- L. Bernard, "Παγκόσμια Μυθολογία, изд. Μέρμηγκα:
Иллюстрация. Одзин или Хатиман, бог войны, XIX век, стр. 205
- Παγκόσμια Μυθολογία, Philip Wilkinson and Neil Philip, Σκάι βιβλίο, 2009:
Мифы японцев 139
Идзанаги и Идзанами стр. 180 - 181 и 278
Природа и культ предков 181
Сусаноо против Аматэрасу 182 - 183
Япония и Солнце 183
Богиня еды Огецу и Цукиёми (или Сусаноо) 184
Бог риса Инари 185
Женитьба с женщиной-лисой 185
Боги моря, неба и Вселенной. Сусаноо 296
Боги моря, неба и Вселенной. Аматэрасу 297
Божества плодородия и сельского хозяйства. Огецу 310
Боги войны. Хатиман 336
- Illustrated dictionary of Mythology, Philip Wilkinson, A Dorling Kindersley Book, 1998:
Мифы Японии 45
Major gods of Japan 50
Izanagi and Izanami 50
Hiruko (Ebisu) 50
Kunitokotachi 50
Kagutsuchi 50
Yomi 50
Uzume 50
Amaterasu 50
Susanowo 51
Tsuki-yomi 51
Ninigi 51
Wakahiru-me 51
Takami-Misubi 51
Heroes (Ojin (Hachiman), Kintaro, Raiko) 51
Oni 51
Benten 51
Inari 51
Lesser gods of Japan 52
The Old Man who makes the cherry trees blossom 52
Star gods 52
Mountain gods 52
Fujiyama 52
Ryujin 53
Wind gods 53
Water gods 53
Household gods 53
Ukemochi 53
Thunder gods 53
- Joseph Campbell, серия "The masks of God", том "Oriental mythology", изд. Arkana, Penguin group, 1991:
Япония стр. 461 - 504
- David Bellingham, Clio Whittaker, John Grant, "Myths and Legends", изд. Grange Books, 1992, this edition printed 1996:
Японская мифология 181 - 185
Ямато-такеру (Fratricide without remorse) 185 - 186
Ямато-такеру (Cleansing by fire) 186 - 189
Ямато-такеру (Death of Yamato-takeru) 189 - 190
Ямато-такеру (Excluded from the divine) 190 - 191
Идзанаги и Идзанами (The birth of Japan) 191 - 193
Ёми (The Hearth of Yomi) 193 - 194
Смерть приходит в мир 194 - 199
Полулюди-полуптицы 199
Они и Каппы 199 - 202
- W. Y. Evans-Wentz, "Το πνεύμα των Ινδιάνων", пер. Λύσανδρος Μυγιάκης, Афины, изд. Ιάμβλιχος, 1994 год:
Фудзияма 102 - 105
Гора Хиэй и гора Койя 105 - 106
_________________ Мой девиз: один против всех, и всем несдобровать...
Felix Guirand, "Παγκόσμια μυθολογία", изд. Παπαμάρκου, том 2, Αθήνα, 1998, стр. 171 - 198 (введение (источники по Японской мифологии, устные предания, письменные источники), великие японские мифы (ками, Небо и Земля с Адом, происхождение богов и мира, Идзанаги и Идзанами, Идзанаги в Аду, Сусаноо и Аматерасу, возвращение Аматерасу, достижения Сусаноо, приключения О-куни-нуси, Аматерасу и Нинниги, сыновья Нинниги), различные японские боги (Аматерасу, Таками-Музуби, Вакахиру-Ме, Хируко, Цуки-Ёми, звёзды, божества грозы и грома, божества дождя, боги ветров, бог землетрясений, божества гор, божества рек, божества моря, бог огня, боги дороги, аграрные божества, божество камней и скал, богиня еды, бог риса, божества домашнего очага, обожествлённые герои). Автор главы - S. Eliseev _________________ Мой девиз: один против всех, и всем несдобровать...
ЯПОНСКАЯ МИФОЛОГИЯ
Самое раннее систематическое изложение японских мифов содержится в сочинении VIII века «Кодзики» — «Записи о делах древности».
Японский пантеон очень обширен. Мифы утверждают, что существует «восемь миллионов», то есть бесчисленное множество, богов.
