Kikaku Scroll Longevity & Long Life

kakejiku

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Kame Tsuru Kaisho Scroll_Longevity Blog.jpgThis handmade Kakejiku is done in the Maru Hyougu style written in Kaisho by Ryugyoku. (Yoshimi Yamada Maples) Meaning of the scroll is explained below.

This phrase in Japanese reads 亀鶴 Kikaku. The first character is 亀Kame or turtle, and one can see that the character written on the scroll is different than the character written here. The typed kanji above is the new character for turtle. The second character, 鶴Tsuru, means a crane. This phrase is normally written in reverse with the Tsuru first and the Kame second, and t
he simple meaning is Longevity. The crane symbolizes a 1,000 years and the Turtle 10,000 years. The following is my translation of page 712 of the Zengo Kichigo Jiten.


As we age individually as humans we gradually become less self aware. Unfortunately, we will all grow older, and no matter how we try, we cannot prevent this from happening. If this is the way things are, there is a way to age well and continue to maintain a stout heart throughout life. As we look out over our surroundings, we can see many bright, wonderful elderly around us. That method is esteemed, and learning from that example all can learn to age gracefully.

The Hakurakuten song has the phrase 「松柏と亀鶴と其の寿は皆の千年」Shouhaku to Kikaku to, Sono Ju wa Minna no Sennen. This means through one year to live long and abundantly like the deep green pines, deciduous trees, turtle and crane. The phrase 「亀鶴の寿」Kikaku no Ju are also the words to celebrate a long life. Furthermore, the long word「亀齢鶴算白頭翁」Kireikakusannhakutouou means to live long like the turtle and the crane by ones head displaying white is a genuine saying for longevity.

Name in Kanji Name in English Size in Bun Size in Millimeters Size in Inches
天 Ten 112 339.36 13.36
上一文字 Ue Ichimonji 10 30.3 1.19
紙本の幅さ Artwork Width 77 233.31 9.19
紙本の長さ Artwork Length 108 327.24 12.88
柱 Pillars 9 27.27 1.07
下一文字 Shita Ichimonji 7 21.21 0.84
地 Chi 58 175.74 6.92
掛け軸の幅さ Scroll Width 95 287.85 11.33
掛け軸の長さ Scroll Length 295 893.85 35.19
 

John Ruger

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Excellent scroll and I love the message.
 

Smoke

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Thank you for the kind words...I am not too old yet, but I have learned quite a bit from some of the experienced members in the bonsai circle.

Jonathan

How would you say that knowledge has helped you? I remember two years ago when talking to you in Riverside about scrolls you were not very interested in making scrolls of the type to be used in displaying bonsai.

This scroll for instance is rather garish for a bonsai display.
 

kakejiku

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How would you say that knowledge has helped you? I remember two years ago when talking to you in Riverside about scrolls you were not very interested in making scrolls of the type to be used in displaying bonsai.

This scroll for instance is rather garish for a bonsai display.

You are right...it is too loud for a bonsai display but the cloth was very inexpensive and when I saw it I just knew I had to buy it...and there are people outside of bonsai that I make scrolls for as well...This flower pattern has meaning and is especially popular with buddhist practitioners.

These are probably more in line with what you would like to see Al based upon the poem/phrase Sakuya Issei no Kari. Or this one which says Hyakka Haru wa Itaru for a spring display.
http://wallscroll.blogspot.com/2011/05/geese-ascending-in-flight-sumie.html
http://wallscroll.blogspot.com/2011/05/migrating-geese-sumie-wallscroll.html
http://wallscroll.blogspot.com/2011/06/migrating-geese-fukuro-hyougu.html
http://wallscroll.blogspot.com/2011/06/bonsai-scrollmaking-class.html

Except for the first one these are either Maru Hyougu or Fukuro Hyougu scrolls in the informal style, which is primarily what my Sensei in Mie Ken recommends (or should I say prefers using) for his displays. Used a green cloth with a small karakusa for the spring scroll, and earthtones and gold for the fall colors (or the dark blue to go with the nighttime theme).

Or maybe you like none of them...which is alright as well. Point is I can make a scroll under any parameters requested by the customer and I have a new cloth book which has over 200 cloths to choose from and all imported from Japan.

See you in Riverside.

Cordially.

Jonathan Maples
 

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Some of the mounts on these are very nice. The art....not so much. Sumi-e has to be liquid and flowing. These look to be painted by someone that had only four pieces of paper and would be in big trouble if they wasted one. Very rigid hand.

Sumi-e has to feel like a brush was two feet long and it was held with the finger tips at the very end to capture "flourish". Here in Cal. Suzanne Barrymore paints very rigid also. Nice scrolls, she mounts them and they are practical and inexpensive but hardly art.
 
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kakejiku

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This scroll sold to a Japanese bonsai artist...he did not want it for display, but the calligraphy spoke to him, and for good reason it is very well done.
 
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