Jurōjin
Jurōjin ( Japanese 寿 老人 , Chinese 壽 老人 / 寿 老人 , Pinyin Shòu Lǎorén ) is a deity revered in Japan and China who is assigned to the seven gods of luck ( Shichi Fukujin ). He is the god of wisdom and learning, the patron saint of science and especially a symbol of a long life.
He is often depicted as a worthy looking old man in Chinese scholarly costume. In his hands he holds a stick to which a pumpkin bottle with the Daoists' immortality herb is sometimes attached. Often one of his attributes is a scroll that he holds in one hand or that is attached to a stick and on which the ages of the people are recorded; more rarely he is shown holding a fan of leaves in his hand. Jurōjin is usually accompanied by a black deer ( Nihonjika ) in illustrations , but depictions of the "ten thousand year old water turtle" are also known. Both animals are also symbols of long life.
Jurōjin's meaning and outward appearance is similar to that of Fukurokuju . But they can easily be distinguished from one another by the huge, elongated head of Fukurokuu.
literature
- Friedrich B. Schwan: Handbook Japanese Woodcut. Backgrounds, techniques, themes and motifs. Studies, Munich 2003, ISBN 3-89129-749-1 , pp. 640 f.
