Interpretation Of Ko Shoami Tsuba Design

[Higo-san]

Dear all,

 

I own a Muromachi/Momoyama-period Ko-Shoami tsuba with design of one paddle (kai), one oak leaf (shirakashi) and four stars/dots - does this ring a bell with someone? Would be interesting to hear an interpretation of this rather uncommon subject/combination of objects.

 

Thanks and kind regards,

 

Chris

[seattle1]

Hello:

 A handsome tsuba indeed, however I would be curious to know what elements or combination of elements makes it "Ko Shoami". I am not saying it isn't, but why?

 Arnold F.

[Higo-san]

Hi Arnold,

 

you have to take several points into consideration:

 

- the dimensions (I did not give away these in my first post because they are rather irrelevant for interpreting the subject) are 7.8 cm x 0.5 cm; you will find these dimensions on many Ko Shoami tsuba;

- the rather elongated shape of the hitsu and in particular the shape of the kogai-ana;

- the treatment of the surface (difficult to see on pictures);

- the color and quality of the iron (even more difficult to see on pictures);

- the shape of the rim: kaku mimi;

- the piece is mumei;

 

and last but not least: the design which brings us back to my original request ...

 

Best,

 

Chris

[seattle1]

Hello:

 I tend to look for motion, at least implicit motion in Ko Shoami: paddles paddle, leaves fall, but those three circular elements puzzle me. No idea really.

 Arnold F.

[Higo-san]

Thanks Arnold - I like your interpretation. A horizontal (falling leaves) and a vertical (moving paddle) movement make sense - like the movements of stars and planets as seen from earth. But I somehow believe this to be a very „Western“ interpretation of the subject. I was wondering whether or not there is a Japanese legend/saying/play which contains all elements seen on the tsuba.

 

Best,

 

Chris

[kissakai]

The oar could be travel and the circles N, S E and west

The leaf is strange the two sections are offset

[Tanto54]

Dear Chris,

 

This was a hard one too (several hard ones lately).  This is a story about a famous Chinese explorer who brought spinach back to China (it's a spinach leaf instead of an oak leaf).  Later, he was lost on a voyage, but the spirits brought back his paddle saying that his ship would return via the stars.  Therefore many ships in China and Japan have pictures or reminders of this story (meaning something like the stars are good luck and will help you return home or have good fortune).  His name was something like Chang Ken.  I'll try to look this up in the books later.

[Higo-san]

Dear George,

 

that was an amazing research work!!! Thank you so much for your assistance!

 

I will also Google and try to find out more about this story.

 

All the best,

 

Chris

[Tanto54]

Hi Chris,

 

I'm away from my books but did find this online in Joly's Legend in Japanese Art (not the best write up, but you'll see all the elements from your tsuba at the end of this entry):

 

"Chang K'ien was a minister of the Chinese Emperor Wu-Ti of the Han dynasty  about 130 B.C. He is celebrated for his numerous journeys and embassies, and especially for his travels in Western China up to the sources of the Yellow River, this journey being the subject of the following legend: Chang K'ien travelled for seven days and nights up the Yellow River discovering vine trees, and meeting all the animals of Chinese  Mythology: the huge tortoises, the tiger, seven feet long and a  thousand years old, quite white and bearing  on its forehead the character 3E (King), the blue storks sacred attendants of Seiobo, the Kwei or cassia tree of immortality, ten thousand feet high, the flaming fruits of  which are more powerful than the peaches of Seiobo, conferring everlasting life to whoever eats them; he saw the hare which lives in the  moon, and the old man who binds lover's feet; finally  on the seventh night he noticed that there  were no stars reflected in the waters. The following morning, near the sources he saw a woman dressed in silver cloth  on which  were embroidered figures of stars, and who was weaving the net of the Zodiac. He enquired what was her name and what was that place, but she only showed him her radiant shuttle, telling him to refer the matter to the astrologer on his return. This worthy, Gen Kum Pei, told him that no doubt he had been as far as the star Chih Nil, the spinning maiden  who, on the seventh night of the seventh month is allowed to cross over the  milky way, to  meet her lover, K'ien Niii, passing over a bridge of magpies, (some others say of red maple leaves), and that in fact referring to his observations,  he had at that very same date noted a shooting star passing near Chih Nil. He had therefore travelled the whole length of the Yellow River as far as the  Milky Way, which continues it into heaven, as decreed by Nil Kwa.  The Chinese and Japanese Repository says that he brought to China the Spinach, and that he went south of the Equator, never to return; but his oar was carried back by a spirit, who  dropped it from heaven, and stated that the remainder of his ship would soon follow. In allusion to his journeys, the inscription, "The sea is full of propitious stars," is still written over the doors of boat cabins."

[Curran]

George,

 

In allusion to his journeys, the inscription, "The sea is full of propitious stars," is still written over the doors of boat cabins." Beautiful.

I sincerely enjoyed reading that. I've seen this design many times, and never known it had such a meaning.

[Higo-san]

Very interesting indeed! Thank you again, George!