Merōfu Kannon and Her Veneration in Zen and Imperial Circles in Seventeenth-Century Japan
Merōfu Kannon (Ch. Malangfu Guanyin) had a significant following and was the inspiration for numerous poems and religious pictures in China and Japan. This article (1) explores the historical background and origins of Merōfu ("the wife of Master Ma")-a potent symbol of female lay piety who...
| Published in: | Japanese journal of religious studies |
|---|---|
| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Nanzan Institute
[2007]
|
| In: |
Japanese journal of religious studies
|
| Further subjects: | B
oshie
B Merōfu Kannon B Lotus Sutra B Tōfukumon’in B Isshi Bunshu |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Summary: | Merōfu Kannon (Ch. Malangfu Guanyin) had a significant following and was the inspiration for numerous poems and religious pictures in China and Japan. This article (1) explores the historical background and origins of Merōfu ("the wife of Master Ma")-a potent symbol of female lay piety who became regarded as a manifestation of Kannon; (2) provides translations and analyses of some poems by Chan and Zen priests referring to her; (3) focuses on the worship of Merōfu Kannon in the circle of Emperor Gomizuno-o and Empress Tōfukumon'in. The impetus for this article were the delicately crafted oshie images of this deity made by Tōfukumon'in and her step-daughter Shōzan Gen'yō (founder of Rinkyūji Imperial Convent) which I discovered at temples in Kyoto and Shiga prefecture. All seem to be based on the same Chinese prototype. The second half of the article provides descriptions of the five oshie Merōfu Kannon known to me and documentation concerning the circumstances of their creation and donation. Through these images, I try to illuminate the meaning of Merōfu Kannon in imperial circles in seventeenthcentury Japan. |
|---|---|
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Japanese journal of religious studies
|