Information:
"Shippou-mon (Seven treasures pattern)" is a pattern of congruent circles, overlaid and extending out in all directions. The name "shippou-mon" was chosen because of the repeating pattern of circles. The Japanese expression for "in all directions" is shihou-happou, which sounds a lot like the word shippou. Shippou is the word for the Seven Treasures of Buddhism. The circles in this pattern represent completeness and perfection, while the endlessly continuing pattern represents longevity, eternal youth, and a prosperous posterity. All this symbolism is combined into this simple yet profound original chiyogami design. There are blue, red, and green versions available for download.
Chiyogami had its beginnings in Kyoto during the Edo period
(1603 - 1867). It began with flowers, birds, and other patterns
from nature, popular subjects in the Yuzen* patterns, drawn
onto Japanese paper. Such paper came to be printed using the woodblock
printing technology of Edo (present-day Tokyo), and incorporated
other patterns used in colored prints of the day. The paper soon
became popular throughout Japan.
*Yuzen: Japanese traditional dyeing technique that originated
in the 8th century created by painter Yuzen Miyazaki. |
