Three+Wise+Monkeys

The Three Wise Monkeys are a symbol some times referred to as the three mystic apes. This symbol is three monkeys; one with its hands over its eyes, another with its hands over its mouth, and the other with its hands over its ears. The symbol represents see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. The source that made this popular was a 17th century carving over a door of the famous Tosho-gu shrine in Nikko, Japan. This was carved by a person named Hidari Jingoro. This teaching has nothing to do with monkeys, however, this concept came from a play on words. In Nikko, there is a Shinto shrine and the monkey is important in the Shinto religion.

These monkeys have been given names over the years it has been around. The monkey covering his eyes that can see no evil is Mizaru. The monkey that is covering its mouth who speaks no evil is Lwazaru. The monkey that covers its ears and hears no evil is Kikazaru. Sometimes, there is a fourth monkey who has his arms crossed, he represents do no evil, his name is Shizaru.

However, the Japanese were not the first to come up with this, the Chinese had a similar saying in the 2nd to 4th century B.C., "Look not at what is contrary to propriety; listen not to what is contrary to propriety; speak not what is contrary to propriety; make no movement which is contrary to propriety." Many believe that it was brought to Japan by the Chinese and shortened by the Japanese.

- Also By Megan Wilson