Set of Buddhist ritual pourers in gilded copper Japan, Edo1603–1868

A rare set of Naga-e Ch?shi (????), a long-handled jug, and Ch?shi (??), a jug with an arched handle. Made of finely hammered copper, once entirely gilded, they both bear a mon (heraldic crest), a sign of a commission for a temple by a high-ranking family.

The Naga-e Ch?shi, with its long, engraved handle and lateral spout, was designed to contain and pour lustral water. Purified and consecrated, this water was used to wash away impurities (kegare), bless the faithful, or demarcate the ritual space. The priest's gesture, pouring the water in the four directions or onto the altar, symbolically linked the human world to the cosmic dimension.

The second, the Ch?shi, rounded in shape with an arched handle and a short spout, was used for libations: sake, water, or plant decoctions offered to the deities and ancestors. The act of offering the drink, central to Buddhist ritual, sealed a bond of respect and continuity between the visible and the invisible.

The original gilding, now partially worn away, emphasized the sacredness of these instruments, gold being associated with light, purity, and the divine presence. Similar objects are housed at the Tokyo National Museum, notably in the Sen'en collection, which illustrates the variety and refinement of metal jugs from the Edo period.

The combination of a Naga-e Ch?shi and a Ch?shi in the same set expresses the essential complementarity of Buddhist rites: purification and offering. These two pieces, which have a very beautiful patina, form a rare testimony to Japanese liturgy and the know-how of the metallurgical workshops of the Edo period.
14 x 28 x 50 cm
22 x 16 x 22 cm