What’s That Thing? Part 19

I really liked this question to begin with, but the added information from looking a bit deeper just made it so neat!

Anonymous asked: “Hi Myloko! This is a motif identification request. The motif shows interlocking circles. Where the circles interlock there are 4-petal flower diamonds. In the middle of the circles, there's another symmetrical flower. Do you know what it's called? Thanks in advance!” They did provide a link, so let’s start by looking at the image in question:   

Image courtesy of Kotone.105. Before people get confused, this is an image from a few years ago of maiko (now geiko) Kikukame (菊亀) in Nara so, yes, this is an image of a real maiko and not a tourist. With that said, let’s look at the basics here. The main motif here is called Shippō (七宝), which are the Seven Lucky Treasures courtesy of Buddhist sutras (specifically the Life and Lotus sutras). These treasures are: Kin (金) - Gold Gin (銀) - Silver Shinju (真珠) - Pearl/Mother of Pearl Sango (珊瑚) - Coral Hari (玻璃) - Quartz Ruri (瑠璃) - Lapis Lazuli Menō (瑪瑙) - Agate You may not know this, but the most expensive component of a maiko’s outfit is fashioned to display said items: the pocchiri. Whether they’re antiques or made by new jewellers, most pocchiri will feature at least two or more of these treasures! Now, you may be asking, “where are the treasures in this obi?” Well, shippō presents as wedges that are often interlocked into rings in their simplified forms. This form is meant to act as a type of good luck charm that promotes luck and wealth. However, looking at the obi we can see that all of the shippō connect together to form an almost infinite chain of circles. In its infinite chain form shippō embodies the expansion of harmony and peace. But wait, there’s more! Those flowery motifs added in are what compound together to create a pattern with deeper meaning. Inside and outside of the shippō we see stylized flowers that spread out into four points. These are Hanabishi (花菱), which literally mean “Diamond Shaped Flowers” and have been a popular geometric design since the Heian Period. Due to their prolonged use they’ve become symbols of simplistic refinement. It’s no surprise that a four petaled flower is speculated to have a deeper meaning that can vary depending on who you ask. Hanabishi can represent many values, such as the cardinal directions (north, east, south, and west), the four basic elements (earth air, water, and fire), and the four seasons (spring, summer, autumn, and winter).  Together, shippō and hanabishi form an entirely new motif known as Hana Wachigai (花輪違), which means “Interlocking Flower Rings.” It brings together all of the symbolism of the shippō and hanabishi to create an almost ethereal combination ^^!