Cow's jewel seal - Goouhouin

Japanese: 牛玉宝印 - ごおうほういん

A type of talisman issued by temples and shrines. It is often used as the writing paper for oaths. On washi paper, characters such as "Nigatsudo Gyoku Hoin," "Taga Taisha Gyoku Hoin," and "Kumanosan Hoin" are written in a unique style and arrangement, and a red seal representing the seed character (Sanskrit character) of the Buddha or a jewel is stamped on it. Most are woodblock printed, but some are written by brush. They are made during early spring ceremonies such as Shusho-e and Shunie, and are distributed to believers. Gyoku Hoin were originally used to ward off evil and disasters by hanging them at doorways, clamping them to tree branches and placing them at the water outlet of a nursery, or placing them at the bedside of a sick person. However, from the late Kamakura period onwards, they began to be used as the writing paper for oaths, and became particularly common after the Sengoku period.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

寺院･神社から発行される一種の護符。しばしば起請文の料紙に用いられる。和紙に〈二月堂牛玉宝印〉〈多賀大社牛玉宝印〉〈熊野山宝印〉などの文字が独特の字配り，書体で書かれ，仏の種字（しゆじ）(梵字)や宝珠などをあらわす朱印が押されたもの。木版刷りのものが多いが，筆書きのものもあり，修正会（しゆしようえ）や修二会（しゆにえ）などの初春の儀式の中で作られ，信者に配付される。牛玉宝印は本来は戸口にはったり，木の枝にはさんで苗代の水口にたてたり，病人の枕もとにはったりして降魔･除災のまもりにするものだが，鎌倉時代後期以降，起請文を書く際，その料紙に用いられるようになり，戦国時代以降はとくにしばしば使われるようになった。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

<<: Picrorhiza kurrooa Royle

>>: Cow Princess - Goou no Hime