| The theme of this Tsuba is Iron-Crutch Li (Taoist immortal). This was a person in China during the 6th Century. He was able to use magic to separate his soul. He once used this magic to meet Ryoshi, a famous sage, at Kinkazan far away. He told his student to watch him and if he couldn't return in 7 days to burn his body. On the 6th day the student's mother became ill and one day before the 7th he burned the body. On the 7th day, when Iron-Crutch Li (Taoist immortal) returned, his body was burned so needed to find another body. He found a dead body of a beggar and lived in it. Usually the theme of Iron-Crutch Li (Taoist immortal) is of an ugly body after he had taken over the beggar's body. However, this Tsuba is before he used his magic and his body was burned. This Tsuba was signed by Kotoshi Shimizu Yoshinori [湖東子 清水義教]. There is not much history on this craftsman, but based on the craftsmanship he belonged to the Hikone Tradition and was active during the Mid Edo Period in Hikone, Ohmi Province. It has passed the Hozon Tosogu shinsa in 2021. |
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