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Answer: BThe piece of pottery on the left is called a shisa and the piece of stoneware on the right is called an ishiganto. Visitors to Okinawa will see them wherever they go. Both are used to ward off evil spirits. The shisa is a guardian spirit in the shape of a lion. It is usually placed at the entrance to the home or on the roof. It drives away evil spirits and protects the family from disasters, such as fire and bad weather. The shisa has become a custom among Okinawan people. The custom of using lions as lucky charms is said to originate in the ancient civilization of the Orient and was brought to Okinawa from mainland China in about the fourteenth or fifteenth century. The ishiganto is made of stone or plate. People believe that if it is placed at the junction of a T-shaped passage, evil spirits will not be able to turn and will come up against a dead end and flee. |
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