Choice of Heroes for the Twelve Signs
(Buyû mitate jûnishi, 武勇見立十二支)
Publisher: Minato-ya Kohei
1840
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The
Buddhist zodiac consists of twelve animals—rat, bull (or ox), tiger, hare, dragon,
serpent, horse, goat, monkey, cock, dog and boar. There is a story that only these twelve
animals came when called by Buddha, and this is the order in which they
came. These animals, including the rat
and serpent, have a better reputation in Buddhist countries than in the
West. In this series of prints,
historic and legendary heroes are likened to the twelve animals of the
zodiac. These prints are each about 14
by 5 inches (36 by 13 centimeters), a size known as chûtanzakuban. |
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Sign: Rat (子) Hero: Raigô Ajari (頼豪) at the Onjôji
Monastery in Midera, turning Buddhist scripture
into rats in his disappointment at the Emperor’s disfavor. Ôye no Masafusa, the emperor’s envoy, looks on in dismay. Robinson: S17.1 |
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Sign: Ox (丑) Hero: The bandit Kidô Maru (鬼童丸) gazing at his
own reflection in the water. He
disguised himself in the hide of a water buffalo in order to ambush and kill Raikô. Robinson: S17.2 |
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I am grateful to Robert Pryor for this alternate state of the
above design. |
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Sign: Tiger (寅) Hero: Kashiwade no Omi Hatebe (膳臣巴提便), usually
known as Hadesu, fighting the tiger that killed his
daughter Robinson: S17.3 |
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Sign: Hare (卯) Hero: Iga Jutarô (伊賀寿太郎), the elderly
retainer of Sôma Yoshikado,
sacrificing a hare in a Buddhist temple Robinson: S17.4 NOTE: The clockwise swastika is an ancient Buddhist symbol that represents Buddha’s footprint, as well as plurality, eternity, abundance, prosperity and long life. It is the mirror image of the counterclockwise swastika adopted by the Nazis. |
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A later and simplified printing of the above design |
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Sign: Dragon (辰) Hero: Susa-no-o-no-mikoto (素盞雄尊) standing on a
rock watching a dragon swimming under water Robinson: S17.5 |
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Sign: Snake (巳) Hero: Nitta Shirô Tadatsune (仁田四郎) with snakes
and a vision of the goddess of Robinson: S17.6 |
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Sign: Horse (午) Hero: Soga Gorô (曽我五郎) riding from
Hakone to Robinson: S17.7 |
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Sign: Goat (未) Hero: Kwanu (Kuan Yu, 関羽) seated under a pine tree with a drink
in his right hand and a small goat before him Robinson: S17.8 |
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Sign: Monkey (申) Hero: Songoku (孫悟空), also known as
Sun Wu K’ung, king of the monkeys conjuring an army
of monkeys from the air to attack his enemy the pig Robinson: S17.9 |
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Sign: Cock (酉) Hero: Kaidômaru (怪童丸), also known
as Kintoki, umpiring a fight between a cock and a tengu Robinson: S17.10 NOTE: Tengu are
forest-dwelling creatures that are either human-like with wings and long
noses or bird-like. |
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Sign: Dog (戌) Hero: Hata Rokurozaemon (畑六良左ヱ門), a follower
of Nitta Yoshisada, armed with a variety of weapons
and accompanied by his faithful dog Robinson: S17.11 |
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Sign: Boar (亥) Hero: Emperor Yûryaku Tennô (雄略天皇) by a
waterfall on Mount Katsuragi killing a giant boar
with his bare hands Robinson: S17.12 |
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“Robinson” refers to listing in Kuniyoshi: The Warrior-Prints by Basil William Robinson (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1982) and its privately published supplement. CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO MAIN
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