Makimono – [Takaramono | Charm]

Description

Makimono – 巻き物 – [ Takaramono | Charm ] – “Treasured scrolls of wisdom/kowledge/longevity.”

• About this charm: The “Makimono” are a pair of mythical sacred scrolls containing the whole worlds wisdom, knowledge & perhaps, the entire record of our whole lives & history. They are said to be brought aboard the Takarabune at new years by the shichifukujin (seven lucky gods) Jurojin (Patron god of knowledge & longevity.) & Fukurokuju (Patron god of Wisdom and Longevity.)  – The Makimono scrolls are often seen, safely attached to the top of their wooden staffs. ultimately, what the scrolls contain are up to interpretation: some have said that they  contain “all of the wisdom in the world” while others have speculated that These scrolls might contain the “life span of all living things” or perhaps put more simply “the secret to longevity or immortality” other accounts claim that they’re “a record of all the good and bad deeds committed by all beings.” (there’s a number of reasons why some call the Shichifukujin the “Seven Santas of Japan“, this is one of them. ) –  Other’s have speculated that these scrolls actually contain “all knowledge that is contained in human hearts” (whatever that means.) others say they might contain nothing at all! – Ultimately, Many have wanted to take a peek into these magical scrolls, but very few have ever been granted the opportunity; So, as to whatever extent of knowledge they might actually contain? I’d suppose that only the lucky gods know for certain. – [In any case, I personally like to imagine that the scrolls themselves are magical, do not have an ending or perhaps more information appears, just as you think you’re finished!]

Scrolls in general are some of the oldest forms of books & as such, they are emblematic of “vast wisdom & knowledge.” – you’ll find makimono as an emblems In old artwork, woodblock prints (ukiyoe) on netsuke, pottery & on kimono patterns, you may occasionally see two scrolls overlapping as an emblem of wisdom [As seen below] the Takara-mono in general still appear quite widely as lucky emblems in Japanese pop-culture, folklore and art; as such they are also a very popular subject for tattoos!

[The Makimono takara-mono as illustrated by Bowes, James Lord 1890.]As a footnote; on occasion; “Jurojin” (the aforementioned lucky god) is sometimes thought to inhabit the same body as “Fukurokuju” which can cause some confusion & misidentification. A good way to remember who’s who: is that Jurojin is usually depicted along side a black deer, while Fukurokuju is typically depicted with the gigantic “Phallic/Egg-head.” (Egghead of one piece fame takes his inspiration directly from this one) – Older Chinese folklore claims that the two inhabit the north, and southern stars. (Fukurokuju to the North, Jurojin to the South.) in yet another story related to Chinese Cosmology; the two help a young man named Zhao who is fated to die young (at the age of only 19!) after he feeds the two, they grant him longevity by “reversing his death date!” (19 becomes 91!) – [for more about Jurojin & the other lucky gods, visit Onmark productions buddhist A-Z dictionary!] – (please look forwards to more about the lucky gods from me another time soon!)

[a silvered statue of jurojin holding a staff with a makimono attatched. storks, deers & turtles are common motifs.]

[Fukurokuju (or jurojin?) examines a scroll, money trees ( in the background – Edo period likely by kuniyoshi]

 

[shichifukujn: fukurokujum, hotei, jurojin Bishamonten, Benzaiten ebisu daikoku]

 

[shichifukujin party! Jurojin and Fukurokuju on the far left, fukurokuju dances, dressed in a ridiculous costume in foreign attire (british?) the others laugh. – Meiji period art.]