As other ideas cross my mind--or my desk--I'll interrupt my pilgrimage to share them with you. Never fear: We'll be back in Ningbo before you know it!
Stop me if you've heard this one:
When I was working in Japan, I heard a persistent rumor.
I heard that there had been a Japanese man who was a devotee of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, known in China as Guanyin and in Japan variously as Kannon, Kwanon, and Kanzeon.
You could also add Bosatsu (Japanese for Bodhisattva) after any of these to complete the full name. (When I walk, I often add the appropriate Namo, meaning "Homage," to the front and say: Namo Kanzeon Bosatsu, as its eight syllables make its rhythm perfect for walking four steps.)
Anyway, this devotee was going to make cameras, and wanted to name his product after this great Buddhist figure, the Bodhisattva of Compassion.
So he had a designer work up a logo, but it wasn't working. Then the designer suggested changing the spelling of Kannon a bit, and that's how "Canon Camera" came to be.
You can see the evolution of the logo in part 07 of this page, and the story "straight from the horse's mouth" here. (By the way, there is a form of Kannon called Bato Kannon, with a horse's head as a sort of headdress.)
Here are some photos I swiped from the Canon 80th anniversary announcement:
I used to tell this story to visitors when I gave tours in a temple in L.A., and I'd finish by saying, "so when you see a Canon security camera, you'll know that you're safe in the hands of the Bodhisattva." One visitor observed that I seemed to have a pretty naïve idea of what security cameras were all about!
Note, by the way, that in the top photo the lens is named "Kasyapa," after one of the Buddha's key disciples.
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That's that! Until next time, may you and your loved ones and all sentient beings be well and happy.
Adios, Amigos!
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