flag translation and value ???

[oldflagswanted]

Hello All:
Picked up this flag at my local fleamarket today, and was
wondering about what was on it and what value it might
have? Anyone know what the Little Abner "shmoo" like
figure is all about?


PS/ In Bortner page 82 found top 3 = "Celebrate Your Going To The Front". OFW

[MikeB]

Flag...

Hello Ben-
The figure appears to be that of Daruma, the father of Zen Buddhism in Japan. He lived sometime during the fifth or sixth century AD. Initially Daruma, an Indian sage, brought his philosophy to China via India. In China it was known as Chan Buddhism. Later the teachings made their way to Japan. Differing stories say that he attained enlightenment by meditating in a cave for seven years (others say nine years) where he never blinked or moved his eyes. He takes a rounded form because as legend has it, during meditation his arms and legs became useless and shriveled up. He ended up taking the rounded form you see there. Daruma tends to be a character found decorating good luck flags from time to time.
As an aside, there is a good luck type of story that involves Daruma. It was said that if you had a good luck wish, you would first draw in one of his eyes on a figure (statue, picture, etc.) Once the wish or prayer was granted, you would paint in the second eye. I don't remember any of the other details. Perhaps one of the other fellows here can add to the story.... mikeb

[oldflagswanted]

Shmoo=Daruma

...figure appears to be that of Daruma, the father of Zen Buddhism in Japan.
...he attained enlightenment by meditating in a cave for seven years
...where he never blinked or moved his eyes. He takes a rounded form
because as legend has it, during meditation his arms and legs became
useless and shriveled up. ...mikeb

MikeB:
Thanks for the great info about the Daruma figure, I was dating
myself with the shmoo reference. These days I'm feeling more
like the Daruma guy all the time - i.e., hanging out in my cyberspace
cave with my $10 fleamarket Toshiba Laptop. But still getting out
some in the daylight to look for militaria like finding today's Daruma
flag, and other stuff too. OFW

[Striking 9th]

That flag sure has "The Look"! I like it.
Scott

[RussellM]

Great looking flag, and interesting info from Mike!

Regards

Russ

[MikeB]

Flag...

Yep, it's a nice one for sure. All you need is a good look see of the characters for translation sake. As we observe nearly every month somewhere on this forum, good finds are still out there! mikeb

[Fukuoka]

The phrase next to the Daruma-type figure says the proverb 'Fall down 7 times, get up 8.' The Japanese is '七転び八起き' (Nana korobi, ya oki).

Reminds me when I was a kid in the States, we had the Weebles toys. The ad phrase: 'Weebles wobble but they don't fall down.' That figure even looks like a Weeble, if my memory serves me well...