"Legend says that O-e Hiramoto (1148-1225), one of the famed Japanese warriors, was converted to Buddhism, became a priest, and went to China in order to practice the austerities. One day during his sojourn in China he met with the spirit of a lion who suddenly appeared in his presence from among blooming peonies and performed a beautiful dance when he started to cross a stone bridge. This legend represents each Buddhist believer's ecstatic world with birds singing and flowers smiling, and is dramatized in the Noh play entitled 'SHAKU-KYO' or 'Stone Bridge'." --From Publisher's note attached verso.



Signature/seal and detail:


Return to: