Inventory #

J17-5245

Dimensions

45" high long x 74½" wide

Retail Price

$0.00 Price upon request

Description

Late 18th or early 19th century Japanese, ramie ground monk's ritual vestment, with silk thread reinforced stitching, Buddhist, Zen sect. Probably for summer use. Called a kesa, this garment is the most sacred garment worn by ordained Zen monks. Ramie is one of the oldest fiber crops, having been used for at least six thousand years, and is principally used for fabric production. It is a bast fiber, and the part used is the bark (phloem) of the vegetative stalks.