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Kiku (菊)
Japanese. ‘Chrysanthemum’. Name
for the Chrysanthemum Seal, i.e. the Imperial Seal of Japan, which
is also referred to as the Chrysanthemum Flower Seal or Imperial
Chrysanthemum Emblem. The yellow symbol with black outlines consists
of a central disc surrounded by a front set of 16 flower petals and
a rear set of 16 petals that are half staggered in relation to the
front set and visible only at the edges of the flower. The Imperial
Seal represents longevity and rejuvenation and was under the Meiji
constitution allowed to be used only by the Emperor of Japan,
whereas each other member of the Japanese Imperial family used a
slightly modified version of the seal. Similar modified seals are
also used in
Shinto
shrines related to the Imperial
family, while in Buddhist
iconography,
also outside Japan, a very similar emblem, yet representing a
lotus
flower, can often be found in
iconography, especially on temple walls, fences
(fig.)
and gates, as well as behind
Buddha images,
in
Myanmar. Also referred to as Kikumon (菊紋), Kikukamon (菊花紋) and
Kikukamonsho (菊花紋章), the latter meaning ‘Chrysanthemum Flower Design
Emblem’. See also
Amaterasu.
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