Statue of Shoki the Demon Queller, Kawasaki, Japan, 1801-1900
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Images of Shoki the ‘Demon Queller’ were hung over doors and suspended from roofs in Japan to scare away demons. Holes under his arm let him be suspended via a cord from the roof. Shoki is of Chinese origin. He is believed to protect against disease and demons. People in ancient China believed spirits, ancestors and demons could interfere with the body and cause illness. This idea has existed in some form in Chinese medical traditions for most of the last 2000 years. This small ceramic figure was made in Kawasaki in the 1800s.
Object number:
A51701
Related Themes and Topics
Glossary:
Glossary: statue
A sculpture in the round representing human or animal figures or small figure groups; a statuette is a smaller sculpture.
Glossary: indigenious beliefs
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