Meow

Lucky cats at Gotokuji Temple. Tokyo Japan. 2019.

Legend has it that the famous maneki-neko, lucky cat, was first born in this temple in Tokyo. There are many stories as to why they are originated here, but the most commonly accepted story dates back to the Edo Period (early 1600s - mid 1800s). The temple’s high priest had a favorite cat and one day when the feudal lord Ii Naotaka passed by the Gotokuji with his servants, the cat appeared to wave the lord in with its paw. Out of curiosity, entered the grounds where the priest greeted them with tea, a sermon, while a massive thunderstorm broke out and raged outside.

The Lord was incredibly grateful to the cat and to the priest for the protection from the storm and as a show of thanks, he donated rice crops and land to the aging temple which helped it become more prosperous and noticeable. Gotokuji Temple became a designated cemetery for Lord li’s powerful family members.

Today, the lucky, beckoning cats are a symbol of the neighborhood and visitors buy the figurines to add to the masses accumulating on the shelves in the temple (for good luck of course). They are really beautiful to see all together. I enjoyed this view of them because they remind me of the Yayoi Kusama infinity room “Phalli’s Field”.

Paper Prayers

Paper Prayers. Seoul, Korea. August 2017.

Bongeunsa Temple is a peaceful getaway in the middle of the urban chaos of Seoul. As you approach the temple, long rows of hanging lanterns line the pathway up. When you walk through the second gate, a beautiful courtyard opens up and hundreds of these white paper lamps hang creating a delicate white ceiling. Each lantern has a written prayer tied on it; mothers wishing for their children to attend a top college or to find a good match. Patrons give generous donations to the temple to have their prayers hang from one of these lanterns, some for up to a year. Every morning, monks hold a ceremony to read new wishes received, meditate, and pray on them. I am not a Buddhist, but admittedly I did leave my mark in the form of a prayer. Who knows, perhaps the mothers are on to something.