The following photographic-rich article is about the human-faced fish from the viewpoint of the visual anthropology and cryptozoology by Takeshi Yamada. Yamada is one of the most active artists in New York City and has had over 400 fine art exhibitions internationally with his paintings and sculptures. This comprehensive article features subject matters such as real human-faced animals, Renaissance time zoology, cult of Global Warming, real human-faced fish, real walking fish with arms and legs, real 12-legged fish, Jenny Haniver, rogue taxidermy artworks of human-faced fish, fish-human, American modern sideshow, gaffs, and other fascinating topics. This manuscript was produced by Dr. Eriko N. Bond, an active art critic and author in New York City, as told by Takeshi Yamada.

TAKESHI YAMADA

ON

HUMAN-FACED FISH

AND

WALKING FISH

Chapter 4

Artifacts and Artworks of Human-faced Fish

In the history of many nations around the world, there are numerous artworks inspired by the subject of human-faced fish. Human-faced fish are often featured in their folktales, legions, and mythologies. The artifacts and artworks of them (excluding mermaids) were featured in this chapter.

Even in recent decades, numerous manga, television cartoons, caricatures, and animation movies (such as “Little Mermaid”) featuring images of human-faced fish were produced. Nevertheless, for the purpose and the nature of this article, they were all intentionally omitted by Takeshi Yamada.

Artifacts of Human-faced Fish

Artworks of human-faced fish are not a modern invention. The human-faced fish was featured in numerous mythologies of Western and Eastern worlds, and thus it can be found in numerous artifacts (although they have usually never been spotlighted for public display). Here are examples of rare artifacts featuring the human-faced fish.

The Yangshao culture (Chinese: 仰韶文化; pinyin: Yangsháo wénhuà) was a Neolithic culture that existed extensively along the central Yellow River in China. The Yangshao culture is dated from around 5,000 BC to 3,000 BC. The culture is named after Yangshao, the first excavated representative village of this culture, which was discovered in 1921 in Henan Province. The culture flourished mainly in the provinces of Henan, Shaanxi and Shanxi. One of the artifacts found there has a picture of human-faced fish as shown below.

Painted pottery bowl with 'human-faced fish' (renminyu) motif, Yangshao culture,

unearthed in Banpo, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 5,000 BC to 3,000 BC (collected on 1955)

Height: 16.5 cm. Collection of the China National Museum.

http://www1.chinaculture.org/classics/2008-01/11/content_126473.htm

http://www.chinaheritagequarterly.org/articles.php?searchterm=010_genetalia.inc&issue=010

Human-faced fish. Teracotta. China. 10 -11th century.

http://nsrex.hp.infoseek.co.jp/documents/human_faced_fish.html

In Japan, the mermaid and the human-faced fish were often featured in old encyclopedias (wood block print on paper) with pictures.

Jinmengyo (human-faced fish) featured in Japanese ancient encyclopedia.

It states “人魚” (mermaid) but the picture illustrated here is actually a human-faced fish. 宝暦 12 (1762)

Water-dwelling monsters by Hokusai Katsushika.

“Ningo” (mermaid) is top right. “Kappa” (water spirit) is lower right.

It states “人魚” (mermaid) at the top right but the picture illustrated here is actually a human-faced fish

published woodblock print from a bound book “Hokusai’s Manga”, 1815 (Japan)

Shown below are the traditional Japanese “chochin” lantern of Human-faced (人面魚提灯, Jinmengyo chouchin) and Japanese sweet rice crackers of the Human-faced fish (人面魚煎餅, Jinmengyo senbei) sold at Zenhouji Buddhist Temple (善宝寺) in Japan today. The temple also sells key chains, Jinmengyo manjyu (Human-faced fish sweet rice cake), Jinmengyo soba (Human-faced fish buckwheat noodle), T-shirts and Japanese rice wine featuring the image and the Chinese pictogram of this human-faced fish. As you can see here, souveniors of human-faced fish are considered  very popular good luck charms among people in Japan.

www.geocities.jp/you8639/gentei/gentei.htm

The Japanese traditional lantern with the picture of the human-faced fish and the Chinese pictograms of this animal on it.  It is sold as a good-luck charm.

