Highlights of the Carvings: West Side
Large panels portray a scene in which three of the Seven Gods of Fortune (shichifukujin) are engaged in the strategy game of go, while children play with the gods’ belongings in the background. On the center panel, the deities Hotei and Ebisu are absorbed in the game, as the deity Daikokuten looks on. Hotei is the guardian of children and is portrayed as a bald man whose robes barely cover his generous belly. He carries a large sack, which the children are pulling at on the left panel. Ebisu is the deity of prosperity and the patron of fishermen.
The children on the right panel carry Ebisu’s fish as they play on the rice bales belonging to Daikokuten, the deity of commerce and the protector of crops. The game of go is one of the four classical accomplishments of Chinese scholars, along with painting, calligraphy, and playing the zither.
Under the eaves, a child escapes from a hole in a large water jar, as the water flows out around him. While the other children had panicked, one child had calmly broken the jar to free his friend. The story reminds the viewer to stay calm in a crisis. Another interpretation is that no matter how precious an object is, human life is more valuable.