Chapter 5 fourth quarter
"Okajima, Shimai, you should concentrate on doing your own thing, no matter whether anyone is watching or not, you shouldn't affect the work at hand!"
Songyue divided the pieces of wood in front of the workbench and said coldly.The two statue makers silently sculpting opposite him - Okajima and Torii nodded silently.Although Okajima is a little fatter and Torii is a little thinner, but they have the same eyes.When they focus on one thing, they feel that other things are an eyesore. The unique eyes of craftsmen.Other things should also include me.
"Uh, Mr. Tang Jianmu, did I interrupt their work...?"
"Just watching from the sidelines, it should be fine."
"Can I take photos?"
I had already put my luggage in the dormitory, and asked, pointing to the only camera I carried.
"Ah, photography is strictly prohibited at the work site. If you need to take photos of your works, there is a special place for Buddha statues waiting to be shipped at the back. Please go there and take photos."
With that said, Father Tang Jianmu walked into the interior of the workshop.I was wearing a tuxedo, a white tie, a camera in my hand, and a dress that was incompatible with the environment here. I bent my back and walked in with him. A choking smell of wood came to my nostrils.
Father Tang Jianmu took me to the back of a wooden door set inside the workshop. As soon as I stepped in, I was shocked by the scene in front of me.
"Wow……"
buddha statue.buddha statue.buddha statue.
——Looking around, there are Buddha statues everywhere.
This almost 5-ping room is connected to the workshop, and it is full of Buddha statues.Large wooden Buddha statues are placed along the walls, and the medium-sized Buddha statues are neatly arranged in the middle, with almost no place to step on.On the wall to the right was a wooden frame that was about three and a half meters high and reached the ceiling.Numerous small Buddha statues sit on eight floors of wooden shelves, as if practicing monks gathered together.Next to the wooden frame is a folded ladder.
The Buddha statues all over the room have different postures, not only different appearances, but also different movements and numbers of hands and feet.Some were standing, some were sitting, some were opening countless hands, and some were making mudras on their chests—all Buddha statues were facing me, which made me feel an invisible pressure.The size of each Buddha statue was different, and the sense of distance produced a wonderful confusion. I felt a slight dizziness.
"Are these—are they all carved by those Buddha statue masters?"
"Of course. There are four—ah, there are also Buddha statues carved by Maya, so there are five, and they are all the works of these five exclusive Buddha statue masters in Ruixiangfang."
"You said just now that these are Buddha statues waiting to be shipped, are there so many?"
There are too many Buddha statues here.Isn't it that after each Buddha statue is completed, it will be sent to the ordering customers in turn?
"Usually there won't be so many, but this time of year is almost always like this. Knowing in advance that the production of small amulets will be very busy, so we rush ahead to complete the Buddha statues that will be delivered before the beginning of next year. Therefore, at this time of year, the storage place here will be filled with Buddha statues."
It was originally called the storage place.
"It turns out that the Buddha statues are all here waiting to be shipped—"
Father Tang Jianmu suddenly hesitated to speak, looked at the corner of the room, and said in a low voice:
"It should be called waiting to be consecrated."
"To be consecrated—?"
While I was asking back, I followed Tang Jianmu's gaze and couldn't help being shocked.
At first, I didn't know what that was.Next, I thought there was a life-size statue of Dharma placed there.But the statue seemed to be moving, and after a while, the huge Bodhidharma statue raised its head, reflecting the light of the incandescent lamp.
"A Tang, are you being sarcastic?" Bodhidharma seemed to speak human words.
"Buddhist affairs cannot be rushed, they must be sincere and meaningful."
It turned out that what I thought Bodhidharma looked like was the back of a burly monk sitting on the ground.He is about seventy years old, with clean shaved hair. Outside the snow-white kimono hakama, purple and yellow cassocks are loosely draped, and white silk is draped around his neck, which looks like a wide scarf.
"Sarcasm? How could I be ironic about you? I just try to explain to the guests with enough words to express the situation."
After Tang Jianmu finished speaking, he snorted, and the monk couldn't help laughing happily.
"There is no need to deliberately show off some confusing terms."
