Nemuri-neko
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (April 2007) |
Nemuri-neko (眠り猫? sleeping cat, from nemuri meaning "sleeping" or "peaceful", and neko meaning "cat") is a famous wood carving by Hidari Jingoro located in the East corridor at Tōshō-gū Shrine in Nikkō, Japan.
[edit] Origin
The Japanese sleeping cat is modeled after the famous crouching nemurineko carving by Hidari Jingoro aka Jingorou Hidari. "Hidari" means "left" and "east", and refers to Hidari being "left-handed". The left-turning nemuri neko sleeping cat symbolizes its creator, Hidari Jingoro, the famous Edo period artist, designer, carpenter, and architect.
Jingoro is known to have created many famous sculptures, temples, and shrines located throughout Japan. His famous nemurineko carving is located above the Kugurimon Gate amidst the sacred mountain shrines and temples of Nikkō, Japan. Amongst these shrines and temples resides Tōshō-gū Shrine, a shrine that honors the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu.
With ears perked in vigilant rest, the nemurineko sleeping cat guards the final resting place of the Shogun Tokugawa.
[edit] Hidari Jingoro and Neko
Based on the writing of Zempei Matsumura's book, "Nikkō Tōshō-gū Shrine and Jingoro Hidari" published by Nohi Publishing Company of Japan in 1975:
Hidari Jingoro loved cats and was fascinated by cats. Jingoro spent eight months in seclusion to refine his knowledge and technique in wood sculpturing. He spent the majority of his time studying, sculpturing, and carving wooden cats that appeared lifelike in various shapes.
According to Matsumura, it was Jingoro's goal to carve and sculpture lifelike cats by making "utmost efforts in the future to create a new style in the field of sculpturing".
Prior to his seclusion, Jingoro was an apprentice for the Chief Architect Hokyo Yoheiji Yusa of the Imperial Court in Kyoto where he studied how to build temples, shrines, and sculptures.
Through Jingoro's insight and new technique, animal sculpturing would take a new direction in Japan, a realistic appearance of an animal due to fine detailed sculpturing by the artist. Jingoro's approach in detailed wood sculpturing would later have an effect in other areas of Japanese art, namely, ceramic animals.
This creative attention to detailing sculptured cats can be seen throughout the history of Japan, and more applicably in the ceramic arts. It is the fine detailed realistic life like cats that fascinates cat collectors, and makes these special type of cats highly desirable and collectible.
According to Zempei Matsumura,
Nemuri Neko "Sleeping Cat symbolizes Nikkō or the Spirit of Ieyasu, who was thought to be the manifestation of Yakusi Nyorai", the Buddha of Healing, who offers medicinal remedies, gives nourishment to the mind, body, and spirit, and comforts the sick and cures illnesses.
