Wood Carved Mizaru, Kikazaru, and Iwazaru

Wood Carved Mizaru, Kikazaru, and Iwazaru

Approximately 3 1/2" tall

The three wise monkeys. See no evil, Hear no evil and Speak no evil.

WHAT'S ALL THIS MONKEY BUSINESS?
"Those three wise monkeys are supposed to represent a way not to feel evil. ... Similarly, hearing the evil or speaking of it makes a part of us turning into evil. Those three little monkeys would be a call to refuse the evil in our life."

ORIGIN
"The Wise Monkeys originated in Japan, where they have been known since the 16th century; statues of them are set at crossroads in honour of Koshin, the God of Roads, whose attendants they are. There, their slogan is Mi-zaru, kika-zaru, iwa-zaru, ‘No seeing, no hearing, no speaking’, with a pun on saru, Japanese for ‘Monkey’, and it is used seriously to teach prudence and purity."