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Lot Essay
This is the story of a fight that ensued after the twelve animals of the zodiac, messengers of the Twelve Heavenly Generals guarding the Buddha Yakushi, gathered on a night in August to hold a poetry contest with the moon as their subject. In the first scroll the animals invite the deer to serve as their judge. The badger lurks in the background as an attendant to the deer. After the contest, there is a drinking party at which they thank the deer for his service. A few days later they plan another poetry party. This time the deer does not accept the invitation to judge. When the badger volunteers he is punished for his audacity. The badger invites many birds and beasts to consult with him on revenge and they plan a night attack on the Duodenary Animals (the Junirui). Informed of the plot, the Junirui stage their own surprise attack.
In the second scroll the old kite, who flees from the battlefield to watch the action from a treetop, goes to the badger's hiding place. He encourages the badger to attack the Junirui and gathers an army. The badger's forces win a tremendous victory and retire to Mount Atago, where they construct a fortress.
In the third scroll the Junirui mount an offensive and win a decisive victory. The badger, mortified by his two defeats, transforms himself into a goblin in order to mount another attack on the Junirui. He looks at his reflection in the water, but runs off in fear when a dog barks at him. Deciding to change his ways, the badger bids farewell to his family and sets out in quest of religious enlightenment. He meets a disciple of Honen Shonin who tonsures him, and gives him a Buddhist name. Staying at a monastery in Kyoto, the badger practices "dancing prayers" (odori nembutsu) every night. Redeemed by his conversion to Buddhism, he then goes off to live in seclusion in a modest cottage in the suburbs.
Another 17th century set of three scrolls depicting this same subject is in the collection of the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin (see Yoshiko Ushioda, Tales of Japan [Alexandria, Va.: Art Services International, 1992], pl. 18). The earliest known scrolls illustrating this subject date from the 15th century and are in the Domoto Collection, Kyoto (see Obusama Saburo emaki, Haseo soshi, Eshi no soshi, Junirui kassen emaki, Fukutomi soshi, Dojoji engi emaki, vol. 18 of Nihon emakimono zenshu [Tokyo: Kadokawa Shoten, 1968], pl. 5, and monochrome figs. 24-30, 65-90).
Kano Shunsetsu served as an official painter for the Tokugawa shoguns.
In the second scroll the old kite, who flees from the battlefield to watch the action from a treetop, goes to the badger's hiding place. He encourages the badger to attack the Junirui and gathers an army. The badger's forces win a tremendous victory and retire to Mount Atago, where they construct a fortress.
In the third scroll the Junirui mount an offensive and win a decisive victory. The badger, mortified by his two defeats, transforms himself into a goblin in order to mount another attack on the Junirui. He looks at his reflection in the water, but runs off in fear when a dog barks at him. Deciding to change his ways, the badger bids farewell to his family and sets out in quest of religious enlightenment. He meets a disciple of Honen Shonin who tonsures him, and gives him a Buddhist name. Staying at a monastery in Kyoto, the badger practices "dancing prayers" (odori nembutsu) every night. Redeemed by his conversion to Buddhism, he then goes off to live in seclusion in a modest cottage in the suburbs.
Another 17th century set of three scrolls depicting this same subject is in the collection of the Chester Beatty Library, Dublin (see Yoshiko Ushioda, Tales of Japan [Alexandria, Va.: Art Services International, 1992], pl. 18). The earliest known scrolls illustrating this subject date from the 15th century and are in the Domoto Collection, Kyoto (see Obusama Saburo emaki, Haseo soshi, Eshi no soshi, Junirui kassen emaki, Fukutomi soshi, Dojoji engi emaki, vol. 18 of Nihon emakimono zenshu [Tokyo: Kadokawa Shoten, 1968], pl. 5, and monochrome figs. 24-30, 65-90).
Kano Shunsetsu served as an official painter for the Tokugawa shoguns.