В отличие от большинства мифологических систем в японской мифологии нет понятия первоначального хаоса, и земля существует с самого начала, но пребывает в воде в полужидком состоянии, напоминая медузу. Первые божества появились сами собой и не имели никакого облика, «не дали себя увидеть». От этих абстрактных богов родились бог Идзанаки и богиня Идзанами. Они были уже антропоморфны, их имена, предположительно, означают «первый мужчина» и «первая женщина».
Идзанаки и Идзанами поднялись на мост, перекинутый через небесный поток, и стали копьем размешивать мировые воды. От этого земля загустела, — и появился остров. Идзанаки и Идзанами поселились на нем, вступили в брак и породили Восемь островов — Японию, а потом богов — покровителей различных природных явлений. Последним явился бог огня Кагуцути. Он вырвался из чрева Идзанами в виде пламени, отчего ее тело обуглилось и она умерла.
Идзанами сошла в царство мертвых — Страну Желтого источника и стала там владычицей.
Идзанаки отправился следом за женой, надеясь вернуть ее на землю, но его глазам предстало страшное зрелище: из всех частей почерневшего тела Идзанами ежеминутно рождались сонмы злобных демонов. Идзанаки в ужасе бежал прочь, но Идзанами, оскорбленная его испугом, пустилась за ним в погоню во главе порожденных ею демонов.
Идзанаки бросил за спину гребень, превратившийся в бамбуковый лес, затем шапку, ставшую зарослями винограда. Эти препятствия задержали преследователей, и Идзанаки выбрался из царства мертвых. Он объявил Идзанами, что отныне расторгает их брак.
Идзанами сказала: «Мой любезный супруг, если ты соизволишь так поступить, я задушу в один день тысячу человек из этой людской поросли в твоей стране. (Откуда взялась на земле «людская поросль» — в мифах не говорится.) Идзанаки ответил: «Моя любезная супруга, если ты изволишь так поступить, я сооружу в один день тысячу пятьсот домиков для рожениц в моей стране».
Таким образом Идзанами становится темным началом, враждебным людям, а Идзанаки — светлым.
Вернувшись из царства мертвых, Идзанаки совершил обряд очищения, омывшись водой, из которой затем родилось множество новых богов, в том числе из воды, омывшей его левый глаз — богиня солнца Аматэрасу, из воды, омывшей правый глаз — бог луны Цукиеми, из воды, омывшей нос — бог ветра и водной стихии Сусаноо. Идзанаки разделил между этими тремя божествами всю Вселенную. Но Сусаноо, недовольный разделом, стал бесчинствовать во владениях своей сестры, богини Аматэрасу. Он разрушил ограду ее рисовых полей, вытоптал огород, снес крышу с ткацкой мастерской. Рассерженная богиня солнца удалилась в небесную пещеру. Мир погрузился в холод и мрак.
Боги умоляли ее вернуться, они принесли ко входу в пещеру священное зеркало, магическое ожерелье и чудесную птицу, поющую по утрам — петуха, но богиня отказалась даже взглянуть на приношения.
Тогда боги зажгли факелы и при их свете стали исполнять священные песни и пляски. Одна из богинь, Амэ-но-Удзумэ, вскочила на перевернутый медный котел и начала плясать на нем — медь гудела под ее ногами. Увлекшись пляской, богиня сбросила с себя одежду. Это зрелище показалось богам настолько потешным, что они громко расхохотались. Аматэрасу стало любопытно, отчего они так веселятся, и она выглянула из пещеры. Бог Амэ-но Тадзикарао схватил ее за руку — и вытащил наружу. Солнце вновь засияло на небе.
А Сусаноо боги изгнали на землю. На земле он победил восьмиголового и восьмихвостового змея и женился на девушке, которую этот змей собирался пожрать.
Один из потомков Сусаноо, О-Куни Нуси, что означает «бог-хозяин большой страны», взрастил на земле деревья и травы, научил людей исцелять недуги и защищаться от несчастий.
Затем О-Куни Нуси передал власть над землей потомку богини солнца Аматэрасу — богу Ниниги.
Праправнук Ниниги — Дзимму был смертным человеком, и стал первым японским императором.
