"24 Views of Mt. Fuji, by Hokusai" excerpts and ukiyo-e

[Giovanna Clairval]

Change and personal transformation: the greatest theme developed by Roger Zelazny, but in Mari's words, the impending change may be death...

"Blue-gray Fuji, salted with snow, long angle of repose to my left . . . I never seem to look upon the same mountain twice. You change as much as I myself, yet you remain what you are."

#8 Mt. Mt. Fuji from Tagonura

A path of waves before the fisherman. On the shore, villagers busy themselves with the gathering of salt.

[Giovanna Clairval]

"I am fond of this print: the torii of a Shinto shrine are visible above the sea at low tide,
and people dig clams among the sunken ruins.
Fuji of course is visible through the torii."

--Roger Zelazny, 24 Views

TORII: the gateway of a Japanese temple. The torii marks the transition from the profane world
to the sacred area.


"Shall I knock
At Miidera Temple's gate?
Ah, moon of to-night!"

a hokku by Basho

Suppose you stand at that temple's gate high upon the hill lapped an
again lapped by the slow water, with your dreamy face towards this
Lake Biwa in the shape ot a biwa-lute, which, as a certain poetess ha
written, "like a shell of white lies dropped by the passing day." I am
sure you will feel yourself to be a god or goddess in the beginning of
the world as in the Japanese mythology, who by accident or mystery
has risen above the opalescent mists which softly cover the earth of
later night.

--Jone Noguchi, Through the Torii

Oh, here it is...

#9 Mt. Fuji from Naborito

[Strife]

I've finished reading the story. It's great. And I'm happy to be able to see what Mari sees.

A couple of silly questions for the experts.

In this print, people are collecting clams in the sacred area. Why?

And why are the gates built in the water?

[Talysia]

I can't believe I haven't seen this thread until now. These paintings are wonderful - in fact, I think I may make a point to look out for this story myself. Thank you for posting them, Giovanna.

[Giovanna Clairval]

Hi, Talysia.

Have you got answers for our inquisitive friend?

I'll venture.....

I am no expert, Strife, but it would seem that:

1) the Torii upper bar, slightly curved, represents the bottom section of a circle describing all of creation;

2) the gate marks the entrance of a temple where a kami (literally, a demon, which we could also call a "deity") is inshrined--in a simple stone, or any sacred object, which is secreted and can't be seen by anybody;

3) or else it indicates a place where the kami dwells, or manifested itself. That is why the Torii on our print are set in the water: perhaps the deity stepped out of the sea just there.

I vaguely remember that the number two has some significance in Japanese tradition, but I have forgotten which.

Surely the kami doesn't mind having people culling seafood at the gate of his home. Otherwise, those people wouldn't do it (Hokusai was born in 1760).

[ckovacs]

Originally Posted by Strife

I've finished reading the story. It's great. And I'm happy to be able to see what Mari sees.

A couple of silly questions for the experts.

In this print, people are collecting clams in the sacred area. Why?

And why are the gates built in the water?

The clue is in the quoted phrase from the story - "sunken ruins." The gates were not built in the water, but are now. The temple not longer exists.

[Strife]

Thank you Giovanna and Ckovacs.

But why are there two Torii?

[Sephiroth]

There can be any number of Torii at a Shinto shrine.


At shrines to the kami Inari, a deity of fertility, agriculture, industry and worldly success, there can be thousands of Torii, even, each one donated by a successful businessman or woman....

Literally it means 'where the birds reside', and resembles the kanji for 'chicken perch'. In Shintoism, birds are considered messengers of the gods.

[Snowdog]

Just a guess, but perhaps the temple was on a slope and either there was an inner and outer gate (one higher than the other) or the first gate marked the beginning of a path or steps, leading to the main gate.

Quote from a website I found:

"One or more torii gates mark the approach and entrance to a shrine. They come in various colors and are made of various materials. Most torii, however are made of wood, and many are painted orange and black"

[Giovanna Clairval]

They are called "floating Torii", and they are not uncommon.

There are Torii built in water on Lake Biwa and Miyajima in Hiroshima.

The Torii placed in water is supposed to make the water 'holy' and protect sailors and fishermen. It promotes safe passage.

[Sephiroth]

The top two pics are stunning.

[Giovanna Clairval]

And, Strife, Torii can be one, two, or...


....

[Sephiroth]

Ah, you found a smaller version, nice! I couldn't post that one, since I only found a huge version of it!

[Giovanna Clairval]

Yes they are, Seph.

And I guess that retrieving clams under the gates is auspicious.

[Sephiroth]

It's not my idea of fun, but I guess you're right.