Musha Figurant Shoki doll - Shōwa Era (1926-1989).

JAPAN - Shōwa Era (1926-1989).Musha doll featuring Shoki, polychrome wooden head and hands, geometrically patterned silk garment, straight sword, metal blade.
Dimensions: 26 x 16.2 x 11 cm
Sold with storage box.
Storage box dimensions: 30 x 18.5 x 13 cm.
Notes : One day, while fast asleep, Genso-kotei has a horrible nightmare. He dreams that he is being thrown to the ground by a horde of little demons straight from hell. One of them climbs onto his back and strikes him with a flute he has stolen from Yokihi, the emperor's favorite concubine.
At this point in his dream, the emperor sees the appearance of a bearded giant who immediately disperses the demons tormenting him, killing some of them, driving away others, or simply making the remaining ones disappear.
The giant introduces himself as Shoki (Chang Kuo), who lived a hundred years ago, during the reign of Emperor Koso. He committed suicide by smashing his skull against a rock for disobeying his emperor: twice, he failed to show up for the official post Koso had intended for him.
Moved by his gesture of despair, the emperor granted him a state funeral with all the honors due to a minister of state (a position Shoki should have held during his lifetime). Filled with gratitude, the good giant's soul decides to protect Koso's descendants from now on.
Upon awakening, Genso-kotei summons the country's best painter and orders him to paint a portrait of Shoki as he describes him. Copies of this work are distributed throughout the empire, showing Shoki taming demons. These portraits were exported as far as Japan, where they became very popular. In Japan, Shoki is regarded as the tamer and exterminator of all kinds of demons.

Ref: 6O9XHK0YW9