Ruyi
Encyclopedia
Ruyi is a curved decorative object that is a ceremonial sceptre
in Chinese Buddhism or a talisman
symbolizing power and good fortune in Chinese folklore
. A traditional ruyi has a long S-shaped handle and a head fashioned like a fist, cloud, or lingzhi mushroom. Ruyi are constructed from diverse materials. For example, the Palace Museum in Beijing
has nearly 3000 ruyi that are variously made from valuable materials like gold, silver, iron, bamboo, wood, ivory, coral, rhinoceros horn, lacquer, crystal, jade, and precious gems. The "ruyi" image frequently appears as a motif in Asian art.
of ru 如 "as; like; such as; as if; for example; supposing; be like; be similar; accord with" and yi 意 "wish; will; desire; intention; suggestion; thought; idea; meaning; imagination".
Standard Chinese
uses ruyi either as a stative verb
meaning "as one wishes, as one likes; according to one's wishes; following your heart's desires", or as an adjective
meaning "satisfied, pleased, happy, comfortable". The word is combined with suanpan 算盤 "abacus
" in the expression ruyi suanpan "wishful thinking; smug calculations".
Chinese ruyi was borrowed as a loanword
, yielding the following Sinoxenic
pronunciations: Korean language
(Hanja
如意, Hangul
여의, Revised Romanization yeo ui, McCune-Reischauer
yŏ ŭi), Japanese language
(kanji
如意, katakana
ニョイ, Hepburn romanization
nyoi), and Vietnamese language
(Hán tự 如意, Quốc ngữ như ý).
from the Former Han Dynasty
(206 BC - 24 AD) have the earliest usages of the word ruyi. For example, the Shiji history uses it both literally for "as one wishes" and for the given name of Liu Ruyi
劉如意 (d. 195 BC), who was the son of Emperor Gaozu of Han and Concubine Qi
.
Scholars have proposed two basic theories for the origin of the ruyi, writes Kieschnick (2003:141). The former is that ruyi originated from Sanskrit anuruddha "a ceremonial scepter" used by Buddhist monks in India, who later brought it to China, transliterated as analu 阿那律 or translated as ruyi. The latter theory is that ruyi originated as a backscratcher
in early China, and was amalgamated with the Buddhist symbol of authority.
During the Later Han Dynasty
(25-220 AD) and Jin Dynasty
(265-420 AD), literati and nobles often held ruyi during conversations and other social occasions. It was called a tanbing 談柄 "conversation baton" (cf. the Native American talking stick
) and was used much like zhuwei 麈尾 "fly-whisk", which practitioners of the qingtan
清談 "pure conversation" movement popularized during the Six Dynasties
period (220-589 AD).
The ca. 554 AD Weishu history records a story that when Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei
(r. 471-499 AD) wanted to retire from the throne, he tested his sons by letting them choose among a number objects, and the one who selected a bone ruyi (symbolizing political rule) became Emperor Xuanwu of Northern Wei
(r. 500-515). Kieschnick (2003:144) concludes "that by the end of the sixth century, now only was the ruyi common at court, but it had even begun to take on emblematic significance as the mark of a ruler." Although the ruyi symbolized imperial political power, it differed from the Western royal scepter because Chinese officials and monks commonly used it.
The ca. 886 AD Duyang zabian 杜陽雜編, which is a collection of Tang Dynasty
(618-907 AD) stories, records that Emperor Wenzong
presented an ivory ruyi to the scholar Li Xun (d. 835 AD) and said (tr. Kieschnick 2003:145), "The ruyi may serve you as a lecture baton (tanbing)." Ruyi were both emblems of power and tools of discourse.
In the Ming Dynasty
(1368-1644 AD), ruyi became popular as ornaments or gifts symbolizing blessings and good luck. The ca. 1627 AD Zhangwuzhi 長物志 "Treatise on Superfluous Things", by Ming painter Wen Zhenheng
, discussed ruyi aesthetics.
During the Qing Dynasty
(1644-1912 AD), ruyi scepters became luxuriant symbols of political power that were regularly used in imperial ceremonies, and were highly valued as gifts to and from the Emperor of China
. Since 3 and 9 are considered lucky numbers in Chinese culture, Qing craftsmen elaborated the traditional handle and head type ruyi into two-headed sanjiang-ruyi 三鑲如意 "3-inlay ruyi" with precious stones set in both heads and middle of the handle and jiujiu-ruyi 九九如意 "9-9 ruyi" presentational sets of nine. The Qianlong Emperor
presented a ruyi to the British ambassador George Macartney
in 1793, and in his description (quoted by Kieschnick 2003:139-140), "It is a whitish, agate-looking stone, about a foot and a half long, curiously carved, and highly prized by the Chinese, but to me it does not appear in itself to be of any great value."