As soon as I saw his face, I knew he was the abbot of Ruixiang Temple.Because his face is very big, but the eyes, nose and mouth are all concentrated in the center, just like the face drawn by a child, the facial features are drawn first, and the outline of the face is drawn too big by accident.If it weren't for his kind attitude and calm voice, I would definitely not be able to help laughing.
The abbot folded his hands in front of his chest and smiled slightly.
"I am Ci'an of Ruixiang Temple."
After I briefly introduced myself, I bowed my body and said to Father Tang Jianmu in a low voice:
"You seem to know each other very well."
Father Tang Jianmu curled his cod roe lips and replied unwillingly: "We are old classmates. We have been classmates since elementary school, junior high school, and high school. However, he and I have nothing to do except hairstyles. The common denominator has always been that way.”
I heard from Father Tang Jianmu that after graduating from high school, he went to study with a gardener in Kyoto, and then became the exclusive gardener of Ruixiangfang; after graduating from the same high school as him, the abbot of Ci'an studied religious studies After taking courses, he worked as a Buddha statue teacher in Ruixiang Temple for a while, and finally inherited his father's career and became the abbot of Ruixiang Temple.
"Oh, so the abbot once worked as a Buddha statue teacher."
Hearing what I said, Father Tang Jianmu replied in place of the abbot of Ci'an:
"When the abbot was in college, he felt lonely because he couldn't see me, so he followed me as soon as he graduated, and came to work in Ruixiang House—"
"You're an idiot, it's disgusting."
The abbot of Ci'an showed displeasure and said to me:
"Originally, I wanted to become an independent Buddha statue teacher here, but I gave up halfway."
"You have no perseverance since you were a child."
Father Tang Jianmu interrupted and said:
"——Abbot, you are all dressed up, have you started consecrating the small amulet yet?"
The abbot of Ci'an nodded and pointed to the ground.There is a big bamboo basket, which is piled with countless small amulets, which looks like harvested groundnuts.
"Wow, there are so many?"
"This is just a part of it. Those who have to complete the consecration within today."
Looking in the direction of Ci'an's finger, I found a dhutanga bag about the height of a person in the corner, which seemed to be filled with small amulets.
"I want all of those? When will it be done?"
"If it can't be finished here, it can only be brought back to the monastery."
"Take home from work? It's about the same as a busy office worker."
Father Tang Jianmu and the abbot of Ci'an looked down at Toutuodai together and sighed.
"Ah Tang, I'm about to start work—Mr. Daowei, I'm sorry I can't accompany you."
The abbot of Ci'an walked to the side of the bamboo basket full of small amulets, and knelt on the ground with his back to us.
"To speed up..."
He said something completely opposite to what he had said just now, and then buried himself in his work.
The abbot of Ci'an lit the candles on the candlesticks on the ground, sat upright, picked up the long incense from the side, lit the candles and began to chant sutras.He put his left palm upright in front of his face, took a small amulet from the bamboo basket with his right hand, raised it above his head for a moment, and put it into another bamboo basket next to him.Then repeat the same process all the time.
Father Tang Jianmu whispered:
"Because this step has to go through, other Buddha statues cannot be shipped for the time being - the abbot will be free after consecrating the small amulet."
According to his explanation, when the Buddha statues produced by this workshop are delivered, the abbot of Ci'an will also accompany them to consecrate the Buddha statues.Only the consecration of the small amulet is special, and it is done here at one time.If every small amulet has to be consecrated when it is distributed to believers, no amount of time will be enough.
"At this time of year, everything is given priority to small amulets. That is to say, until the end of this work, the shipment of Buddha statues will be suspended."
That's why there are so many Buddha statues in this storage place.I finally understood what Tang Jianmu's father meant by "to be consecrated".
"When the work on the small amulet is over, will the abbot of Ci'an go around to consecrate it?"
"That's the thing. However, it's only when delivering goods to private houses. When delivering goods to monasteries, the abbot there will consecrate them—for example, the Buddha statue there."
Father Tang Jianmu pointed to a statue in the corner of the room.The Buddha statue one size larger than my body has eighteen hands, which I have never seen.
