Database: Jizo Statues
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During the Middle Ages, the cult of Jizo integrated a great variety of beliefs, although its main doctrine remains uncertain. Between the 11th and 12th centuries, the statues of Jizo took the form of a child, embodying their protection. Those called Shogun Jizo warded off disease and epidemics. In the 16th century, it was widely accepted that Jizo comforted the souls of warriors who fell in battle as well as protecting travelers. This can explain why many of these statues are found along pathways. The cult of Jizo, with a bib and a red bonnet on the head, spread during the Edo period as a cult rendered in honor of babies who died in infancy or stillborn.