| The theme of this pair of Menuki is Kengyu and Orihime, Legend of Tanabata Story. The Tanabata legend of the Kengyu and Orihime is an old Chinese fable. Once upon a time, on the west bank of the Milky Way, there lived Orihime, the daughter of the Emperor. Orihime was diligently weaving on her loom every day on the banks of the Milky Way. Feeling pity for the weaver who never had a lover, the Emperor Tentei introduced her to Kengyu Hikoboshi, a serious and hard-working young man who kept cattle on the other side of the Milky Way, and the two soon became friends and Married. They happily became a married couple, but their life as a couple was so much fun that Orihime stopped weaving her weaving machine, and the cow driver stopped chasing cattle. This angered the Emperor and separated them across the Milky Way. However, Tentei allowed him to cross the Milky Way and meet him once a year, on the night of July 7th, on the condition that he worked hard at his job. From then on, people began to write their thoughts and wishes on strips of paper, hang them on bamboo leaves, and place them at gates to pray to the stars on July 7th, the night of Tanabata, for their wishes to come true. This pair of menuki depicts Orihime and Kengyu elaborately rendered in shakudo. |
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