An exquisite rendering of the Chinese hero Taikobo (Ch. Jiang Ziya and Lü Shang) fishing upon a boulder along the river’s edge by Seimei dating from the early years of the 20th century enclosed in the original wooden box titled Sei-Do Sei, Iwa Ni Taikobo Okimono. The figure rests with a solid silver fishing rod under his legs dangling over the rocks edge, the entire on a disk of black lacquered wood. The bronze okimono is 23 x 13.5 x 15 cm (9 x 5-1/2 x 6 inches) excluding the fishing rod. It is signed on the back Seimei-koku.
After faithfully serving the Shang court for approximately twenty years, Jiang Ziya came to find the last tyrant of the Shang court insufferable, and feigned madness in order to escape the ruler's power. One day before going out on a hunt, King Wen of a neighboring kingdom performed a divination, which revealed that he would not catch animals, but instead gain a talented person. He encountered Jiang, who had fallen on hard times, fishing at the Wei River. The two conversed, and King Wen rejoiced. Jiang was appointed by King Wen as his military advisor and was given the title Taigong Wang ((jap. Taokobo). He helped the King topple the Shang dynasty.