"That Buddha statue is called Zhunzhi Guanyin, and it will be sent to a temple in Kyoto. Therefore, the abbot of Ci'an does not need to consecrate it. It was completed yesterday, and it will be loaded on the car today. I heard that it will be shipped tomorrow morning. I remember Wei Ze That’s what I’ve been told—he’s in charge of ordering and shipping.”
"There are so many, it shouldn't be easy to manage."
The Buddha statue maker named Wei Ze who was firing the stepped kiln just now should be very careful, otherwise he would definitely not be able to do the job.A face full of intelligence appeared in front of my eyes.
I watched the abbot of Ci'an work for a while, but he seemed to be just repeating the monotonous movements just now, so I started to shoot the Buddha statue.
I raised my camera and photographed the Buddha statues in the room one by one.I will take several small and medium Buddha statues together, but the large Buddha statues will be photographed one by one.It was not long before I discovered that of all the varieties of Buddha statues, there was a certain kind of Buddha that far outstripped any other.It looks like Guanyin Bodhisattva, but there are many faces on the face.I couldn't help but ask Father Tang Jianmu.
"This is the Eleven-faced Avalokitesvara," Father Tang Jianmu replied. "Appears in different postures on different occasions. There are many Buddha faces on the head of Guanyin Bodhisattva, so it can respond to prayers from different directions, but people always think that the more Buddha faces, the better. This workshop in our workshop The statue of Buddha has been famous since ancient times. Didn’t the small amulet just now have many faces? That’s also the Eleven-faced Avalokitesvara.”
"The Eleven-faced Avalokitesvara, and the Avalokitesvara of the Zhunzhi—there are many kinds of Avalokitesvara alone."
While I was deeply impressed, I started to shoot Buddha statues again.The sound of the abbot of Ji'an's chanting and the sound of the shutter being pressed can be heard in the wooden storage place.Then--
"Wow……"
A few minutes later, I was standing in front of the Buddha statue just to the left of the tall wooden frame lined with smaller statues.
It was a wooden statue of Buddha.The size is about the same as that of Zhunzhi Guanyin just now, a circle larger than my body, but because this Buddha statue stands on a 50 cm high lotus pedestal, I have to raise my head slightly to appreciate it.
"This……"
Eleven faces appear on the head of this Buddha statue, and besides the gentle face facing the front, there are another ten faces.On the left are three gentle faces, on the right are three angry faces, on top of the front face, there are also three gentle faces, and on the top of the head is a face that is one size smaller than the front face. One-sided Guanyin is the same, but only the head is the same part.
—Even I know the name of this Buddha statue.
"This is Avalokitesvara."
Father Tang Jianmu didn't know when he was standing beside me.I nodded silently, and turned my gaze back to the Buddha statue.
The Buddha statue in front of me has many hands.Two of the hands clasped together in front of the chest, and the other two formed a flat O-shaped handprint at the navel position—the rest of the arms stretched up, down, left, and right, holding various objects.All the holding objects are carved from wood, only two long rods are made of metal.The hands stretched out to the left and right are respectively holding long sticks that are almost as tall as the Buddha statue, just forming an "H" shape, and the two long sticks are pointing straight to the ceiling.On the left is a tin rod, and on the right is a halberd.
"Is there something wrong with this Buddha statue?"
"No, it's not a problem..."
This Buddha statue is very impressive.Other Buddha statues are extremely delicate in shape, but the chiseling method of this Buddha statue is very rough.I am not proficient in carving techniques, but I can feel the unusualness of this Buddha statue no matter from the appearance or the atmosphere it exudes. The lack of a halo or wheel behind it is also one of the reasons why it is so creepy.
As I looked it over, I found an image looming in my mind.What the hell - this Buddha statue reminds me of something.
Ah, so it is.
It dawned on me at last.
It's a ghost—
Although looking at Buddha statues, it is a bit strange to think of "ghosts", but this is what I really feel in my heart.Since I was a child, I have felt that ghosts are monsters with extremely crazy and cruel personalities hidden under their peaceful expressions.Just like carnivorous beasts that do not show a scary expression, but sleep on an empty stomach, they wait for an opportunity with a cold gaze, and their aggressiveness is hidden under their peaceful steps.This is the ghost in my mind.Maybe it's because from the time I was sensible, I saw the discord between my family and relatives, and only maintained the influence of the superficial harmony.