During the historical evolution of Chinese ruyi "as one wishes", they have been used as backscratchers, ritual objects in Buddhism and later Daoism, pointers for public speakers, prized icons of political power and wealth, and auspicious gifts expressing best wishes.
, ruyi scepters often appear as attributes of Buddhist saint
s and Daoist xian
. The god of prosperity Cai Shen 財神 is often depicted holding a ruyi. Stylized repetitions of the shape are incorporated as a motif in the depiction of heavenly clouds. Ruyi symbolize achieving prosperity in fengshui practice. The ruyi shape appears as a motif in decorative knots, Oriental rug
patterns, folk artifacts, and even modern corporate logos. Stylized ruyi often function as a kind of ante-fixae
or palmette
in traditional and modern architecture
.
, scholars used Chinese ruyi 如意 to translate Sanskrit
terms, which Japanese Buddhism subsequently borrowed as nyoi 如意. The basic word ruyi (nyoi) "as one wishes" translated three terms.
The legendary cintamani
"wish-fulfilling jewel; jewel that grants all desires" is the most famous Buddhist usage, known as the ruyizhu (nyoi-shu) 如意珠 "as-one-wishes jewel" or ruyibaozhu (nyoi-hōju) 如意寶珠"as-one-wishes precious jewel". The Digital Dictionary of Buddhism
's ruyizhu entry explains.
The ca. 1150 AD Fusō ryakki 扶桑略記 "Brief History of Fusang
" by Kōen 皇圓, the teacher of Hōnen, recounts a Japanese nyoi-hōju legend involving the monk Foshi (Bussei) 佛誓 "Buddha's Vow".
Erik Zürcher (1997:407) suggests that association between ruyi and the legendary ruyibao "wish-fulfilling gem" explains the dichotomy between it being both a mundane backscratcher and a Buddhist symbol.
Two additional Sino-Japanese Buddhist translations are:
Several Buddhist temples in Japan
are named Nyoi.
In some schools of Zen
like Sanbo Kyodan
, the ceremonial scepter of a roshi
is called kotsu 骨 "bone; relic" instead of nyoi.
In addition to its use in Buddhist terminology, the Chinese word has other meanings. Ruyi can be a proper noun.
Besides Prince Liu Ruyi (above), Ruyi is used in other personal name
s.
Ruyi can also be a place name.
In modern Japanese usage, the loanword nyoi 如意 "as [one] wishes" means "ease; comfort; freedom" or "(Buddhist) priest's staff".
Besides the Japanese Buddhist temple names above, some other proper names include
Sceptre
A sceptre is a symbolic ornamental rod or wand borne in the hand by a ruling monarch as an item of royal or imperial insignia.-Antiquity:...
in Chinese Buddhism or a talisman
Amulet
An amulet, similar to a talisman , is any object intended to bring good luck or protection to its owner.Potential amulets include gems, especially engraved gems, statues, coins, drawings, pendants, rings, plants and animals; even words said in certain occasions—for example: vade retro satana—, to...
symbolizing power and good fortune in Chinese folklore
Chinese folklore
Chinese folklore includes songs, dances, puppetry, and tales. It often tells stories of human nature, historical or legendary events, love, and the supernatural, or stories explaining natural phenomena and distinctive landmarks.-Folktales:...
. A traditional ruyi has a long S-shaped handle and a head fashioned like a fist, cloud, or lingzhi mushroom. Ruyi are constructed from diverse materials. For example, the Palace Museum in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
has nearly 3000 ruyi that are variously made from valuable materials like gold, silver, iron, bamboo, wood, ivory, coral, rhinoceros horn, lacquer, crystal, jade, and precious gems. The "ruyi" image frequently appears as a motif in Asian art.
Word
The Chinese term ruyi is a compoundCompound (linguistics)
In linguistics, a compound is a lexeme that consists of more than one stem. Compounding or composition is the word formation that creates compound lexemes...
of ru 如 "as; like; such as; as if; for example; supposing; be like; be similar; accord with" and yi 意 "wish; will; desire; intention; suggestion; thought; idea; meaning; imagination".
