Ningyo - Alan Scott Pate

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no of a long night Mina me za me Everyone awakens Nami no ri fune The sound of the ship's wake No oto no yo Is comforting Kika na

      The ship itself is said to be laden with treasures such as rare books and scrolls, the tama or hōju (sacred wish-fulfilling gem), rolls of silk brocade, a key to the storage house, a magic cape to make one invisible, and a magic hat to keep off the rain, among others. Collectively, these symbols were called takaramono and served as a popular motif in textile design as well. The concept of treasure in Japan, unlike the Western sense of pirate's booty, also had strong religious, particularly Buddhist, overtones; it was symbolic of both spiritual and temporal authority, and focused less on monetary value than spiritual potency.

      In popular tradition, the treasure ship imagery also ties into stories of recaptured treasure, such as Momotarō the Peach Boy, who, after his successful raid of the island of the ogres, sails triumphantly back on a ship loaded with booty. In ningyō form, this treasure is usually represented, not with monetary symbols such as gold coins, but of hōju and red coral, which was closely associated with the untold wealth of the undersea dragon god, Ryūjin.

      The giving of a gosho-ningyō itself was originally designed to convey auspicious (kisshō) wishes on the recipient. Even the basic color combination of the stark white body, the dark shank of hair, and the bright red of the textile was seen as being kisshō. The inclusion of positive symbols, many of which were layered with rich cultural associations and meanings by the ningyō artists, greatly enhanced this effect.

      The deeply auspicious nature of the takarabune made it a natural accompaniment for gosho-ningyō, and examples oigosho paired with this symbol of wealth and prosperity are common. Frequently, the treasure ship is presented separately, resting on a wheeled chassis, and connected to the gosho-ningyō by a silken cord. Here, the takarabune is depicted in a jewel-like fashion, resting in the outstretched palm of the seated gosho figure. The ship itself is replete with fringed sails topped by the tama or hōju, which also appears on the prow and in the hull of the ship. Other featured takaramono include the weight and coin. His front is covered in a red silk crepe haragake bib bearing the orange (tachibana) flower in gold-wrapped thread embroidery. Though closely associated with the powerful Tachibana family, sprigs of wild orange flower (Ardisia japonica, yama-tachibana) were traditionally believed to ward against disease, and the crest itself was a popular and auspicious symbol.

      Seated gosho-ningyō with treasure ship

       Edo period, 19th century

       Height 8 inches

       Ayervais Collection

      Standing Gosho-ningyō with Hobbyhorse

      The original nature of the gosho was as a gift designed to convey auspicious wishes upon the recipient. In reference to this aspect, they were frequently called omiyage-ningyō (gift dolls). The positive symbols employed were drawn from a rich image tradition, behind which lay centuries of layering. Each image could serve as a quick referent to any number of stories, historical events, and religious elements, or any number of social apercus.

      The horse itself is a potent image in Japanese art. Live horses were once donated to Shintō shrines as offerings. The expense and burden of this type of gift-giving led to the practice of donating painted images of horses called ema. The horse had a long association with the military classes, and skill on a horse was one of the defining characteristics of the early samurai, codified in the expression "way of the horse and bow" The tradition of young boys being led on a horse to a shrine for their first visit was later replaced by a ride on a wheeled horse, at least part of the way Later versions of these wheeled horses had spring mechanisms mounted within to provide a more comfortable ride. An image of a horse emerging out of a gourd connoted something unexpectedly delightful.

      The hobbyhorse is referred to in Japanese as either harukoma (spring horse) or as takeuma (bamboo horse). As a children's toy, it developed out of a riding game using bamboo stalks as play horses. A bamboo stalk would be stripped of most of its branches and leaves, leaving only a cluster at the end to simulate the tail. A string would be attached to the front in an approximation of reins. References to takeuma appear as early as the tenth century. A popular pastime, their construction gradually grew more sophisticated. The bamboo stalk was eventually replaced by a wooden dowel, heads fashioned of paper gave added realism, cloth was attached at the neck, and a small wheel was placed on the end of the dowel.

      Harukoma were also an integral part of New Year festivities, where itinerant performers would travel from house to house carrying a harukoma to usher in good luck for the coming year. This good-luck talisman was also employed in hōsō-e imagery to help dispel the smallpox god (hōsō-gami). Images of harukoma in red would be pasted on the front door or on bedroom screens (mukura byōbu). After the illness left the patient, these images would then be burned or set adrift, carrying away with them the smallpox god. Often pictured in woodblock prints depicting activities around the gogatsu festival of Boy's Day, the hobbyhorse itself was also perceived as a symbol of fertility Smaller paper hobbyhorses were sold at temples in reference to one of the six primary manifestations of Kannon, the Goddess of Mercy, called Bato Kannon (Horse-headed Kannon), who serves as both a protector of animals, and in popular belief, an expeller of evil spirits.

      Standing gosho-ningyō with hobbyhorse

       Edo period, 19th century

       Height 15 inches

       Rosen Collection

      Seated gosho-ningyō with drum

       Edo period, 19th century

       Height 15 1/2 inches

       Ayervais Collection

      Gosho holding such a horse were referred to as harukoma mochi gosho, or "spring horse holder." They represent a multi-textural image that held many different associations during the Edo period.

      The example on page 30 is an exceptionally elegant rendition. The standing figure is clothed in a rare satin weave kosode kimono with bold embroidered floral images. His hair is executed in a binboku or chigowa style with two broad loops. The horse itself is crafted of papier mâché with inset glass eyes and an embroidered silk crepe neck cloak. His hands are particularly well formed, with unusually long, tapering fingers. The arms are connected to the body by a cloth-padded wire, allowing for shifts in arm position.

      Seated Gosho-ningyō with Drum

      Children and drums seem to have a universal connection, the urge to make noise irresistible. Hand-held drums in Japan have a long tradition. Their earliest historical documentation is connected with Nara period (710-94) bugaku (religious dance) performances. Structurally very different from Western snare-type drums, Japanese "bean drums" are mounted to a long post with beans attached by strings to the side of the drum. As the drum is twirled back and forth between the hands, the beans strike the drum face. By the Heian period (794-1185), these drums had evolved into children's toys and are referenced in the diaries of the time. By the Muromachi period (1392-1573), they had become quite widespread with a multitude of forms and regional variations and distributed across all classes of society

      Simple in form and structure, these drums were known by many different names: furi-tsuzumi, buriburi taiko, garagara. Most were double-faced drums with glue-fortified paper tympanums. More elaborate versions had leather faces with copper wire reinforcement. The denden-taiko was particular in

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