"This is the oldest of all these Buddha statues, carved twenty years ago."
"Twenty years ago?"
"In the fifty-eighth year of Showa (1983), when it happened to be the Obon Festival, a foreign tourist came here to visit the Buddha statue. At that time, the foreigner looked about the same age as me now. He was sightseeing. I came here suddenly, and became very interested in Buddha statues. After reading the introduction, I ordered the most luxurious Thousand-handed Avalokitesvara from it, and said that after it was finished, it would be sent directly to his home abroad. It seems to be the United States—huh? What is it? Where—I sort of forgot."
"Then why are you still here?"
"It was returned. After the sculpture was finished, I sent it over, but the customer sent it back immediately. Because he bought it at the beginning, and the money has already been paid, but he said that he could not accept this Buddha statue no matter what—the letter seemed to be That’s how it was written. Of course, he didn’t use Kansai-accented Japanese, but English.”
"Is he not happy with the finished product?"
Even though I don't have much confidence in my own aesthetics, even I know that this Buddha statue is an amazing work of art.
"Well--I don't know. The owner of Songyue said that if he didn't clearly state the reason for returning the product, he couldn't accept it, so he specially found a translator and made an international call--the foreigner was unwilling anyway. Ming said that he kept repeating that he didn't want to give a reason, he didn't want to give a reason. So, everyone—including me of course—feel that it's frivolous in their hearts, and they can't discard it, so they let it go for twenty years."
There must be a big reason for the product that has been paid for but insisted on returning.And the guest is still unwilling to tell the reason, the person who carved this Buddha statue must be very upset.
"Maybe it's because the fox and Avalokitesvara don't get along..."
Father Tang Jianmu muttered in a low voice.
"A fox?"
"Oh, no—the foreigner's name is So-and-so Foucs, that's why I say that."
"Ha ha……"
I couldn't tell if he was joking or telling the truth.
"By the way, who carved this Buddha statue?"
Hearing my question, Father Tang Jianmu shook his head.
"The master who carved this Buddha statue is no longer here. After carving this Thousand-Handed Avalokitesvara, he suddenly disappeared."
"Disappeared?"
"Yes, the whereabouts are unknown. Therefore, this is the last work of the Buddha statue artist. He probably didn't expect to be returned because he disappeared before it was shipped."
"How did he disappear?"
"How did he disappear—of course it didn't disappear in front of everyone. One morning, after everyone got up, they found that he had disappeared. The night before, I saw him in the dormitory, and I saw him too."
"Does that Buddha image master also live in the dormitory?"
"Everyone lives there."
According to Tang Jianmu's father, whether it is now or in the past, the Buddha statue masters and employees of Ruixiangfang all live in the dormitory.
"There are also people who start to commute after getting married. However, including the owner of Songyue, the current five Buddha statue masters are all single and live in the dormitory, and so do I."
"Is the missing Buddha statue master also single?"
"He was in his early twenties."
Hearing this sentence, I couldn't help re-examining the Thousand-Handed Avalokitesvara in front of me with astonishment. It turned out that it was made by someone ten years younger than me.
"What's the name of that statue master?"
Hearing my question, Father Tang Jianmu raised one eyebrow and suddenly lowered his voice.
"—why do you ask such a thing?"
"No, nothing in particular."
Father Tang Jianmu murmured "Well, forget it", and then whispered to me as if whispering to my ear:
"His name is Yuzawa Ryuzo."
I found him peeping into the workshop outside the wooden door, and couldn't help but ask:
"Is there something hidden?"
Father Tang Jianmu said in a softer voice:
"Because it's taboo."
"Uh, do you mean the name of that person—Mr. Nirazawa Ryuzo?"
"Hush!"
Father Tang Jianmu put his index finger in front of his lips, shrunk his shoulders and stared at me.I also keep turning down the volume.
"—did he do anything?"
Father Tang Jianmu tilted his mouth and sighed softly.
"Well, a lot happened."
Saying that, he walked away from me.
I raised the camera again and started taking pictures of the Buddha statue.
"Is there really a curse...?"
