This 10 cm sculpture, a netsuke titled "Ghost with Flowing," was on display at the Tokyo National Museum this past March. Carved by Michael Birch from ivory and rhinoceros horn, it represents a traditional Japanese art form. A netsuke is a small, carved ornament—typically made of wood or ivory—used as a toggle to attach articles to the sash of a kimono. (Source: Lexico)
In Japan, ghosts are believed to be the spirits of the deceased who cannot pass on to heaven or hell due to powerful anger or grudges. They are said to wander the living world, seeking to curse their targets to death. Historically, the Japanese people strongly believed in the power of these spirits, and Michizane Sugawara (845–903) is a famous example. Michizane was a scholar, poet, and politician during the Heian period. After being accused of favoring a rival prince over the crown prince for the imperial throne, he was demoted to a minor official post in a remote region. Banished alongside his entire family, he eventually died in exile.
Michizane's anger is said to have been so intense that after his death, plagues and droughts struck the land, and his political enemies died one after another. The sheer depth of his rage is vividly captured in the Noh mask Ootobide (Large Tobide).
Thinking about this made me realize who I would be that angry with. If I were infected with COVID-19, got seriously ill, and died because I couldn't get hospital treatment, I would become a ghost. I wouldn't curse them, but I would scare to death the politicians who fail to act, as well as the supporters who complain about the status quo but do nothing to change it.
If you love netsuke, check out the list to see more than 40 pieces!
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