Мифология занимала значительное место в японской культуре. Мифологические образы получили дальнейшее развитие в народных легендах, многие из которых впоследствии послужили основой для произведений классической японской литературы.
29. УРАСИМА И ЧЕРЕПАХА
Легенда о рыбаке Урасиме, побывавшем на дне моря, очень популярна в Японии.
Подводное царство — «Ватацуми-но куни» — в японской мифологии является одним из воплощений «иного мира», противоположного миру людей. В подводном царстве одновременно сосуществуют все четыре времени года, и само время течет иначе, чем на земле По законам мифологии, человек, переступивший границу двух миров, нарушает равновесие между ними и уже не может вернуться в свой прежний мир.
Легенду об Урасиме иногда называют мифом, иногда — сказкой, хотя мифологическое начало в ней преобладает.
Время возникновения этой легенды неизвестно, но есть указание на то, что в VIII веке, когда на ее сюжет была написана стихотворная баллада, включенная в сборник «Манесю», саму легенду уже считали очень древней. В давние времена жил на берегу моря молодой рыбак Урасима.
Однажды под вечер он возвращался домой с хорошим уловом и увидел, что мальчишки поймали черепаху и гоняют ее по песку, подстегивая прутом.
Рыбак пожалел черепаху, отобрал ее у мальчишек и отпустил в море.
На другой день Урасима, как обычно, отправился ловить рыбу Только вышел он на лодке в море, как из воды показалась спасенная им вчера черепаха и сказала: «Спасибо тебе, Урасима, за то, что избавил меня от верной гибели. Знай, я не простая черепаха, а любимая служанка и подруга морской царевны, прекрасной Отохимэ. Моя госпожа прислала меня за тобой, она хочет сама поблагодарить тебя за твою доброту ко мне».
Урасима сел на спину черепахи, и они спустились в подводное царство.
Там Урасиму встретили морские жители — рыбы, креветки и черепахи, почтительно ему поклонились и проводили в подводный дворец, построенный из жемчужин и украшенный кораллами. Во дворце его ждала морская царевна, прекрасная Ото-химэ.
Царевна поблагодарила рыбака за спасение ее любимой служанки и подруги и попросила быть гостем в подводном царстве.
В честь Урасимы устроили веселый пир, а потом Ото-химэ повела его в свой сад, где были собраны все диковины подводного мира. Там росли волшебные травы, цвели неведомые на земле цветы, мерцали жемчужины и сияли драгоценные камни.
На восточный стороне сада царила весна, расцветали вишни и сливы, пел соловей. На южной — было лето, деревья шелестели зеленой листвой, в траве стрекотали цикады. На западе цвели осенние хризантемы и падали золотые кленовые листья; на севере черные ветви деревьев и кустов сгибались под тяжестью снега, а ручьи были скованы прозрачным льдом.
Целый день любовался Урасима подводными чудесами, а к вечеру начал собираться домой. Нэцкэ из слоновой кости Х1Хв.
Опечалилась прекрасная Ото-химэ и стала просить Урасиму не покидать подземного царства, а остаться в нем навсегда. Но Урасима сказал: «В твоем царстве очень красиво, царевна, но мой дом — на земле. Я должен ловить рыбу и кормить своих старых родителей».
Тогда царевна подарила Урасиме шкатулку, украшенную драгоценной яшмой, но не велела ее открывать, иначе случится большая беда.
Поблагодарил Урасима царевну, и черепаха вынесла его на берег.
Пришел рыбак домой, а дома его встречают незнакомые люди. Удивился Урасима, стал спрашивать, кто они такие и куда подевались его родители.
Люди сначала не могли взять в толк, о чем он говорит, а потом вспомнили, что слыхали от дедов о молодом рыбаке, жившем здесь семьсот лет тому назад, который пошел однажды ловить рыбу, да так и не вернулся.
И тогда понял Урасима, что провел в подземном царстве не один день, как ему казалось, а семь столетий.
Урасима пошел на берег моря и сел на прибрежном песке, не зная, что же ему теперь делать.
Он вспомнил о шкатулке, которую ему подарила царевна. Урасима подумал: «Какая еще беда может со мною случиться?» — и открыл крышку.
Из шкатулки вылетело прозрачное облако — и коснулось лица Урасимы. Сразу же прошли мимо него семь веков, из юноши он превратился в дряхлого старца, и душа покинула его тело.
