Shigisan engi (Legends of the Temple on Mount Shigi) Item Number: N2.782 from the MOA: University of British Columbia

Description

First scroll in a set of three (N2.782, N2.783 and N2.784) picture scrolls, known as emakimono (絵巻物) or emaki (絵巻) of Shigisan engi (信貴山縁起; Legends of the Temple on Mount Shigi); painted in ink with calligraphy. Mounted on grey-purple paper printed with a silver floral design. Wound around a wooden baton. When closed it ties shut with a length of purple cord, printed with a white crisscrossing pattern.

Narrative

The scroll has the title 信貴山縁起 飛倉の巻 (Shigisan engi, Asuka no maki; Legends of the Temple on Mount Shigi, The Flying Granary). The first scroll of the three is also known as Yamazaki chōja no maki (山崎長者の巻). The scroll set in the MOA collection is a modern reproduction of the original work in colour, likely produced in the twelfth century, belonging to Chōgosonshi-ji temple (朝護孫子寺) in Nara Prefecture. The purchase was recommended to MOA in 1962 by Dr. Shūichi Kato (加藤周一; 1919–2008), UBC Department of Asian Studies (1960-69). Dr. Kato was a well-known cultural, literary and political critic and intellectual, who originally trained as a medical doctor.