Japanese Heroes for the Twelve Signs
(Eiyû Yamato jûni-shi, 英雄大倭十二士)
Publisher: Mikawa-ya Kihei
1854
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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,
Japanese heroes are likened to the twelve animals of the zodiac. The prints in this series are each about 14
by 10 inches (36 by 25 centimeters), a size known as ôban. |
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Sign: Rat (Ne, 子) Hero: Kumasaka Chôhan (熊坂長範) in monk’s robes Robinson: S84.1 |
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Sign: Ox (Ushi, 丑) Hero: Yamamoto Kansuke Nyûdo Dôki (山本勘助入道道鬼) mortally
wounded, leaning on his spear and resting on a dead horse
and warrior, a river and silhouetted warriors behind Robinson: S84.2 |
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This is another state of the above design. The skin no longer has a blue tinge, and there is no purple in the title cartouche. |
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Sign: Tiger (Tora, 寅) Hero: Katô Kiyomaso (和藤内) confronting
one of the tigers that plagued the invasion of Korea Robinson: S84.3 |
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Sign: Hare (U, 卯) Hero: Shinozuka Iga no Kami (篠塚伊賀守) shouting on
the seashore and grasping his spear Robinson: S84.4 |
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Sign: Dragon (Tatsu, 辰) Hero: Musashi-bô Benkei (武蔵坊辨慶) hurling the
great bell of Miidera Robinson: S84.5 |
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A simplified version of the above design |
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Sign: Snake (Mi, 巳) Hero: Egara Hata (荘栖平太) kneeling on
rocky precipice to savage serpent that seized pheasant he was hunting Robinson: S84.6 |
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Sign: Horse (Uma, 午) Hero: Shirafuji Hikoshichirô carrying
his horse (強力の午 白藤彦七郎) Robinson: S84.7 |
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This is another edition of the above print in which all the green
has been replaced by blue. |
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Sign: Goat (Utsuji, 未) Hero: Kusunoki Kawachi hangan Masashige (楠河内判官正成, 1294-1336)
and his retainer making paper standards to trick the enemy Robinson: S84.8 |
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Sign: Monkey (Saru, 申) Hero: Onzôshi Ushiwaka Maru (御曹子牛若丸) playing with
monkeys by a cascade in a pine forest by moonlight Robinson: S84.9 |
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Sign: Cock (Tori, 酉) Hero: Lord Sasaki Saburô Moritsuna (佐々木三郎盛綱) with cockerel behind him Robinson: S84.10 |
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Sign: Dog (Inu, 戌) Hero: Hata Rokurozaemon (畑六郎左衛門) with his
faithful dog Robinson: S84.11 |
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Sign: Boar (I, 亥) Hero: Kajiwara Heizo Kagetoki (梶原平三景時) with
attendants behind him looking out from behind a banner Robinson: S84.12 |
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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
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