30. ЛУННАЯ ДЕВА
Поэтическая история о Лунной деве, попавшей на землю, но затем вынужденной вернуться в свое лунное царство, корнями уходит в древние мифы. Однако известна она, главным образом, из «Повести о старике Такэтори», написанной в первой половине IX века.
До начала IX века в Японии не существовало собственной письменности — японцы пользовались китайскими иероглифами. Первым литературным прозаическим произведением, написанным японскими иероглифами, стала «Повесть о старике Такэтори», в основе которой — древняя легенда.
Эта повесть, как и сама легенда, пользовалась в Японии огромной популярностью. Водном из романов ХI века герои беседуют о литературе и, в частности, говорят: «Мы признаем, что с того времени, когда была создана «Повесть о старике Такэтори», сменилось столько людских поколений, сколько было коленьев в чудесном бамбуке, из которого родилась Кагуя-химэ. Но пусть это старинное сказание — древний ствол, не дающий новых ростков, оно словно переносит нас в век богов, так пленяет нас своей возвышенной душой ее героиня — Лунная дева Кагуя-химэ».
В полнолуние гуляла дочь Лунного царя по лунному саду, оступилась и упала на землю, в густые заросли молодого бамбука. Лунная царевна была ростом меньше рисового зернышка — она попала в полый бамбуковый стебель и осталась там до утра.
Утром пришел в рощу старик-крестьянин по имени Такэтори. Он жил в ближайшей деревне и кормился тем, что плел на продажу корзины из бамбука. Нарезал старик Такэтори бамбуковых стеблей, отнес их домой и, усевшись на пороге своей хижины, принялся за обычную работу.
Взял Такэтори один бамбуковый стебель и только хотел его согнуть, как услышал нежный голосок: «Приветствую тебя, почтенный Такэтори!» Огляделся старик по сторонам — никого не увидел. Заглянул в бамбуковый стебель — и увидел крохотную девушку. Выбралась девушка из бамбукового стебля, учтиво поклонилась Такэтори и сказала: «Верно, суждено мне стать твоей дочерью».
С того дня поселилась Лунная царевна в хижине старого Такэтори.
Прошло немного времени — царевна подросла и стала ростом с обычную девушку. Необычной была только ее светлая красота. Старик назвал свою приемную дочь Наётакэ-но Кагуя-химэ, что значит «Светлая дева, стройная, как бамбук».
Слава о ее красоте разнеслась по всей округе, и к прекрасной Кагуя-химэ стали свататься женихи. Однако красавица объявила, что не хочет выходить замуж.
Женихи смирились с отказом, и лишь трое из них — самые знатные — два принца, один по имени Исицукури, другой — Курамоти и министр Абэ-но Ми-мурадзи продолжали настаивать на своем сватовстве.
Тогда Кагуя-химэ сказала им: «Я выйду замуж за того из вас, кто выполнит трудную задачу и тем самым докажет свою любовь ко мне».
Принца Исицукури она попросила привезти из далекой Индии с Черной горы чашу для подаяний, с которой ходил сам Будда; принца Курамоти — добыть золотую ветку с жемчужными листьями и ягодами с дерева, растущего на священной горе Хорай; министра Абэ-но Мимурадзи — отыскать в Китае платье, сотканное из шерсти огненной крысы.
Опечалились женихи, невыполнимыми показались им задачи прекрасной Кагуя-химэ, но, подумав, каждый из них решил пойти на хитрость.
Принц Исицукури выждал время, потребное для путешествия в Индию, купил красивую чашу, положил ее в мешочек из парчи, привязал к ветке с искусственными цветами и послал Кагуя-химэ. Посмотрела красавица на чашу и сразу догадалась, что это не та, о которой она просила: чаша Будды должна была светиться, как светлячок.
Кагуя-химэ вернула чашу принцу Исицукури и послала ему такие стихи:
«Капля одна росы
Ярче сияет утром
Дивной чаши твоей.
Зачем ты ее так долго
Искал на Черной горе?»
(Перевод В. Марковой)
Принц Курамоти снарядил корабль и сделал вид, что отправляется в плаванье к священной горе Хорай, но через три дня тайно вернулся и заказал самому искусному златокузнецу золотую ветку с жемчужными листьями и ягодами.
