Asian iron(?) pot with mole people?!

Another estate sale in the French Quarter, I found an odd pot that caught my eye hidden in the back of a closet. Its exactly 1 ft in diameter and two scenes on it. The first looks like a woman washing clothes in a river. The second is a samurai who looks like a cat to me and talking to what appears to be mole people?! I buy things i have a strange attachment to, im totally ignorant about this item. Any info is greatly appreciated

 

It looks Chinese to me, and like it has some age on it. Beyond that...dunno....

 

I'm taking a wild guess and say it's a child's chamber pot. Looks more Japanese than Chinese to me, but the lotus? in the river looks Chinese.
Possible very very old?
The message conveyed by the drawings being, that you should never
do your business in the river. That's where mama washes your clothes.

 

The squatting adult male looks Japanese and the rest looks pretty well Chinese. The actual experts will be along shortly.

 

ibpg you are right, it is a samurai, or rather an animal in classic samurai dress (no armour).The pot is brass or bronze.
It could be a kitsune, a highly intelligent Japanese mythical fox who can appear in many guises and often has the role of a trickster. The bag in his hand probably contains something magic.
His attendant to the left looks like a monkey with a sword, maybe the kitsune's sword. The creature on the right does not look like a mole to me, with that long tail.
You would have to research kitsune myths to find the story the scene is from. But there are thousands of kitsune stories.
The woman could be trying to cross the river, the scene is probably also from a story or myth.
Here is something on kitsune:
http://mythology.net/japanese/japanese-creatures/kitsune/

@Caribou's House , I love your life lesson, I will certainly heed it.

 

I like odd heavy items too, if u put it up 4 sale pls lemme know.

 

I think that the tail and features of the animal in question resemble a badger.

 

QUESTION:
Isn't a foot in diameter a bit large for a 'child's butt'??? 'He'd' be IN it....not ON it!!!

 

Isn't there some writing behind the cat/samurai's right shoulder? Do we have anyone who can read it?

Badgers do not have long tails either. Maybe a red panda?

 

Hi Bronwen,
When I was a kid i went to the zoo to see the newest catch (a red Panda). I looked all over the enclosure for a red Panda. The black and white Pandras I saw in a book,
The red Panda I wanted to see. Finally a keeper pointed out a tiny red animal smaller then a cat high up in the tree on a branch. I was sooooooo disappointed.
greg

 

The animal appears to have a moderate tail, not exactly long. It resembles a badgers tail to me somewhat .

 

Here is an article on Japanese badgers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_badger

 

I sit corrected on badger tails.

 

@Bronwen, is this what you meant about writing above cat/samuri's R shoulder??? Looks like e & R, but might not even be English!!

 

Tanuki?

https://hyakumonogatari.com/category/tanuki-stories/