify. The word for ribbon also had a symbolic meaning. Just some FYI-good web page BTW."
Thank you Celiene!