Когда ветка была готова, Курамоти уложил ее в дорожный сундук, оделся в дорожное платье, чтобы все думали, что он только что вернулся из далекого путешествия, и отправился к Кагуя-химэ.
Увидала красавица чудесную ветку, и сердце ее чуть не разорвалосьот горя: неужели придется ей выйти замуж за принца Курамоти?
Но тут появился златокузнец со своими подмастерьями и сказал принцу: «Господин! Ты заказал нам ветку с жемчужными листьями и ягодами. Мы исполнили работу, а ты нам не заплатил. Мы хотим получить обещанную тобою плату!» Принц Курамоти едва не сгорел со стыда, а Кагуя-химэ вернула ему ветку и сказала:
«Я думала: истина!
Поверила я…
Все было поддельно:
Жемчужины слов
И жемчужные листья».
А министр Абэ-но Мимурадзи написал письмо знакомому китайскому торговцу, чтобы тот за любые деньги купил и прислал ему красивое платье с огненным отливом.
Вскоре торговец прислал Абэ-но Мимурадзи платье, какое он просил.
Абэ-но Мимурадзи уложил платье в драгоценный ларец и послал Кагуя-химэ. Девушка сказала: «Если это платье и впрямь соткано из шерсти огненной крысы, оно не сгорит в огне», и бросила его в пламя очага. Платье вспыхнуло и сгорело дотла.
Кагуя-химэ отослала министру Абэ-но Мимурадзи обратно ларец, вложив в него листок со стихами:
«Ведь знал же ты наперед,
Что в пламени без остатка
Сгорит этот дивный наряд.
Зачем же, скажи, так долго
Питал ты огонь любви?»
Так Кагуя-химэ избавилась от нежеланных женихов.
Но вскоре о ее несравненной красоте прослышал сам молодой император. Он пожелал взглянуть на красавицу и послал за ней придворных дам. Но Кагуя-химэ отказалась явиться к императорскому двору.
Тогда император сам отправился в хижину старого Такэтори. Едва он вошел, Кагуя- химэ проворно закрыла лицо рукавом, но император успел увидеть ее и полюбил с первого взгляда, а она полюбила его.
Император стал просить красавицу стать его женой, но Кагуя-химэ ответила: «О, если бы я родилась здесь, на земле! Но я — существо иного мира и не могу быть женой человека».
Опечаленный вернулся молодой император во дворец. С того дня прекраснейшие из женщин потеряли в его глазах свою прелесть. Он грезил о прекрасной Кагуя-химэ, наблюдал, как одно время года сменяется другим, и сочинял печальные стихи.
Между тем Лунный царь давно искал свою пропавшую дочь. Наконец, он нашел Кагуя- химэ и послал за ней своих слуг.
Горько заплакала Кагуя-химэ и стала просить: «О, позвольте мне остаться здесь еще хотя бы на один год, на один короткий год! Позвольте побыть еще немного с моим добрым названным отцом!» Но посланцы Лунного царя сказали: «Нельзя, царевна! Мы принесли тебе кимоно из перьев белой птицы, надень его — и ты позабудешь все, что привязывает тебя к земле. А еще мы принесли тебе напиток бессмертия, выпей его — и ты станешь бессмертной, какой была прежде, до того, как попала к людям».
Лунная царевна со слезами попрощалась со старым Такэтори. Потом она сказала: «Подождите еще немного! Я должна написать прощальные слова одному человеку, прежде чем позабуду все, что привязывает меня к земле».
Она взяла кисть и написала стихи:
«Разлуки миг настал.
Сейчас надену я
Пернатую одежду,
Но вспомнился мне ты -
И плачет сердце».
Окончив писать, Кагуя-химэ отпила половину напитка бессмертия, а вторую половину и прощальные стихи велела отослать молодому императору.
Затем она сбросила свое земное платье, накинула на себя кимоно из перьев белой птицы и, освободившись от всего земного, покинула землю и улетела в Лунную страну.
А молодой император, прочитав прощальное послание Кагуя-химэ и получив ее последний дар, написал такие стихи:
«Не встретиться нам вновь!
К чему мне жить на свете?
Погас твой дивный свет.
Увы! напрасный дар -
Бессмертия напиток».
