On the morning of October 31st, 2019, a large fire broke out and burned down the main hall and two adjacent buildings to the north and south of Shuri Castle. The fire also destroyed over 400 artifacts and documents, including paintings, lacquerware, ancient writings, and dyed fabrics.
To pay tribute to the fallen modern symbol of the Ryukyu Kingdom, I am creating a series of drawings to commemorate Shuri Castle. These artworks are free to download and printed for non-commercial use. This is the second part of the series, you can download the first one here.
This artwork is about the gates of Shuri Castle. During Ryukyu era, important religious rituals were performed outside of the walls of Shuri Castle, the most famous one being Seifa Utaki in Nanjo City. There are fifteen gates connecting to the inner area of Shuri Castle, each has a unique function. The king and the royal family, as well as some of the most important individuals of the nation, may pass any gate depending on the event, the construction of the gates follow strict rules from the direction they face to the choice of name.
This is a drawing of Zuisenmon, it means The Gate of Splendid and Auspicious Spring. Zuisen is one of the largest gates that leads to the main hall of Shuri Castle, and it is also one of the most used gates for tourists before the fire.
I hope you will print it, frame it, and find a place for it in your home, your office, and your heart.
Desmond Liang
Co-Founder of Oki Soical
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Oki Social Original Shuri Castle Ornament
We created a Shuri Castle ornament to support the Shuri Castle restoration project. Please hang it on your tree, by the window, in your car, somewhere close to your heart.
