chōren 頂蓮

Also kairen 開蓮. A lotus flower found on the head of a *Fudō Myōō 不動明王 sculpted image. This is distinguished from *shakei 莎髻, where the hair on the figure is styled in the shape of a lotus flower. The chōren is used in the sōhatsu 総髪 hairstyle, where the Fudō has long hair, gathered into a type of pony-tail *benpatsu 弁髪 falling down the left side of the face.