Листок со своими стихами он прикрепил к сосуду с напитком бессмертия, поднялся на самую высокую в Японии горную вершину, чтобы быть поближе к небу, и поджег чудесный напиток.
Ярким пламенем вспыхнули стихи молодого императора, легким дымом улетели к той, для которой были написаны.
А напиток бессмертия с тех пор неугасимым огнем горит на горной вершине, и эту гору стали называть Фудзи, что значит «Гора бессмертия».
_________________ Мой девиз: один против всех, и всем несдобровать...
Рудольф Константинович Баландин
«100 великих богов»
Редактор: Никифорова И. И.
Издательство: Вече, 2014 г.
Серия «100 великих»
Цитата:
ЯПОНИЯ
Первые сведения о всеяпонском божестве относятся к VI веку до н. э. Согласно японской традиции, 11 февраля 660 года до н. э. считается датой основания государства. Тогда уроженец острова Кюсю Дзимму завоевал страну Ямато и занял ее престол, называя себя Сыном Неба, а своей праматерью – богиню Солнца Аматэрасу. Впрочем, есть предположение, что Дзимму – мифический герой, имя которого обозначает божественный воин».
О древнейших богах, которых чтили на Японских островах, существуют только предположения. Повидимому, это были местные племенные божества, духипокровители, которых называли «ками». Когда в VI веке на островах появились первые проповедники буддизма, местную религию стали называть каминомити («путь ками»), а покитайски – синто. Последний термин вошел в европейские языки, и теперь древнюю местную религию японцев называют синтоизмом.
Поклонение духам природы, горам и камням, долинам и рекам, растениям и животным, соединилось в синтоизме с обожествлением мифических предков императорского дома, а также некоторых богов. На развитии этой религии сказалось влияние буддизма. В период феодальной раздробленности в Японии стало пользоваться популярностью христианство, но это продолжалось не долго: оно было запрещено в начале XVII века. В середине XIX века в связи с укреплением власти микадо (императора) синтоизм вновь обрел широкую популярность, хотя и не смог вытеснить буддизма.
До окончания Второй мировой войны синтоизм (храмовый, в отличие от сектантского) был государственной религией Японии, провозглашая догмат о божественности императорской власти. Его священной воле обязан был повиноваться каждый японец. Такое слияние религиозной веры с государственной властью служило единой идейной опорой японцев и способствовало их завоевательской политике.
Существуют десятки сект синто, многие из которых сохраняют следы древних культов духов стихий, но есть и обновленные. Так, секта тенрикё поклоняется божественному вселенскому разуму Тенри. Но в целом синтоизм предполагает поклонение многочисленным богам, не только общим, но и местным, а также семейным (считается, что каждый умерший превращается в ками, а потому глава семьи или рода совершает моления духам предков).
Существует два свода японских мифов и легенд – «Кодзики» и «Нихонсёги», начало составления которых относят к VII веку. Как обычно бывает, четкой определенной системы в японской мифологии нет. О некоторых богах, представленных культурными героями, рассказывается много, тогда как другие, порой не менее важные, лишь упомянуты. К последним можно отнести Инари – «рисового человека», покровителя земледелия, которого изображали обычно с лисицей и двумя охапками рисовых колосьев. Повидимому, некогда он был связан с тотемическим культом лисы, затем стал богом земледелия и пищи («пяти злаков»), а с развитием торговли стал считаться покровителем торговых операций, божеством успеха и богатства. Однако Инари, почитаемый в народе, не был причислен к сонму великих богов.
ИДЗАНАКИ, ИДЗАНАМИ
Таковы имена двух первых великих антропоморфных японских богов, олицетворяющих мужское и женское начала. До них существовал хаос, смешение всех стихий (в сборнике Нихонсёги, повидимому, благодаря индийскому влиянию говорится о первичном мировом яйце).
Из хаоса оформилось нечто подобное семени, давшего начало побегу растения. Стали возникать божественные сущности, не имевшие определенного облика и пола. Они появлялись и пропадали семь раз. В восьмом поколении возникли Идзанаки (мужское начало) и Идзанами. Они оказались на небесном мосту (радуге?), а под ними простирался океан хаоса. Судя по всему, первые боги отделили воздух от земли и воды, которые оставались едиными.
