日本の文化 (nihon no bunka) Japanese Culture 7
だるま (Daruma dolls)
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| だるま |
Daruma are dolls without hands and feet representing the sitting
meditation (zazen) posture of Bodhidharma, founder of the Zen sect. His
legs were said to be paralyzed because of the continuous meditation on
top of a rock for some nine years with his legs crossed.
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| だるま市 (Daruma Fair) |
Most daruma are made of papier-mache and painted red except for the face. The bottom is heavy and works as a tumbler. Because it bounces back to its original position when it's pushed over, it serves as a good luck charm. There is the custom of painting in the eyes, which are usually white,when a wish has been fulfilled.
