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Hello all.
I am making a few changes with this 3rd call for submissions. First off, I am not making it into a contest. Judging the pieces is just too hard. My intentions are to compile the Ghost Story artwork into a book - a collection of contemporary approaches to these antiquated stories - that I hope is complete around the end of this year. I want to do one more Ghost Story series after this one and then move into Japanese mythical creatures like, tengu, kappa and kirin. So instead of posing this call for submissions as a contest I am going to just ask for submissions for the upcoming book and those prints selected for publication will in turn be on display at The Ghetto Gallery Oct. 30th - Nov. 12th. (www. theghettotokyo. com). Because of the gallery show I am still going to give you guys a deadline - August 10th - and ask that the submissions be no bigger than A3 size (11.5" x 16" or 30cm x 42cm). Any medium is acceptable, but please make your submissions 2D - it is hard to photograph a 3D image and do it justice.
Artwork should be sent to:
Crystal Morey
IS Heights #1101
Higashi-Shinagawa 3-32-42
Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
140-0002 Japan
Submissions must include your name, address, email address and written permission for Gomineko to print the artwork in future publications. If your artwork is published I will send you a copy of the publication. Artwork will not be returned unless specifically requested. One submission per person please. Message me here with questions or email me at gominekobooks@yahoo.com
That being said let's move on to the story! This time it is the story of Kiyohime. This one is a personal favorite and there are a lot of excellent little details that should make it approachable from a number of different angles. There are several versions of this story so I will give you my favorite and then tell you the variations.
This story takes place in Wakayama on the banks of the Hidaka River. One one side of the river is the Doji Temple and on the other was a famous teahouse staffed with beautiful maidens, the loveliest named Kiyohime. The priests from the Buddhest temple were devout and were not allowed to speak to the women, or enter the teahouse, which they had to pass often on their travels. One priest, Anchin, unwittingly saw Kiyohime on his return to the temple and was instantly smitten. He wrestled with this love for several days before succumbing, sneaking over to the teahouse and courting Kiyohime. Soon they were both in love and Anchin was sneaking out nightly to meet her, forsaking his chance at possibly attaining Nirvana in return for stolen encounters with Kiyohime. Not too long into the affair however, Anchin's conscious began to speak up and he felt very conflicted, torn between his love for Kiyohime and the power of Karma. Karma eventually won out and Anchin decided to stop seeing Kiyohime. Kiyohime, seeing the transformation of her lover, begain to use all her charms to regain his affections. Anchin stayed strong as he explained his decision to her and when he realized that his cool reasoning was having no effect on the enraged Kiyohime he decided to leave the teahouse and return to the Temple. Kiyohime meanwhile was consumed with lust and anger and gave chase, running after Anchin. Anchin was on the ferry across the river when Kiyohime got to the river bank, still raging. She did not know how to swim but as she stepped into the water after him her rage transformed her body into that of a serpant and she slid into the water and after her beloved. The priests on the other side saw the transformation and bid Anchin to hurry. They frantically ran into the temple and hid him under the temple bell. Kiyohime arrived soon after and sniffed him out and in her passion and lust for vengence she wrapped herself around the bell, heating it with her anger until it melts killing both herself and her errant lover.
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!
The biggest discrepancy in the second version of this story lies in the origin of Kiyohime. Traditionally waitress in teahouses are entertainers, they sang and danced. They were trained to be beguiling and promiscuous. The more men enamored with them, the more customers....so more like modern day bartenders, than modern day waitresses! This Kiyohime is not so innocent, she knows better that to court a monk. The other version of the story has Kiyohime as the daughter of an innkeeper whose inn was often frequented by the monks in their travels. The innkeeper was a nice family man and Kiyo grew up around the monks. She developed romantic feelings for Anchin, who stayed at the inn often during his pilgrimages, as a young girl and these feelings grew stronger each year. Anchin was unaware of her growing love until eventually, as a young woman, she plucked up the nerve to declare her love for him. Anchin very kindly explained that this union was not to be, and left the inn. His rejection, however kind, was devastating to Kiyohime and she went after him, transforms at the river bank and eventually incinerates him. This is a very common version of the story and it places all offense with Kiyohime and her misguided passions but it is interesting because she is a lot more innocent in this version of the story. Less worldly. While Anchin's misguided love was the cause for their death's in the first version, Kiyohime's misguided love is responsible for the tragedy in the second. Interesting.
Other versions have Kiyohime turn into a dragon. The descriptions lean more towards a water dragon instead of one that flies, which I think is an attempt at reconciling a serpent that breaths/commands fire - but this is conjecture on my part.
Another variation, this one is the story according to the present day Doji Temple, has Anchin as a traveling monk who asked for, and was offered shelter by the mayor of a small village. The Mayor's daughter, Kiyohime, fell in love with Anchin instantly and pestered him with her entreaties until he promised to return to her after he completed his journey. When he did not return Kiyohime ran mile after mile and caught up with him. Anchin shouted the he had never seen her before and in her fury her face turned into that of a serpent. Scared, Anchin ran to the Doji Temple and asked for sanctuary and the resident monks hid him under the temple bell. Kiyohime went round and round the bell trying to move it but could not. As she circled the bell heated and she continued to circle faster until her clothes fell off and she turned into a full serpent, melted the bell, and killed Anchin. The serpent then dived into the sea, committing suicide. A few days later, the head monk of the Doji Temple had a dream in which two snakes approach him and ask him for salvation. He and his disciples performed a Lotus-Sutra ritual in front of a thousand armed Kannon. That night the monk was revisited by two enlightened beings - Kiyohime and Anchin - reunited in death, who in turned thanked and blessed the monk.
Have fun with this one guys...
Here are some prints for reference.
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi - Kiyohime
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Sekien Toriyama
Dojiji Enji
雪田神楽団
About me: Huge source of Japanese tattoo art and design books. I stock photo books from the tebori masters; outline, design and flash books; as well as ukiyo-e woodblock print anthologies, from which comes many of the "traditional" imagery found in Japanese tattoos. Whether you tattoo or want to get tattooed you'll find inspiration here. Please check out the online eBay store at:
Gomineko Books.
Or click on our banner on the right (under books). Money orders and credit cards accepted via paypal. If you have questions about the books, or are looking for something specific I'll do my best to help.
xoxo Gomineko
Who I'd like to meet: Artists and tattoo enthusiasts worldwide. And everyone who comes to see me here...
or here...
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi - Kiyohime
..
Sekien Toriyama
Dojiji Enji
雪田神楽団
..