Standard Chinese
Standard Chinese
Standard Chinese, or Modern Standard Chinese, also known as Mandarin or Putonghua, is the official language of the People's Republic of China and Republic of China , and is one of the four official languages of Singapore....
uses ruyi either as a stative verb
Stative verb
A stative verb is one that asserts that one of its arguments has a particular property . Statives differ from other aspectual classes of verbs in that they are static; that is, they have undefined duration...
meaning "as one wishes, as one likes; according to one's wishes; following your heart's desires", or as an adjective
Adjective
In grammar, an adjective is a 'describing' word; the main syntactic role of which is to qualify a noun or noun phrase, giving more information about the object signified....
meaning "satisfied, pleased, happy, comfortable". The word is combined with suanpan 算盤 "abacus
Abacus
The abacus, also called a counting frame, is a calculating tool used primarily in parts of Asia for performing arithmetic processes. Today, abaci are often constructed as a bamboo frame with beads sliding on wires, but originally they were beans or stones moved in grooves in sand or on tablets of...
" in the expression ruyi suanpan "wishful thinking; smug calculations".
Chinese ruyi was borrowed as a loanword
Loanword
A loanword is a word borrowed from a donor language and incorporated into a recipient language. By contrast, a calque or loan translation is a related concept where the meaning or idiom is borrowed rather than the lexical item itself. The word loanword is itself a calque of the German Lehnwort,...
, yielding the following Sinoxenic
Sinoxenic
Sino-Xenic refers to the pronunciations given to Chinese characters in Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese – none of which have accepted genetic relatedness to Sinitic languages – in the Sino-Japanese, Sino-Korean, and Sino-Vietnamese vocabularies...
pronunciations: Korean language
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
(Hanja
Hanja
Hanja is the Korean name for the Chinese characters hanzi. More specifically, it refers to those Chinese characters borrowed from Chinese and incorporated into the Korean language with Korean pronunciation...
如意, Hangul
Hangul
Hangul,Pronounced or ; Korean: 한글 Hangeul/Han'gŭl or 조선글 Chosŏn'gŭl/Joseongeul the Korean alphabet, is the native alphabet of the Korean language. It is a separate script from Hanja, the logographic Chinese characters which are also sometimes used to write Korean...
여의, Revised Romanization yeo ui, McCune-Reischauer
McCune-Reischauer
McCune–Reischauer romanization is one of the two most widely used Korean language romanization systems, along with the Revised Romanization of Korean, which replaced McCune–Reischauer as the official romanization system in South Korea in 2000...
yŏ ŭi), Japanese language
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
(kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
如意, katakana
Katakana
is a Japanese syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system along with hiragana, kanji, and in some cases the Latin alphabet . The word katakana means "fragmentary kana", as the katakana scripts are derived from components of more complex kanji. Each kana represents one mora...
ニョイ, Hepburn romanization
Hepburn romanization
The is named after James Curtis Hepburn, who used it to transcribe the sounds of the Japanese language into the Latin alphabet in the third edition of his Japanese–English dictionary, published in 1887. The system was originally proposed by the in 1885...
nyoi), and Vietnamese language
Vietnamese language
Vietnamese is the national and official language of Vietnam. It is the mother tongue of 86% of Vietnam's population, and of about three million overseas Vietnamese. It is also spoken as a second language by many ethnic minorities of Vietnam...
(Hán tự 如意, Quốc ngữ như ý).
History
Chinese classic textsChinese classic texts
Chinese classic texts, or Chinese canonical texts, today often refer to the pre-Qin Chinese texts, especially the Neo-Confucian titles of Four Books and Five Classics , a selection of short books and chapters from the voluminous collection called the Thirteen Classics. All of these pre-Qin texts...
from the Former Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
(206 BC - 24 AD) have the earliest usages of the word ruyi. For example, the Shiji history uses it both literally for "as one wishes" and for the given name of Liu Ruyi
Liu Ruyi
Liu Ruyi , also known as Prince Yin of Zhao was the fourth son of Emperor Gao of Han and Concubine Qi. In 200 BC, he was made Prince of Dai after Liu Xi was demoted for fleeing his Dai province from Xiongnu forces. In 198 BC, Ruyi replaced Zhang Ao as Prince of Zhao after Ao was falsely accused...
劉如意 (d. 195 BC), who was the son of Emperor Gaozu of Han and Concubine Qi
Concubine Qi
Concubine Qi , also known as Lady Qi or Consort Qi , was the favoured concubine of Han Gaozu , the first emperor of the Chinese Han Dynasty. She was called by some as Qi the Benign .She was born in Dingtao , Shandong. Liu Ruyi , later entitled Prince of Zhao, was their son...
.
Scholars have proposed two basic theories for the origin of the ruyi, writes Kieschnick (2003:141). The former is that ruyi originated from Sanskrit anuruddha "a ceremonial scepter" used by Buddhist monks in India, who later brought it to China, transliterated as analu 阿那律 or translated as ruyi. The latter theory is that ruyi originated as a backscratcher
Backscratcher
A backscratcher is a tool used, as the name would suggest, for relieving itches for areas that cannot easily be reached just by one's own hands, typically the back.- Composition and variation :...
in early China, and was amalgamated with the Buddhist symbol of authority.
