Antique
Japanese Carved Netsuke Mokugyo
Two Dragons Motif
Netsuke Signature: unsigned, early 19th
Century
H 1.5 in.(4cm.), W 1.5 in.(4cm), D 1 in.(2.5cm)
Condition: hairlines, age crack This
netsuke rendition of the instrument is carved in the traditional image of the
mokugyo: two fish heads meeting to form the hand hold, while a bulbous cavity
comprises the sounding block. Though the ivory is not carved out to create a cavity,
the illusion of one exists; a thin line stretches around the base of the piece,
anchored by two holes, one on each end of the line. The 19th century ivory is
aged attractively and colorfully, in addition to the piece having a nice aji when
held in one’s hand. The are a few age cracks but otherwise the piece is in excellent
condition. Private Collection
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A
Mokugyo (wooden fish) is a musical instrument of Chinese origins, and when struck
with a wooden mallet it emits a sharp percussive sound, much like the call of
an intensely focused cricket. It is used in meditation rituals, particularly those
in the tradition of Mayhayana and Zen Buddhism; used to help chant the name of
Amitabha Buddha in the former, and to signal the beginning and end of meditation
sessions in the latter. In western orchestras and jazz bands, it is has been adopted
as the ‘temple block’. The
origins of the mokugyo are as follows: A Chinese monk traveled to India to obtain
sutras, and there he befriended a fish who asked the monk to ask the Buddha, if
the fish could become a bodhisattva. After agreeing to the task, the monk continued
his travels for many years, eventually obtaining an armful of holy scrolls. He
again met the fish on his way back to China. “Have you spoken with the Buddha?”,
the fish asked, but the monk had completely forgotten. The fish splashed violently
in the water, soaking and scattering the sutras. Furious, the monk returned to
China empty handed. There he crafted a wooden likeness of the fish and beat it
with a wooden mallet. To his surprise, when hit, the fish would emit a single
character from its mouth. This made the monk happy, and he hit the block as much
as possible for years on end, eventually gaining back what he had lost in the
water.
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