May 5, 2024
Lid with Lion-Dog, probably for Incense Burner
China, Northern Song dynasty (960–1127), c. 12th century
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Lid with Lion-Dog, probably for Incense Burner
China, Northern Song dynasty (960–1127), c. 12th century
Lion-Dog Carvings on Temple Gate
Location: Ryosenji Temple, Shimoda, Shizuoko Pref., Japan Timestamp: 15:49 June 6, 2023
Ryosenji Temple, established in 1635 under the direction of Tokugawa Ieyasu--the founder and first shōgun of the Tokugawa Shogunate, which ruled Japan from 1603 until 1868.
Access to the temple grounds is graced with a sanmon gate (山門) at the entrance. Carved into the upper section of the sanmon gate are two striking figures known as komainu (狛犬), often referred to as lion-dogs in English.
These magnificent guardian sculptures are skillfully carved into the upper portions of the gate's primary columns on the left and right sides.
Komainu have long been revered for their ability to ward off malevolent spirits, which is why they are commonly found near the entrances of shrines and temples.
During the early Heian Period (794 to 1185), the left figure was known as shishi (獅子), resembling a fierce lion with its mouth agape. The right figure, called komainu (狛犬) at the time, depicted a vigilant dog with its mouth closed.
Over time, the term komainu began encompassing both figures, and their physical appearances became almost indistinguishable, save for the variation in their mouth positions.
The open-mouthed lion represents the first letter of the Sanskrit alphabet, pronounced as "a." In contrast, the closed-mouthed dog symbolizes the last letter of the Sanskrit alphabet, pronounced as "un." Thus, the open and closed mouths of these sculptures symbolize "the beginning and the end of all things" or the concepts of inhalation and exhalation, respectively.
Checkout the Pix4Japan blog for historical references, further details, and geotagged locations:
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Fujifilm X100V (23 mm) with 5% diffusion filter ① ISO 3200 for 1/25 sec. at ƒ/11 ② ISO 3200 for 1/30 sec. at ƒ/11 Classic Negative film simulation
‘Discover Japan’
Japan Air Lines travel poster (c. 1960). Artwork by T. Masuda.
Masano Komainu, Diviner & Dog Boy
Masano Komainu - onmyodo, 12+1 Beasts-style astrology A folksy komainu and practitioner of Terra-2's zodiac-based divinations. His family runs a noodle shop neighboring Mags' Nana's general store and thus is very close to the Napolis. While his interactions with Mags can be seen as romantic by others, they're just close platonic friends. Besides, Masano already has a boyfriend... the feared Dweller Bounty Hunter "Rip-Terror the Slaughterer" a.k.a. Stanley Slaughter (pronounced Slaf-ter). The visual references to Asriel/Ralsei, Connie Maheswaran, and Komasan are intentional, as in a previous iteration of the Teambase canon, they were literally just those characters. Now, they're like... characters clearly inspired by those aforementioned
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🔵 Here’s a little BLUESDAY inspiration from our Asian artcollection, currently on view in Infinite Blue.
In Japan, the motif of the mythical lion-dog became prevalent after the twelfth century, when it was introduced from China. This image is often associated with both Buddhist and secular meanings. For instance, the Buddhist dharma (teaching) is often likened to the roar of a lion.
Chinese Lion-Dog (Karashishi), late 18th–early 19th centuries. Japan, Edo period. Nabeshima ware: white porcelain with celadon glaze. Brooklyn Museum
Voltron Lion-Dogs Assemble!
Posing with a komainu (lion-like dog) in front of one of many small shrines located throughout the Hakone Shrine complex. ISO 3200 at ƒ/5.6 for 1/25 sec. #BorderCollie #dog #pet #komainu #liondog #ShintoShrine #HakoneShrine #Hakone #Japan #ボーダーコリー #犬 #愛犬 #神社 #箱根神社 #箱根 #PentaxKP
Japanese komainu (狛犬) or so-called lion-dog for guarding Shinto shrines.
ISO - for 1/30 sec. @ f/2.8
#komainu #liondog #ShintoShrine #KotohiraowashiShrine #金刀比羅大鷲神社 #狛犬 #横浜 #神社