Sennin

The Japanese term sennin is a loanword from Chinese xiānrén 仙人 "immortal person", known also as xian "immortal; transcendent; genie; mage; djinn; sage; hermit" in Daoism.

Liu Hai carrying a Chan Chu (three legged toad)

Sennin is a common Japanese character name. For example, Ikkaku Sennin (一角仙人 "One-horned Immortal") was a Noh play by Komparu Zenchiku (金春禅竹, 1405–1471). The Japanese legend of Gama Sennin (蝦蟇仙人 "Toad Immortal") is based upon Chinese Liu Hai (劉海), a fabled 10th-century alchemist who learned the secret of immortality from the Chan Chu ("Three-legged Money Toad").

In art

Sennin with his staff, carver Jobun, XVIIIth century, wood, height 80 mm

Sennin image was perpetuated in many Japanese legends, art, miniature sculpture (netsuke). It is the wooden netsuke, made in the XVIII century. It represents a perplexed old man with one hand based on the curve of a snag, and the other hand is rubbing his head with concern. He is looking somewhere in the sky and tucked up the right leg. This position betrayed him as Sennin Tekkay, whose soul has found the second life in the body of the lame beggar. In shape the beggarly old man this legendary personality portrayed prominent carver of the early period Jobun. This figure is in the collection of the Ukrainian netsuke collector - Boris Filatov.

In media

• Dragon Ball (anime and manga), contains a hermit character known as the Kame-Sen'nin, Turtle Sage, or Master Roshi.
• Naruto (anime and manga), is usually translated to sage (a hermit), using the novelized sense that the hermit is a wise old man that aids the protagonists in their quest towards some good end. The sennin are usually represented by both human and anthropomorphic toads.
• The Twelve Kingdoms also have sennin; many officials in any of the twelve kingdoms' governments are granted immortality and the rank of sennin to better serve their kingdom.
• Touhou Project's Ibara Kasen, the "The One-Armed, Horned Sennin", is a possible reference to the Ikkaku Sennin play.

External links

• Ikkaku Sennin "The One-Horned Rishi", Arthur Waley, 1921, The Nō Plays of Japan
• Ikkaku Sennin, William Packard
• International Netsuke Society, official website
• Boris Filatov's Private Collection of Netsuke