Title: Shōmen-Kongō (Blue-Faced Vajra-Yakṣa), and the Three Wise Monkeys, Circa 1603-1868. An Edo Period Koshin Painting of the Eastern Rakshasa Lord
Condition: Good
An Edo Period Koshin painting, depicting Shōmen-Kongō, the Blue-Faced Vajra-Yaksa, and below him, the Three Wise Monkeys embodying the proverbial principle, “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”.
Koshin is a rather interesting folk belief, originating from Japan, bearing Taoist origins, but influenced by Shinto, Buddhism and other local beliefs. There is no definitive notation on when the belief arrived in Japan, but by the early Heian Period in the 9th century, it was already prevalent among nobles.
From the Muromachi to Edo Period, the Koshin belief was widespread but was officially rejected as superstition and a cult after the Meiji government issued the Shinto and Buddhism Separation Order in 1872.
The main Koshin belief is the concept that Three Corpses, or Sanshi are in every human body. The Sanshi would keep track of the deeds of the person they inhabit. On the night called Kōshin-Machi, the Sanshi leave the body and go to Tentei, the Heavenly God, to report the deeds of that person. Tentei then punishes sinners by making them ill, shortening their lifespans or, in extreme cases, ending their life. Koshin followers would effectively live their life to avoid any sin in, and those who have transgressed forced themselves to stay awake during Kōshin nights, as this was the only way to prevent the Sanshi from reporting to Tentei.
The painting has been neatly mounted onto a brocade decorated kakejiku (hanging scroll), with jikusaki (knobs) made of lacquered wood.
One painting mounted on a kakejiku (hanging scroll), 160 x 46 cm full size, 84 x 32 cm main painting
This painting is in good shape, with some wear and a few cracks to the painting. Some of the paint to the main image of Gundari has chipped away, though this has somehow had made his visage even more terrifying.