Tag: Object Label

Team 3: Individual Object Label – Dehua Kilns Maria Kannon (FINAL UPDATED)　

Maria_Kannon

Dehua Kilns Maria Kannon　マリア観音

(c. 17 Century)

Porcelain Statue­

This statue was seized in Uragami, Nagasaki Prefecture,in 1856, Ming-Qing dynasty, 17th century. It was then preserved by the Nagasaki Magistrate’s Office. Currently the statue is kept safely in Tokyo National Museum.

It depict the feminine form of Koyasu Kannon (子安観音), the god that represent birth and child rearing. Despite bearing the resemblance of “Byakue Kannon”, she holds a child in her hand. To the Christians the statue resembles Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus. The white robe, according to Christianity, represents purity and righteousness. It also symbolizes salvation.

During the mid-17th century, outlawed Christians created statues of Virgin Mary (Mother of Jesus) disguised as the Buddhist deity Kannon (Goddess of Mercy, Guanyin). These statues are known as Maria Kannon. Maria Kannon was made or altered to look like Kannon (Goddess of Mercy), however they were not worshipped as Kannon. This act of concealment allowed the Christian to practice their faith in secret, minimizing the chance of being exposed. Since their faith were forced to go underground, the follower usual practice their faith in a hidden room, a cave or in a forest.

There are a number of Maria Kannon statues, which includes “Byakue Kannon”, “Jibo Kannon”, Guanyin (Kannon) and Child of many different sizes. Some of which even include hidden image of the “cross” within them and some have it at the back of the statue. With the presence of the cross within the statue it indirectly imply that the statue is in fact constructed for Christian and not Buddhist despite it resembling Buddhist deity Kannon. The Christians would honor this statue by silently praying to Mother Mary. With such “trick” it creates a sense of relief for the follower. To the outsider it appears as a Buddhist statue but to the outlawed Christian, it appears as an object of Christ faith. Which successfully also fooled the government and help them to keep their faith hidden and alive.

Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Maria_Kannon.jpg

Team 3: Individual Object Label – Dehua Kilns Maria Kannon (UPDATED)　

I had to change my object due to the lack of information that I can find for Maria Kannon with a cross on the chest. Thus I did another research that is also on Maria Kannon, but it focus towards Virigin Mary and Child. Here is the Updated Object Label:

Maria_Kannon

Dehua Kilns Maria Kannon　マリア観音

(c. 17 Century)

Porcelain Statue­

In the mid-17th century, outlawed Christians created statues of Virgin Mary (Mother of Jesus) disguised as the Buddhist deity Kannon (Goddess of Mercy). It was made for safety to look like Kannon, however it is not worshipped as Kannon. They had many version of Maria Kannon that looks like Kannon ranging from “Byakue Kannon”, “Jibo Kannon”, to Guanyin(Kannon) and Child of many different sizes.

Maria Kannon statues are usually place in a hidden room within their house, or in a cave or in the hidden woods that served as an altar for the Hidden Christians to pray. During this period of time, they had to live a double life—Buddhist in name, Christian in Belief.

For this statue it is depicted as one of Kannon feminine form Koyasu Kannon (子安観音) that means child giving and child rearing, which resemble “Byakue Kannon” in appearance but she is holding a child. By having her holding a child is to represent Virgin Mary with baby Jesus. In addition, its white robe it represents purity and righteousness and served as a symbol of salvation. A Christian cross is often hidden behind the statue to conceal the Christian’s faith while they pretended to be Buddhist.

This depiction gave the Hidden Christian a sense of relief as to the outsider it appeared Buddhist, while to the outlawed Christians; it doubled as an object of Christian faith. Thus this statue is used to fool the government and keeping their faith at the same time.

This statue is seized in Uragami, Nagasaki Prefecture,in 1856, Ming-Qing dynasty, 17th century. It was then preserved by the Nagasaki Magistrate’s Office. Currently the statue is kept safely in Tokyo National Museum.