During the Later Han Dynasty
Han Dynasty
The Han Dynasty was the second imperial dynasty of China, preceded by the Qin Dynasty and succeeded by the Three Kingdoms . It was founded by the rebel leader Liu Bang, known posthumously as Emperor Gaozu of Han. It was briefly interrupted by the Xin Dynasty of the former regent Wang Mang...
(25-220 AD) and Jin Dynasty
Jìn Dynasty (265-420)
The Jìn Dynasty , was a dynasty in Chinese history, lasting between the years 265 and 420 AD. There are two main divisions in the history of the Dynasty, the first being Western Jin and the second Eastern Jin...
(265-420 AD), literati and nobles often held ruyi during conversations and other social occasions. It was called a tanbing 談柄 "conversation baton" (cf. the Native American talking stick
Talking stick
The talking stick, also called a speaker's staff, is an instrument of aboriginal democracy used by many tribes, especially those of indigenous peoples of the Northwest Coast. In a tribal council circle, a talking stick is passed around from member to member allowing only the person holding the...
) and was used much like zhuwei 麈尾 "fly-whisk", which practitioners of the qingtan
Qingtan
Qingtan , translated as "pure conversation," was a movement related to Taoism that developed during the Wei-Jin period and continued on through the Southern and Northern dynasties. Qingtan involved witty conversation or debates about metaphysics and philosophy...
清談 "pure conversation" movement popularized during the Six Dynasties
Six Dynasties
Six Dynasties is a collective noun for six Chinese dynasties during the periods of the Three Kingdoms , Jin Dynasty , and Southern and Northern Dynasties ....
period (220-589 AD).
The ca. 554 AD Weishu history records a story that when Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei
Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei
Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei , personal name né Tuoba Hong , later Yuan Hong , was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei....
(r. 471-499 AD) wanted to retire from the throne, he tested his sons by letting them choose among a number objects, and the one who selected a bone ruyi (symbolizing political rule) became Emperor Xuanwu of Northern Wei
Emperor Xuanwu of Northern Wei
Tuoba Ke , later Yuan Ke was known as Emperor Xuanwu of Northern Wei during the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei....
(r. 500-515). Kieschnick (2003:144) concludes "that by the end of the sixth century, now only was the ruyi common at court, but it had even begun to take on emblematic significance as the mark of a ruler." Although the ruyi symbolized imperial political power, it differed from the Western royal scepter because Chinese officials and monks commonly used it.
The ca. 886 AD Duyang zabian 杜陽雜編, which is a collection of Tang Dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
(618-907 AD) stories, records that Emperor Wenzong
Emperor Wenzong of Tang
Emperor Wenzong of Tang , personal name Li Ang , né Li Han , was an emperor of the Tang Dynasty of China. He reigned from 827 to 840. Emperor Wenzong was the second son of Emperor Muzong and younger brother of Emperor Jingzong...
presented an ivory ruyi to the scholar Li Xun (d. 835 AD) and said (tr. Kieschnick 2003:145), "The ruyi may serve you as a lecture baton (tanbing)." Ruyi were both emblems of power and tools of discourse.
In the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
(1368-1644 AD), ruyi became popular as ornaments or gifts symbolizing blessings and good luck. The ca. 1627 AD Zhangwuzhi 長物志 "Treatise on Superfluous Things", by Ming painter Wen Zhenheng
Wen Zhenheng
Wen Zhenheng was a Ming dynasty scholar, painter, landscape garden designer, and great grandson of Wen Zhengming, a famous Ming dynasty painter....
, discussed ruyi aesthetics.
The ruyi was used in ancient times to give directions or to protect oneself from the unexpected. It was for this reason that it was made or iron, and not on the basis of strictly aesthetic considerations. If you can obtain an old iron ruyi inlaid with gold and silver that sparkle now and them, and if it has an ancient dull color, this is the best. As for ruyi made of natural branches or from bamboo and so on, these are all worthless. (tr. Kieschnick 2003:151)
During the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
(1644-1912 AD), ruyi scepters became luxuriant symbols of political power that were regularly used in imperial ceremonies, and were highly valued as gifts to and from the Emperor of China
Emperor of China
The Emperor of China refers to any sovereign of Imperial China reigning between the founding of Qin Dynasty of China, united by the King of Qin in 221 BCE, and the fall of Yuan Shikai's Empire of China in 1916. When referred to as the Son of Heaven , a title that predates the Qin unification, the...
