Quick Okinawa Info
Shisa |
Updated on : March 31, 2005 |
Shisa stand guard atop red tile roofs and on neighborhood street corners to protect people from evil spirits.
The Shisa (lion-dog) that Okinawans know and love as lucky charms originally stem, it is thought, from Shishi, or lions.
Influenced by China, Okinawans began to make Shisa around the 13th to 15th centuries. However, lions, the model for these, did not exist in mainland China, so it seems likely that the origins of Shishi somehow trace back to the ancient Orient.
Lions were believed to be supremely powerful creatures in ancient oriental thinking, that the lion's power dwelt in kings, making them an object of great respect as a guardian animal. This thinking came to China along the Silk Road trading route, and thence to Japan, where the lion became known as the Chinese Tang Shishi, thus this distinctively flamboyant guardian creation was born.
Shisa in Okinawa are found in pairs, one with open mouth and one with mouth closed. The open mouth summons good fortune; the closed mouth prevents its escape and also keeps evil from coming into the house. They also stand guard alone on rooftops and street corners.
The Shisa atop the red tile roofs of older houses are simple, yet individualistic creations. This is because they were made with leftover tile pieces and plaster and, since there was no established form or style, the artisan could indulge his own creativity. The tile pieces left over after a roofing job were always of different size and shape, resulting in no two Shisa looking quite the same. Making plaster Shisa by hand, an ever-popular activity, can be done at various places in the prefecture.
Erected in 1689, the stone Shisa at Tomimori in Kochinda Town is one of the oldest and largest Shisa in Okinawa. It is said that the people of Tomimori, suffering from frequent fires, constructed this Shisa as a protection against fire based on Feng Shui belief.
No religious ceremony to stave off evil spirits is required when a Shisa is made and put in place. Nor are there strict requirements as to their creation. From warding off evil to avoiding illness and staying healthy to keeping their households safe, Shisa, which has become a favored souvenir, symbolize people's wish to distance themselves from onerous and troubling things. They continue to do their job of watching over people.
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