The Golden Country by Shusaku Endo

Author:Shusaku Endo
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 0-8048-3337-0
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing

INOUE: I wonder if Christ had a face like this.

TOMONAGA: I don't know. But all the paintings brought over by the Fathers have this same kind of face.

INOUE: Long ago when I was a Christian, I once asked one of the Fathers about the face of Christ. He told me that even in the Scriptures there was nothing written about it. In other words, this face must have been imagined by those who came later.

TOMONAGA: I don't know.

INOUE: Yes, it must have been imagined. It's a face made up of man's petitions, his griefs, his joys, his dreams over a period of many years. Just as the face of Buddha is a face made up of the poor farmers' fantasies, this face of Christ embodies all the dreams of the Christians. To a woman, it is the most beautiful masculine face; to a man—just look. Such tranquillity, such strength, such reserve!

TOMONAGA: Is that so? Such a painting no longer has any meaning for me. It's like a gold coin to a cat. No matter what kind of face it is.

INOUE: What if we should ask the Christians to step on this face?

TOMONAGA: I don't understand.

INOUE: If we ask them to stamp on this picture with their feet?

Tomonaga looks down in silence.

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