. Since 3 and 9 are considered lucky numbers in Chinese culture, Qing craftsmen elaborated the traditional handle and head type ruyi into two-headed sanjiang-ruyi 三鑲如意 "3-inlay ruyi" with precious stones set in both heads and middle of the handle and jiujiu-ruyi 九九如意 "9-9 ruyi" presentational sets of nine. The Qianlong Emperor
Qianlong Emperor
The Qianlong Emperor was the sixth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. The fourth son of the Yongzheng Emperor, he reigned officially from 11 October 1735 to 8 February 1796...
presented a ruyi to the British ambassador George Macartney
George Macartney, 1st Earl Macartney
George Macartney, 1st Earl Macartney, KB was an Irish-born British statesman, colonial administrator and diplomat. He is often remembered for his observation following Britain's success in the Seven Years War and subsequent territorial expansion at the Treaty of Paris that Britain now controlled...
in 1793, and in his description (quoted by Kieschnick 2003:139-140), "It is a whitish, agate-looking stone, about a foot and a half long, curiously carved, and highly prized by the Chinese, but to me it does not appear in itself to be of any great value."
During the historical evolution of Chinese ruyi "as one wishes", they have been used as backscratchers, ritual objects in Buddhism and later Daoism, pointers for public speakers, prized icons of political power and wealth, and auspicious gifts expressing best wishes.
Art
In artChinese art
Chinese art is visual art that, whether ancient or modern, originated in or is practiced in China or by Chinese artists or performers. Early so-called "stone age art" dates back to 10,000 BC, mostly consisting of simple pottery and sculptures. This early period was followed by a series of art...
, ruyi scepters often appear as attributes of Buddhist saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
s and Daoist xian
Xian (Taoism)
Xian is a Chinese word for an enlightened person, translatable in English as:*"spiritually immortal; transcendent; super-human; celestial being"...
. The god of prosperity Cai Shen 財神 is often depicted holding a ruyi. Stylized repetitions of the shape are incorporated as a motif in the depiction of heavenly clouds. Ruyi symbolize achieving prosperity in fengshui practice. The ruyi shape appears as a motif in decorative knots, Oriental rug
Oriental rug
An authentic oriental rug is a handmade carpet that is either knotted with pile or woven without pile.By definition - Oriental rugs are rugs that come from the orient...
patterns, folk artifacts, and even modern corporate logos. Stylized ruyi often function as a kind of ante-fixae
Ante-fixae
An antefix is a vertical block which terminates the covering tiles of the roof of a tiled roof. In grand buildings the face of each stone ante-fix was richly carved, often with the anthemion ornament...
or palmette
Palmette
The palmette is a motif in decorative art which, in its most characteristic expression, resembles the fan-shaped leaves of a palm tree. It has an extremely long history, originating in Ancient Egypt with a subsequent development through the art of most of Eurasia, often in forms that bear...
in traditional and modern architecture
Chinese architecture
Chinese architecture refers to a style of architecture that has taken shape in East Asia over many centuries. The structural principles of Chinese architecture have remained largely unchanged, the main changes being only the decorative details...
.
Word usage in East Asian Buddhism
With the introduction of Buddhism in ChinaBuddhism in China
Chinese Buddhism refers collectively to the various schools of Buddhism that have flourished in China since ancient times. Buddhism has played an enormous role in shaping the mindset of the Chinese people, affecting their aesthetics, politics, literature, philosophy and medicine.At the peak of the...
, scholars used Chinese ruyi 如意 to translate Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
terms, which Japanese Buddhism subsequently borrowed as nyoi 如意. The basic word ruyi (nyoi) "as one wishes" translated three terms.
- kalpavrikshaKalpavrikshaKalpavriksha , also known as kalpataru, kalpadruma and kalpapādapa, is a mythological, wish-fulfilling divine tree said to fulfill all desires. It was mentioned in Sanskrit literature from the earliest sources onwards...
"wish fulfilling tree; the manifestation of what one wishes" - siddhiSiddhiis a Sanskrit noun that can be translated as "perfection", "accomplishment", "attainment", or "success". The term is first attested in the Mahabharata. In the Pancatantra, a siddhi may be any unusual skill or faculty or capability...
or riddhi "spiritual power; supernatural ability to manifest things at will" - anuruddha "a ceremonial mace; a priest's staff"
The legendary cintamani
Cintamani
Cintamani also spelled as Chintamani is a wish-fulfilling jewel within both Hindu and Buddhist traditions, equivalent to the philosopher's stone in Western alchemy....
