Depicted here, from right to left, are Christ, Buddha, and Confucius—that is to say, the founders of Christianity, Buddhism, and Confucianism. In Chinese painting there had long been a tradition of depicting the so-called “three vinegar tasters,” based on the historical tale of three people of different religions tasting vinegar and frowning together. Generally the three depicted are Buddha, Confucius, and Laozi, the founder of Taoism. Despite their different religions and philosophies, all three share the same sensation of sourness, an indication that there can only be one truth. This painting was made during the Meiji Era (1868–1912), when Western culture was flooding into Japan. One of the holy figures, Laozi, has been replaced with Christ, but judging from the arrangement of the three figures, it is fair to assume that this work is based on the “three vinegar tasters” motif.
(HIBINO Miyon)
Depicted here, from right to left, are Christ, Buddha, and Confucius—that is to say, the founders of Christianity, Buddhism, and Confucianism. In Chinese painting there had long been a tradition of depicting the so-called “three vinegar tasters,” based on the historical tale of three people of different religions tasting vinegar and frowning together. Generally the three depicted are Buddha, Confucius, and Laozi, the founder of Taoism. Despite their different religions and philosophies, all three share the same sensation of sourness, an indication that there can only be one truth. This painting was made during the Meiji Era (1868–1912), when Western culture was flooding into Japan. One of the holy figures, Laozi, has been replaced with Christ, but judging from the arrangement of the three figures, it is fair to assume that this work is based on the “three vinegar tasters” motif.
(HIBINO Miyon)