Enshosen - Anti-winner coin

A type of Chinese talisman in the shape of a coin. Its correct name is "yosho-sen," with yosho meaning to ward off evil with a spell. On the front of the coin are inscribed auspicious words such as "Long live the coming of the autumn," "May the world be at peace," and "May evil be warded off and misfortune be warded off," while on the back are engraved designs of the Big Dipper, two fish, a turtle and snake, a dragon and a phoenix, and a new moon. It originated during the Xin period (9-23) under Wang Mang, when the theory of divination was in vogue, and was actively cast even after the Tang and Song dynasties. It comes in a variety of shapes, including rectangular, and those that were introduced to Japan are highly valued as picture coins, or "ga-sen."

[Isamu Ogata]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

銭の形をかたどった中国の護符（お守り）の一種。正しくは「ようしょうせん」といい、厭勝(ようしょう)とはまじないをもって邪悪を払うこと。銭の表(おもて)面に「千秋万歳」「天下太平」「去殃除凶(きょおうじょきょう)」などの吉祥語を書き入れ、背面に北斗、双魚、亀蛇(きだ)、竜鳳(りゅうほう)、新月などの図案を刻している。讖緯(しんい)説が流行した王莽(おうもう)の新（9～23）の時代に起源をもち、唐・宋(そう)以降に至っても盛んに鋳造された。形状は長方形など多彩であり、日本に伝来したものは、絵銭、画銭として珍重されている。

［尾形　勇］

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