"wish-fulfilling jewel; jewel that grants all desires" is the most famous Buddhist usage, known as the ruyizhu (nyoi-shu) 如意珠 "as-one-wishes jewel" or ruyibaozhu (nyoi-hōju) 如意寶珠"as-one-wishes precious jewel". The Digital Dictionary of Buddhism
Digital Dictionary of Buddhism
The project of the Digital Dictionary of Buddhism was initiated by Charles Muller, a specialist in East Asian Buddhism, during his first year of graduate school when he realized the dearth of lexicographical works available for both East Asian Buddhism and classical Chinese...
's ruyizhu entry explains.
A maṇi-jewel; magical jewel, which manifests whatever one wishes for (Skt. maṇi, cintā-maṇi, cintāmaṇi-ratna). According to one's desires, treasures, clothing and food can be manifested, while sickness and suffering can be removed, water can be purified, etc. It is a metaphor for the teachings and virtues of the Buddha. … Said to be obtained from the dragon-king of the sea, or the head of the great fish, Makara, or the relics of a Buddha.
The ca. 1150 AD Fusō ryakki 扶桑略記 "Brief History of Fusang
Fusang
Fusang or Fousang refers to several different entities in ancient Chinese literature, often either a mythological tree or a mysterious land to the East....
" by Kōen 皇圓, the teacher of Hōnen, recounts a Japanese nyoi-hōju legend involving the monk Foshi (Bussei) 佛誓 "Buddha's Vow".
There lived in Northern India a Buddhist abbot, "Buddha's vow" by name, who for the sake of mankind sought the "Precious pearl which grants all desires". He went on board a ship and, when in the midst of the sea, by Buddha's power called up the Dragon-king. After having bound him by means of mystic formulae (tantras), he required the pearl from him, whereupon the dragon, unable to escape, took the pearl from his head and prepared to hand it over to the priest. The latter stretched out his left hand, at the same time making the "sword-sign"', a mudrā (mystic finger-twisting), with his right hand. The Dragon-king, however, said: "In former times, when the Dragon-king Sāgara's daughter gave a precious pearl to Cākyamuni, the latter received it with folded hands; why should a pupil of the Buddha accept it with one hand?" Then the priest folded his hands, giving up the mudrā, and was about to take the pearl, when the Dragon-king, no longer suppressed by the mystic sign, freed himself from his bands and ascended to the sky, leaving the abbot behind with empty hands, and destroying his boat. The only man who was saved was the priest himself. Afterwards the same abbot met Bodhidharma, the patriarch, who came across the sea from Southern India (in 526), and together they went to Japan. (tr. de Visser 1913:189)
Erik Zürcher (1997:407) suggests that association between ruyi and the legendary ruyibao "wish-fulfilling gem" explains the dichotomy between it being both a mundane backscratcher and a Buddhist symbol.
Two additional Sino-Japanese Buddhist translations are:
- Ruyiwutan (Nyoi-muton) 如意無貪 "fulfill wishes without craving" translates Analu 阿那律 AnuruddhaAnuruddhaAnuruddha was one of the five head disciples and a cousin of Gautama Buddha.-Early years:Anuruddha was the son of Sukkhodana and brother to Mahanama. Since Sukkhodana was the brother of Suddhodana, king of the Sakyas in Kapilavastu, Anuruddha was cousin to Siddhartha, . He was a kshatriya by...
, one of the original disciples of Gautama BuddhaGautama BuddhaSiddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian... - Ruyilun (Nyoi-rin) 如意輪 "wish-fulfilling wheel", or Ruyilun-guanyin (Nyoi-rin-kannon) 如意輪観音 translates Chintamanicakra, a manifestation of Guanyin (Kannon) in Esoteric Buddhism, who is usually depicted with the cintamani magic jewel and the falun 法輪 "wheel of dharma" DharmacakraDharmacakraThe Dharmachakra , lit. "Wheel of Dharma" or "Wheel of Life" is a symbol that has represented dharma, the Buddha's teaching of the path to enlightenment, since the early period of Indian Buddhism. A similar symbol is also in use in Jainism...
Several Buddhist temples in Japan
Buddhist temples in Japan
Along with Shinto shrines, Buddhist temples are the most numerous, famous, and important religious buildings in Japan.The term "Shinto shrine" is used in opposition to "Buddhist temple" to mirror in English the distinction made in Japanese between Shinto and Buddhist religious structures. In...
are named Nyoi.