I heard Father Tang Jianmu muttering behind my back.
"curse……"
I turned my head and looked back, and found that Tang Jianmu's father was standing not far away with his arms folded, staring blankly at Avalokitesvara.After that, he actually said something very terrible.
"Kato's head will split open, he must be cursed..."
"Split head?"
What is he saying?
"Uh, Mr. Tang Jianmu——"
Before I could finish my sentence, a vigorous voice came from the workshop.
"I am back."
Maya delivery is back.The three Buddha statue masters greeted her one after another, expressing condolences for her hard work.
Father Tang Jianmu shook his wrinkled hands in front of his face, signaling me not to mention what happened just now.
"Mr. Daowei, hello."
Maya poked her head in from the door of the shelter and looked around.Maybe it was because she just walked into the heated room from the cold outdoors, a blush appeared on her white cheeks.The short black hair is a bit messy, but you can feel a little childish, which is very flattering.
"I went to the dormitory just now and found that you were not there. I guess Mr. Tang Jianmu may be showing you around."
"Ah, yes, you guessed it right."
"That's what happened."
Father Tang Jianmu took out his mobile phone from the pocket of his overalls.
"Because I didn't get your text message right away, so at first I wondered who he was."
"The reception here is not good—ah, Mr. Tang Jianmu, you haven't changed the ringtone of the incoming call."
"Can it be changed? I have been using the one you set for me before."
It turns out that Papa Tang Jianmu's "upgrade" music is Maya's masterpiece.
"Mr. Tang Jianmu, can I continue to trouble you to show Mr. Daowei?"
"Okay, Maya, are you going to dry the paint?"
"Yes, only the details are left—Mr. Tang Jianmu, I'm sorry. Teacher Daowei, I'm also very sorry."
Maya smiled at me, bowed to the back of the abbot of Ci'an who was chanting in the corner of the room, then dexterously shuttled between the Buddha statues and walked towards the wooden door in the opposite direction.That's when I realized for the first time that there was an exit there too.It may be that the Buddha statues in front of me are too shocking.
"Doesn't she make small amulets?"
"I usually do it. The small amulet I showed you just now was carved and given to me by Maya last year. But this year she doesn't seem to need to make a small amulet, because she is in charge of other work and needs to concentrate, so she doesn't make a small amulet Card."
"Other work? The dry paint you mentioned?"
Father Tang Jianmu nodded.
"It's dry, painted lacquer. Maya is making dry-painted Buddha statues. You should have seen a small house next to this workshop? There is a workshop for making dry-painted statues. We call it 'dry-painting room' because The smell of paint is very strong, so it is specially separated from the workshop.”
Are there Buddha statues made of lacquer?
"The official name should be called de-drying lacquer. Although the workmanship is very delicate, the texture is light and full of strength, which is rarely seen. I like it very much, but most people probably haven't seen it."
"Yeah, I haven't even heard of it."
"That's right, it's a traditional technique that has been handed down in Japan since ancient times. It takes a lot of time to make and the cost of materials is very expensive - it was lost at the end of the Heian period, so it is called a dream technique. The dry lacquer image known to the general public Probably only the Asura statue in Kofukuji Temple."
I haven't even heard of this.
Father Tang Jianmu looked at the door where Maya left, and folded his hands.
"It's only been five years since Maya came here, and she's been in charge of making dry lacquer statues. It means that the owner of Songyue has already affirmed her strength. It's really amazing."
His round, bean-like face smiled broadly, like a grandfather overjoyed by his granddaughter's accomplishments.
Whether it's the Shigaraki-yaki Buddha statues just mentioned, or dry lacquer statues, Zuixiangbo seems to like to use rare techniques to make them.Hearing what I said, Father Tang Jianmu nodded, then shook his head again.
"It should be said that it pays attention to rare techniques—that is, the inheritance of Japanese culture. While paying attention to new things, it does not abandon traditional techniques and strives to pass them on. This should be the same thing. The name of each generation of homeowners It is called 'Songyue', which should also express this attitude of inheritance."
As he spoke, Father Tang Jianmu touched his bald head with his hand.
"Actually, I'm just a mere gardener, and I'm not qualified to speak out here."
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