The bagged Japanese traditional sweet rice crackers with the picture of the human-faced fish on the front. The Chinese pictograms of the “human-faced fish” and the name of the Buddhist temple were printed on the back. Many mainstream Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines in Japan sell this type of snack representing the attractions to be enjoyed there. This is a popular and common form of an edible good-luck-charm.

A newspaper article entitled “Jinmen gyo soba mo deta!” (“buckwheat noodle entitled Human-faced fish was also sold!”) from Tokyo Sports in Japan on December 29, 1990.

Artworks of Human-faced Fish

These are specific criteria and conditions of human-faced fish featured in this article. These are all created by Takeshi Yamada.

1. The artworks of human-faced fish must be crafted with the skill of the Renaissance artists and/or the skill of the modern/today’s scientists.

2. The artworks of human-faced fish must have the appearance of authenticity and/or believability with intricate details, renderings, and “natural’ appearances.

3. The artworks of human-faced fish must be good enough to be exhibited publicly at contemporary American sideshows, fine art galleries, and museums.

4. The artworks of human-faced fish must be good enough for inclusion on websites specializing in crypto-zoology and/or cabinet of curiosities, or American circus sideshows.

5. The artworks must be museum quality, which means they must be produced by the hands of high quality artists, whose artworks were collected at at least a dozen  higher educational/cultural institutions such as museums and universities/colleges. 

Crypto-zoological Drawings of Human-faced Fish

Here are a few examples of breath-taking pen and ink drawings on paper of human-faced fish by Takeshi Yamada.

(top) The detail of the spinal bone of the human-faced fish.

(middle) Armored fish.

(bottom) Spanish Double-human-faced fish.

8.5x11inch, pen and ink on paper, Takeshi Yamada, 2007(20070720)

Details of two human faces appearing on this monstrous fish.

Takeshi Yamada, 2007 (20070720)

Japanese Human-faced Fish

Pen and ink on paper, 8.5x11 inch, Takeshi Yamada, 2007 (20070809)

Italian Human-faced Fish

Pen and ink on paper, 8.5x11 inch, Takeshi Yamada, 2007 (20071213)

Sideshow World, Sideshow Performers from around the world.

Chinese Human-faced Fish

Pen and ink on paper, 8.5x11 inch, Takeshi Yamada, 2007 (20071214)

Brazilian Carnivorous Human-faced Fish

Pen and ink on paper, 8.5x11 inch, Takeshi Yamada, 2007 (20071215)

Iranian Horned Carnivorous Human-faced Fish (Iranian Devil Fish)

Pen and ink on paper, 8.5x11 inch, Takeshi Yamada, 2007 (20071217)

French Human-faced Fish

Pen and ink on paper, 8.5x11 inch, Takeshi Yamada, 2007 (20071217)

Continue to Chapter 5

Copyright by Takeshi Yamada, Museum of World Wonders in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York, October 2007. Revised in August 2008. All Rights Reserved.    

E-mail: yamada108@verizon.net

Special thanks to Dr. Eriko N. Bond, Lauren D. Travis, Maremi Kakushina, Dr. Abraham Morris, and Seara (Sea Rabbit).

Also special thanks to Steve Stickney (Senior Proofreader)

http://sideshowworld.com/SSA-15.html

http://www.roguetaxidermy.com/members_detail.php?id=528

http://www.horseshoecrab.org/poem/feature/takeshi.html

http://www.brooklynpubliclibrary.org/events/exhibitions/other/worldwonders.jsp

http://www.timeout.com/newyork/articles/own-this-city/3388/animal-crossing

http://www.villagevoice.com/2006-11-07/nyc-life/the-stuffing-dreams-are-made-of/

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