- Nyoirin-ji 如意輪寺 is a Pure LandPure landA pure land, in Mahayana Buddhism, is the celestial realm or pure abode of a Buddha or Bodhisattva. The various traditions that focus on Pure Lands have been given the nomenclature Pure Land Buddhism. Pure lands are also evident in the literature and traditions of Taoism and Bön.The notion of 'pure...
temple in Yoshino, NaraYoshino, Narais a town located in Yoshino District, Nara Prefecture, Japan.As of September 1, 2007, the town had an estimated population of 9397 and a density of 97.93 persons per km². The total area was 95.65 km².-Geography:...
, famous for a Nyoi-rin image by En no GyōjaEn no GyojaEn no Gyōja , or En no Ozunu , born 634, was a Japanese ascetic and mystic, traditionally held to be the founder of Shugendō, a syncretic religion incorporating aspects of Taoism, Shinto, esoteric Buddhism and traditional Japanese shamanism... - Nyoi-ji 如意寺 is a TendaiTendaiis a Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism, a descendant of the Chinese Tiantai or Lotus Sutra school.Chappell frames the relevance of Tendai for a universal Buddhism:- History :...
temple in KobeKobe, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, and a Shingon temple in Kyōtango, KyotoKyotango, Kyotois a city in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. It was formed on April 1, 2004 by the merger of the towns of Mineyama and Omiya, both from Naka District,the towns of Amino, Tango and Yasaka, all from Takeno District, and the town of Kumihama, from Kumano District...
In some schools of Zen
Zen
Zen is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism founded by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma. The word Zen is from the Japanese pronunciation of the Chinese word Chán , which in turn is derived from the Sanskrit word dhyāna, which can be approximately translated as "meditation" or "meditative state."Zen...
like Sanbo Kyodan
Sanbo Kyodan
Sanbo Kyodan is a Zen sect derived from both the Rinzai and Soto traditions of Japanese Zen.-History:...
, the ceremonial scepter of a roshi
Roshi
is a Japanese honorific title used in Zen Buddhism that literally means "old teacher" or "elder master" and sometimes denotes a person who gives spiritual guidance to a Zen sangha or congregation...
is called kotsu 骨 "bone; relic" instead of nyoi.
The scepter has a slight S-shaped curve, like a human spinal column. The rōshi uses the kotsu, for example, to emphasize a point in a teishō, to lean on when sitting, or also occasionally to strike a student. (Diener, Erhard, and Fischer-Schreiber 1991:119)
Other usages in Chinese
- Ruyi 如意 "as-one-wishes" was a 692 AD era name of Empress Wu ZetianWu ZetianWu Zetian , personal name Wu Zhao , often referred to as Tian Hou during the Tang Dynasty and Empress Consort Wu in later times, was the only woman in the history of China to assume the title of Empress Regnant...
- Ruyiniang 如意娘 "as-one-wishes mother" was the name of a Tang Dynasty Yuefu poem by Wu Zetian
- Ruyi Jingu Bang 如意金箍棒 "as-one-wishes gold banded cudgel" is a magical weapon of Sun WukongSun WukongSun Wukong , also known as the Monkey King is a main character in the classical Chinese epic novel Journey to the West . In the novel, he is a monkey born from a stone who acquires supernatural powers through Taoist practices...
in the ca. 1590 AD Chinese novel Journey to the WestJourney to the WestJourney to the West is one of the Four Great Classical Novels of Chinese literature. It was written by Wu Cheng'en in the 16th century. In English-speaking countries, the tale is also often known simply as Monkey. This was one title used for a popular, abridged translation by Arthur Waley... - Ruyiyou 如意油 "as-one-wishes oil" or Yu-Yee oilYu-Yee oilWong Cheung-Wah Yu Yee Oil is a medicated ointment. The name is based on the term ruyi , which literally means "as one wishes". It is available mainly in traditional Chinese medical halls and provision shops.-Composition:*Peppermint Oil...
(from CantoneseStandard CantoneseCantonese, or Standard Cantonese, is a language that originated in the vicinity of Canton in southern China, and is often regarded as the prestige dialect of Yue Chinese....
) is a therapeutic preparation in Traditional Chinese MedicineTraditional Chinese medicineTraditional Chinese Medicine refers to a broad range of medicine practices sharing common theoretical concepts which have been developed in China and are based on a tradition of more than 2,000 years, including various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage , exercise , and dietary therapy... - Ruyicao 如意草 "as-one-wishes plant" is the greater burdockGreater burdockGreater burdock, Edible burdock, or Lappa Burdock is a biennial plant of the Arctium genus in the Asteraceae family, cultivated in gardens for its root used as a vegetable.-Description:...
