Picture of Retrieving the Jewel from the Dragon King's Palace

Artistattributed to Sugimura Jihei (Japanese, active about 1681–1703)

Datemid 1680s–1690s

Mediumwoodblock print; ink on paper; sumizuri-e hand-colored with tan, flesh color, yellow and dull violet (tan-e)

DimensionsOban Diptych: 52.7 × 60.4 cm (20 3/4 × 23 3/4 in.)

ClassificationsPrints

Credit LineJohn Chandler Bancroft Collection

Terms

Object number1901.59.2

Label TextThis print illustrates one of the oldest Japanese legends, the story of the woman diver known as the Tamatori. The print illustrates the most dramatic episode from the famous Tamatori monogatari, "The Tale of the Taking of the Jewel." This story, also known as Taishokan after the central character, the Taishokan Fujiwara no Kamatari, enjoyed great popularity throughout the Tokugawa Period.When a daughter of the Japanese statesman Fujiwara no Kamatari (614-663) became the Empress of China by her marriage to the T'ang Emperor Kao-Tsung (this is pure fiction without any historical basis), she sent back to Japan three rare treasures as an offering to the Kofukuji temple in Nara, of which her father was the founder. One of these was the tama (Sanskrit: cintanami), or magic, wishing gem, a crystal ball called the Menko fuhai no tama from the image of the Buddha that appeared within it and was always faced towards the observer, whichever way the gem might be turned. The Ship that bore these treasures was sailing along the coast of Shido in the province of Sanuki, it encountered a great storm, during with the tama was stolen by the Dragon King whose Ryu-gu or dwelling was beneath the sea somewhat further out. When Kaminari heard of this misfortune he ordered the fishermen of Shido to recover the treasure but their efforts proved unavailing. Kamatari, meanwhile, had fallen in love with a woman diver (ama) and had a son by her. Determined to recover the jewel he sought her help. The ama, an awabi-tori (diver for awabi shells) offered to make an attempt to retrieve the stolen gem, provided the noble lord would agree to take charge of their/her young son should she not return. Kaminari readily gave her this promise. She then took a knife and swam away under the water to the Ryu-gu where she succeeded in a wresting the tama from its keepers. In this print the Ama is shown escaping from the Dragon King's palace, (one pinnacle of which projects above the waves) with the tama in her left hand and a short sword in her right. The Dragon King has discovered the theft and pursues her, lashing his tail, and calls up sea creatures to help him. The sea creatures, which assume human form while retaining their own shapes as head-dresses, are however entranced by the chanting Buddhist monk and six Bugaku performers who play sacred music and dance on a platform laid across four boats.Kamatari is restrained from jumping in to help his lover by two attendant nobles and watches helpers in an adjoining boat as they try to pull the ama onboard with a rope that is passed around her body. In the most common version of the story, it is related that the ama slit open her abdomen and concealed the crystal gem within. The woman has both legs snapped off by the Dragon King and dies. When her body is pulled aboard, Kamatari's men recover the gem. Greatly touched by her sacrifice Kaminari took charge of their/her son and raised him as a nobleman. This legend inspired the No play called "Ama" which emphasizes the mother's sacrifice for her son.

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