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Yoshitoshi

One hundred aspects of the moon 20 Aug – 20 Nov 2016

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Legends and mythology

Legends and mythology

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Yasuko Myer Bequest Fund 2012
Cassia-tree moon - Wu Gang, March 1886

According to Chinese legend, the Daoist adept Wu Gang (Gōbetsu in Japanese) used the magical powers of seeds from the giant cassia trees on the moon for evil purposes. His Sisyphus-like punishment from the gods was to chop off the branches of the cassia trees on the moon, which would immediately grow back again. In this print Wu Gang wears Chinese clothes, combining an immortal’s robes with a peasant’s straw hat, and carries a huge ceremonial axe. Instead of showing him suffering from the strenuous task, Yoshitoshi shows Wu Gang excited and proud of his new workplace, the bright moon above.

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Legends and mythology

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Yasuko Myer Bequest Fund 2012
The moon through a crumbling window, June 1886

Bodhidharma (Daruma in Japanese) was an Indian prince and the founder of Zen Buddhism. He travelled from India to China in the sixth century seeking enlightenment through Buddhist practice. He is said to have gone to Luoyang in northern China where he sat facing a wall for nine years, and meditated for so long the wall started to disintegrate. Here, Bodhidharma is sitting in meditation under the moonlight. Struggling with his thoughts, he appears fierce rather than calm.

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Legends and mythology

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Yasuko Myer Bequest Fund 2012
The moon of the Milky Way, September 1886

The two figures looking at each other across the Milky Way represent the stars Vega and Altair, or in Japanese (originally Chinese) mythology, the Lord of Heaven’s daughter Shokujo (the Weaver Maiden) and Kengyū (the celestial Herdsboy). Because Shokujo’s matrimonial duties led her to neglect her work, her father decreed that she and Kengyū could only meet once a year. The story is the basis of the Japanese Tanabata festival, during which young people write romantic poems and hang them on bamboo branches in front of their houses. Traditionally, girls pray to the Shokujo star for sewing skills and a faithful husband like Kengyū.

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Legends and mythology

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Yasuko Myer Bequest Fund 2012
Moon of the enemy's lair - Little Prince Usu, c1886

The print depicts an event in the life of the semi-historical O-Usu (often known as Yamato Takeru, ‘Bravest in Yamato’). The eighth-century histories Kojiki and Nihonshi say that he lived from 81–113 CE, but he is actually an amalgam of several fourth-century generals who helped the Yamato rulers to subdue indigenous groups. Here, he is disguised in his aunt’s clothes to gain entry to a feast where he kills two chieftains, brothers known as Kumaso Takeru (‘Bravest of the Kumaso’). The younger brother gave O-Usu the name Yamato Takeru before dying.

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Legends and mythology

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Yasuko Myer Bequest Fund 2012
Huai River moon - Wu Zixu, June 1887

Wu Zixu, a Chinese general during the Warring States period (480–222 BCE), had to flee the Kingdom of Chu after his father and brother were killed. A fisherman helped him to escape by ferrying him across the Huai River. Years later, Wu was again aided by a Huai River fisherman in his quest to find the grave of his father and brother’s murderer, the king of Chu. He found the tomb, exhumed the king’s body and whipped it 300 times to avenge the deaths of his family.

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Legends and mythology

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Yasuko Myer Bequest Fund 2012
Received back into Moon Palace - Bamboo Cutter, March 1888

This design is inspired by the fairytale Tale of the Bamboo Cutter. An old, childless maker of bamboo baskets and his wife found a baby girl hidden inside a large bamboo stem and adopted her. She grew up to be a radiant beauty, known by the name Kaguyahime, the ‘shining princess’. Many suitors, including the emperor, sought her hand in marriage, but she declined them all, explaining that she is in fact the daughter of Jōga, the Queen of the Moon. As her sisters came down to escort her back to her heavenly realm, the old bamboo cutter implored her to stay.

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Legends and mythology

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Yasuko Myer Bequest Fund 2012
Moon of the Southern Sea, 1888

Bodhisattva is the goddess of mercy and compassion, known in Japan as Kannon (‘one who hears the sound of the world’) and in China as Guanyin. Depicted here is the origin of Kannon in India as Avalokitesvara. Kannon is sitting on a rocky island in the Southern Sea off the coast of India called Potalaka, a place she lived on earth. She is sitting under the moon on this rocky outpost, and behind her is a vase with healing water and a willow branch, which she would use to sprinkle the water over people in need. Kannon is particularly worshipped by fishermen and sailors.

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Legends and mythology

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Yasuko Myer Bequest Fund 2012
Moon of Kintoki's mountain, October 1890

Kintoki is refereeing a match between a monkey and a rabbit. He is depicted here as a fattened infant, which traditionally meant good health in Japanese and Chinese culture. The persimmon is perhaps an allusion to what the monkey stole from the immortals in heaven and Kintaro’s superior powers. Kintoki was the son of a rōnin (masterless samurai) and was abandoned in the Ashigara mountains, near Mount Fuji. Brought up by Yamauba, who was half-woman, half-spirit, she called him ‘golden boy’. The warrior Yorimitsu saw the child while he was hunting and wanted to take him away and make him a hero. His name was to change again, to Kintarō, once he became a man.

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Legends and mythology

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Yasuko Myer Bequest Fund 2012
Musashi Plain moon, January 1891

Over 100 years ago, the Musashi Plain was a rural area, famous for romantic nocturnal stories. It was also said to be haunted by magical foxes that assembled together, particularly around the new year. Foxes are important in Japanese legend, and associated with the Shinto spirit Inari, god of the rice harvest or charlatans who played jokes on people. They could take human form, for example take on the appearance of a priest or a beautiful woman. Here, the female vixen is about to turn into a woman, and grooms herself while looking at her moonlit reflection.

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Legends and mythology

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Yasuko Myer Bequest Fund 2012
A Buddhist monk receives cassia seeds on a moonlit night, June 1891

This figure of an arhat (luohan in Chinese; rakan in Japanese), a Buddhist who has achieved enlightenment, is catching cassia seeds in his begging bowl as they fall from the moon, which, if eaten, provide immortality. The story of the magical cassia (katsura) trees on the moon are from Chinese and Japanese legend (see Cassia-tree moonWu Gang). This arhat has a brilliant moon as his halo, long ears that signify his wisdom, and numerous characteristics that imply cross-cultural inspirations, such as his Chinese robe decorated with dragon medallions and lotus flowers, and his Indian sandals. He has features that may make him Indian, for example his beard, and this is perhaps an allusion to Daruma (Bodhidharma), who travelled from India to China to teach Buddhism.

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