The Dark Past Of Japanese Dolls With Empty Eyes

Daruma is a famous doll in Japan, has no eyes, no limbs and a fierce appearance.
The dark past of Japanese dolls with empty eyes
One of the famous souvenirs that visitors often bring from Japan is the Daruma doll. These are wooden dolls, painted in red circles, with large black mustaches and hollow eyes.
In fact, Daruma dolls are not only sold to tourists. It also appears in most Japanese families because this doll symbolizes luck and prosperity

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The Japanese buying Daruma will make a wish and draw an eye. When a wish comes true, they will paint the other eye, according to Tokyo Weekender.
Japanese people give each other this wooden doll on important occasions such as birthdays, holidays .



. with the wish that the best will come. During the exam season, families will present their children a new Daruma doll best wishes. Photo: Asahi.
Despite being a symbol of prosperity and luck, the origins of Daruma dolls are a bit intimidating. This doll is taken from the image of Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism in China. This sect emphasizes the importance of meditation The Japanese believe that Bodhidharma's arms and legs have shrunk, become wrinkled and degenerated after meditating for 9 years in a cave in China.




Around this time, Bodhidharma also cut off his eyelids because he was angry that he fell asleep while meditating. His eyelids fell to the ground and sprouted to become the first Chinese green tea tree. The Japanese have relied on this area to create plump wooden dolls that have no limbs or eyes.
Lucky doll Daruma is born in the Edo era. Photo: JC.
According to the locals, the fact that Daruma's lack of eyes is similar to the act of Bodhidharma falling asleep while meditating, thus not reaching the highest enlightenment. Drawing his eyes on it was like reassembling the eyelids of Bodhidharma, allowing him to see someone clearly.
When people's wishes are not fulfilled, Daruma will only draw one eye.



At this time, the doll will be in a semi-dream state and unable to be enlightened. This one-eyed act of drawing is called "blackmail", forcing the dolls to help the drawer's wishes come true. Only then did they draw the other eye.
The color of the doll was also inspired by pain and death. The doll comes in a variety of colors, from purple to white, depending on the region of production, but is still red at most. This red color is believed to be related to the colors of measles and smallpox.
Centuries ago, when smallpox and measles were the two most devastating diseases in Japan, these sick children often wore red coats. If dead, they will be wrapped in red shrouds.




Initially, these dolls were created with good balance. No matter how much you knock them down, the Daruma will return to their original position. Over time, this helps them become symbols of recovery. That is why Daruma often becomes gifts to give to patients, especially children.
According to Anh Minh / Vnexpress
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