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In
Jewish folklore, it symbolizes the closing of the circle of wisdom. In
this story, the Jewish elder, Mordecai recognized 3 principles of faith
from out of the mouths of 3 young boys: "fear not, speak the truth,
and God will protect", possibly the source of the symbolism of the
three sacred monkeys: "hear no evil, speak no evil, and see no evil". The
original three wise monkeys are found over a door in Nikko, Japan.
Collectively they are referred to as Koshin-sama or Koshin-zuka. Their
individual names are Mi-saru (No see), Kika-saru (No hear), and Iwa-saru
(No talk). They are meant to signify the proper behavior of children.
Paradoxically, in Japan the monkey is otherwise normally considered a
symbol of mischief, imitativeness, and malice. |
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