, Arctium lappa
Besides Prince Liu Ruyi (above), Ruyi is used in other personal name
Personal name
A personal name is the proper name identifying an individual person, and today usually comprises a given name bestowed at birth or at a young age plus a surname. It is nearly universal for a human to have a name; except in rare cases, for example feral children growing up in isolation, or infants...
s.
- Murong Ruyi 慕容如意 was a son of General Murong Baiyao 慕容白曜, both of whom were executed by Emperor Xianwen of Northern WeiEmperor Xianwen of Northern WeiEmperor Xianwen of Northern Wei , personal name Tuoba Hong, was an emperor of the Chinese/Xianbei dynasty Northern Wei...
in 470 AD - Pang Ruyi 逄如意 is Gong LiGong LiGong Li is a Chinese film actress. Gong first came into international prominence through close collaboration with Chinese director Zhang Yimou and is credited with helping to bring Chinese cinema to Europe and the United States....
's character in the movie Temptress MoonTemptress MoonTemptress Moon is a 1996 Chinese film directed by Chen Kaige. It was jointly produced by the Shanghai Film Studio and the Taipei-based Tomson Films...
Ruyi can also be a place name.
- Ruyiguan 如意館 "as-one-wishes palace" was a Qing Dynasty library in the Forbidden CityForbidden CityThe Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum...
- Ruyihu 如意湖 "as-one-wishes lake" is "Lake RuyiLake RuyiRuyi Lake is located near the city of Chengde, Hebei, in China....
" located near ChengdeChengdeChengde , previously known as Jehol or Re He , is a prefecture-level city in Hebei province, People's Republic of China, situated northeast of Beijing. It is best known as the site of the Mountain Resort, a vast imperial garden and palace formerly used by the Qing emperors as summer residence...
in HebeiHebei' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei... - Ruyimen 如意門 "as-one-wishes gate" is a historical SiheyuanSiheyuanA siheyuan is a historical type of residence that was commonly found throughout China, most famously in Beijing. In English, siheyuan are sometimes referred to as Chinese quadrangles. The name literally means a courtyard surrounded by four buildings...
in BeijingBeijingBeijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's... - Ruyixiang 如意鄉 "as-one-wishes township" is part of ShaoshanShaoshanShaoshan is a county-level city in Xiangtan, Hunan Province, noted as the birthplace of Mao Zedong, founder of the People's Republic of China. Shaoshan was an important base during the Chinese Communist Revolution....
city
Other usages in Japanese
Besides the Japanese Buddhist temple names above, some other proper names include
- Nyoigatake 如意ケ嶽 "as one wishes peak" is located near KyotoKyotois a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
, and the site of a 1509 AD battle, the Nyoi-gatake no Tatakai 如意ケ嶽の戦い - Nyoi-jizai 如意自在 "as one wishes, completely free and unconstrained" is the name of a yōkaiYōkaiare a class of supernatural monsters in Japanese folklore. The word yōkai is made up of the kanji for "otherworldly" and "weird". Yōkai range eclectically from the malevolent to the mischievous, or occasionally bring good fortune to those who encounter them...
spirit in Toriyama SekienToriyama Sekienthumb|200px| was an 18th century scholar and ukiyo-e artist of Japanese folklore. He was the teacher of Utamaro and, before taking up printmaking, a painter of the Kanō school. Toriyama is most famous for his attempt to catalogue all species of yōkai in the Hyakki Yakō series.-References:...
's 1781 AD Gazu Hyakki Tsurezure BukuroGazu Hyakki Tsurezure Bukurois the fourth book of Japanese artist Toriyama Sekien's famous Gazu Hyakki Yakō series, published ca. 1781. These books are supernatural bestiaries, collections of ghosts, spirits, spooks and monsters, many of which Toriyama based on literature, folklore, other artwork... - Nyoi no Watashi 如意の渡し "as one wishes crossing" is a ferryFerryA ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
on the Oyabe RiverOyabe, Toyamais a city located in Toyama, Japan.As of May 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 32,161, with a household number of 9,838, and a density of 239.81 persons per km². The total area is 134.11 km².The city was founded on August 1, 1962....
in Toyama PrefectureToyama Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Hokuriku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Toyama.Toyama is the leading industrial prefecture on the Japan Sea coast, and has the industrial advantage of cheap electricity due to abundant water resources....
External links
- Ruyi Scepters in the Qing Court Collection, Palace Museum Digital Exhibition
- Ruyi (Ju-i), Glossary of Terms for Antique Chinese Porcelain
- "As You Wish" (Ruyi), The Traditional China: China Culture Index
- Ruyi (Joo-i), The Literature, Culture, and Society of Singapore
- Ru-Yi Knot, Chinese Knotting