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[[Image:Shisa.jpg|right|thumb|300px|One of a pair of ''shisa'' which guard the entrance to Kokusai-dôri, one of the most major avenues in the Okinawan capital city, [[Naha]].]]
*''Japanese/Okinawan'': 獅子・シーサー ''(shiisaa)''
The ''shisa'' is the [[Okinawa]]n version of the lion-dog creature known as ''shishi'' in Japan, and seen as well, with variations, throughout China and Korea. Most often made of stone or clay (ceramic), ''shisa'' statues come in a wide variety of sizes, and are protective figures. They are most often placed flanking a gate or entrance, whether it be the grand entrance of a [[gusuku|castle]], or the humble gate to a personal home; since the [[Meiji period]], they have come to be placed, as well, increasingly, on rooftops.
The paired ''shisa'' are generally said to be one male, and one female; like the [[Nio|Niô]] guardians often seen at Buddhist temples, often one of the pair of ''shisa'' will have its mouth open, pronouncing the [[Sanskrit]] 'a', while the other has its mouth closed, pronouncing 'un'. These sounds combined form "om" or "aum," a Sanskrit syllable meant to represent the creation, existence, and destruction of the universe, the cycle of all things.
The idea of the lion or lion-dog as a protective entity is believed to have entered China from the west around the 2nd century BCE. It was then introduced into [[Ryukyu Islands|Ryûkyû]] around the 14th or 15th century CE.<ref>"''Shiisaa''" シーサー.''Okinawa Encyclopedia'' 沖縄大百科事典. vol. 2. Okinawa Times, 1983. p269.</ref> Explanations for what it is ''shisa'' protect a house or other location from vary, but include protection from fire, and from bad spirits.
''Shisa'' are today a very popular Okinawan souvenir, and symbol of Okinawa. The ''shisa'' also appears in a distinctly Okinawan form, as different from Japanese lions, in Okinawan versions of the [[lion dance]] (''shishimai'').
==References==
<references/>
==External Links==
*[http://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/6255748300/ Ryûkyû-koku Matsuri Daiko, Hawaii branch Okinawan performance] filmed by [[User:LordAmeth]], 17 October 2011 at Honolulu's Okinawa Festival. Performance set to the song "Miruku Munari," includes the appearance of a ''shisa-mai'' (lion dance).
[[Category:Ryukyu]]
[[Category:Art and Architecture]]
[[Category:Mythical Creatures]]
*''Japanese/Okinawan'': 獅子・シーサー ''(shiisaa)''
The ''shisa'' is the [[Okinawa]]n version of the lion-dog creature known as ''shishi'' in Japan, and seen as well, with variations, throughout China and Korea. Most often made of stone or clay (ceramic), ''shisa'' statues come in a wide variety of sizes, and are protective figures. They are most often placed flanking a gate or entrance, whether it be the grand entrance of a [[gusuku|castle]], or the humble gate to a personal home; since the [[Meiji period]], they have come to be placed, as well, increasingly, on rooftops.
The paired ''shisa'' are generally said to be one male, and one female; like the [[Nio|Niô]] guardians often seen at Buddhist temples, often one of the pair of ''shisa'' will have its mouth open, pronouncing the [[Sanskrit]] 'a', while the other has its mouth closed, pronouncing 'un'. These sounds combined form "om" or "aum," a Sanskrit syllable meant to represent the creation, existence, and destruction of the universe, the cycle of all things.
The idea of the lion or lion-dog as a protective entity is believed to have entered China from the west around the 2nd century BCE. It was then introduced into [[Ryukyu Islands|Ryûkyû]] around the 14th or 15th century CE.<ref>"''Shiisaa''" シーサー.''Okinawa Encyclopedia'' 沖縄大百科事典. vol. 2. Okinawa Times, 1983. p269.</ref> Explanations for what it is ''shisa'' protect a house or other location from vary, but include protection from fire, and from bad spirits.
''Shisa'' are today a very popular Okinawan souvenir, and symbol of Okinawa. The ''shisa'' also appears in a distinctly Okinawan form, as different from Japanese lions, in Okinawan versions of the [[lion dance]] (''shishimai'').
==References==
<references/>
==External Links==
*[http://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/6255748300/ Ryûkyû-koku Matsuri Daiko, Hawaii branch Okinawan performance] filmed by [[User:LordAmeth]], 17 October 2011 at Honolulu's Okinawa Festival. Performance set to the song "Miruku Munari," includes the appearance of a ''shisa-mai'' (lion dance).
[[Category:Ryukyu]]
[[Category:Art and Architecture]]
[[Category:Mythical Creatures]]
