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Goldcoin "Junshi"
Available as limited and unlimited ArtPrint reproductionin the dimensions of 1000x700mm and 400x300mm
Junshi
the roots of the story of „Junshi“ are told to be in the 15th century:
During the eighties I was studying in Japan for three and a half year. I heard the story of „Junshi“ for the first time, when I listened to two old samurai at dinner. At that time I was thinking of Junshi as a fable dragon. The story attracted my attention and I wanted to hear more about it. The samurai explained to me, that the story was never written and therefore there is no book about it. Only samurai tell this story among their own. Now I was totally excited and every time when I met an outgoing samurai I tried to get more components of this thrilling story. Initially I thought they would be similar to those from Hagakure. But after putting many components together I realized that it was something completely different. The origin was once upon a time during the 15th century. There where five warriors of the light, the life guard of a powerful shogun. Each of them had a special talent and function for his master besides protection. One of them was responsible for health, another for musical amusement, another for forecasts, one for culinary pleasure and the last for the here and now, like a sentinel. All of them told the same story of the samurai, who became one of the best warriors after meeting Junshi. They used the mystical and superhuman power of Junshi for themselves and swore each other to serve their master like Junshi, which means to follow their master even to death.
I am not sure at all if it is just one story. Anywas, now I try to present it to you:
The story of Junshi or „the magic shirt“
A samurai who was exhausted bei many fights and big battles was travelling through a dark and cold night. Finally it started to rain so he was looking for a possibility to rest. He succeeded in finding a cave. There he inflamed some fire to heat and dry himself. Then he could recognize that the cave must have been a ritual place a long time ago. He discovered some special kind of altar and some items that confirmed his assumption. Despite the fire he could not heat up. There came a strange frostiness from this place. Later on he found a nice old piece of cloth and decided to wrap himself in it as a protection from the frostiness. Immediately after this he suffered a horrible pain. There was no possibility to get rid of this piece of cloth. Suddenly a curious transformation occured: The piece of cloth – the so called shirt – mutated into an all-dominant dragon that nicked and bite in the body of the samurai. Despite any efforts it was not possible to escape from the shirt.
After the transformation the dragon (the shirt) spoke to the samurai: „From now on I will be your invulnerable protection. You will never ever suffer from hunger, thirst or coldness. And now keep on going and save the world with your deeds.“
Additionally I heard that each of the five samurai had to find and train their followers. So it should not be a surprise if the five warriors of the light are among us.
Alexander Durek May 2008