



Pottery ceramic statue of Shoki the Demon - Queller, suspended from roof as protection, made in Kawasaki, Japanese, 1801-1900
Images of Shoki the ‘Demon Queller’ were hung over doors and suspended from roofs in Japan to scare away demons. Holes under his arm let him be suspended via a cord from the roof. Shoki is of Chinese origin. He is believed to protect against disease and demons. People in ancient China believed spirits, ancestors and demons could interfere with the body and cause illness. This idea has existed in some form in Chinese medical traditions for most of the last 2000 years. This small ceramic figure was made in Kawasaki in the 1800s.
Details
- Category:
- Asian Medicine
- Collection:
- Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
- Object Number:
- A51701
- Materials:
- pottery ceramic
- Measurements:
-
overall: 180 mm x 90 mm x 50 mm, .477 kg
- type:
- statue