Идзанаки и Идзанами получили свыше волшебное копье, которым начали месить находящуюся внизу жижу. Она постепенно густела. Когда боги поднимали копье, с него капала гуща, образовавшая первый остров Оногородзима (Самозагустевший). Он стал опорным столпом земли, и на него спустились Идзанаки с Идзанами.
Они еще не ведали половых различий. Однако выяснилось вскоре, что у Идзанами тело растет во всех частях, кроме одной, а у Идзанаки есть часть тела, растущая сильней, чем все остальные. Они решили то, что имеется в избытке, соединить с тем, что остается в недостатке…
Можно считать, конечно, это наивным описанием первого полового акта. Но в мифологическом аспекте речь идет о двух космических силах (притяжение и отталкивание, положительные и отрицательные заряды, мужской и женский пол).
Бог и богиня начали брачный обряд, обойдя с двух сторон возведенный столп и поприветствовав друг друга. Но первое потомство их не обрадовало: существо, подобное пиявке, и непрочный остров. (Кстати сказать, по мнению палеонтологов, первое позвоночное, появившееся более полумиллиарда лет назад, было действительно подобным пиявке.) Обратившись к высшим богам за советом, они узнали, что ошиблись в брачной церемонии: первые слова произнесла богиня, тогда как это привилегия мужчины.
Заново, согласно правилам, совершив обряд, бог и богиня стали производить на свет острова – прежде всего Японские – и самых разнообразных божеств: земли и воды, ветра и туманов, гор и ущелий. Но, когда пришла пора появиться на свет богу огня, произошла катастрофа: Идзанами была так обожжена, что вскоре скончалась в страданиях. Идзанаки мечом отсек голову огненному сыну, из крови которого, так же как из слез его отца, появились новые боги.
Отправившись за супругой в подземное царство, Идзанаки достиг замка, где она скрывалась. На его просьбу вернуться в верхний мир, она ответила, что уже вкусила пищи мертвых и ей нет пути назад.
Однако Идзанаки смело ворвался в ее замок и при свете факела увидел, что его супруга превратилась в полусгнивший труп, в котором копошатся черви. Она позвала его к себе, но Идзанаки в ужасе бросился вон.
Разгневанная Идзанами послала ему вдогонку толпу злобных духовведьм. Когда они стали его настигать, он сбросил свой головной убор, который превратился в виноград. Ведьмы начали пожирать его, но затем снова бросились вдогонку за беглецом из царства мертвых. Тогда он выхватил из волос гребень и бросил назад. Тотчас перед ведьмами как частокол возникли заросли бамбука. В конце концов Идзанаки выбрался в верхний мир (после дополнительных испытаний), загородив вход в него огромным камнем.
Идзанами поклялась убивать ежедневно тысячу живых существ. В ответ Идзанаки пообещал, что ежедневно на свет будет появляться полторы тысячи существ, на этом отношения между супругами были окончательно разорваны. (Нельзя не отметить, что таким образом задолго до Мальтуса была высказана мысль о том, что в природе рождаемость превышает смертность, что приводит – до определенного момента – к увеличению числа тех или иных обитателей планеты.)
После пребывания в царстве мертвых, где стала править Идзанами, ее братсупруг совершил очистительный обряд, во время которого появилось множество богов. Последними были три могущественных бога: после смывания левого глаза Идзанаки – богиня Солнца Аматэрасу, правого глаза – бог Луны Цукуёми (ему было определено царство ночи, и в японской мифологии он занимает скромное место). От воды, омывавшей нос Идзанаки, появился бог ветра и водных просторов Сусаноо.
Некоторые исследователи обращают внимание на то, что в японском мифе, в отличие от европейских, острый конфликт между двумя богами не приводит к трагическим последствиям или вечной вражде, а завершается компромиссом.
АМАТЭРАСУ
Популярности этой богини способствовали два обстоятельства: развитие и успехи земледелия (основа едва ли не всех солярных, солнечных культов) и то, что она считается основательницей и покровительницей императорского рода.
Она появилась первой из трех последних богов, возникших при обряде очищения Идзанаки, побывавшего в царстве мертвых. Солнечной богиней стали сверкающие капли воды, которой он омыл свой левый глаз. Ей было предоставлено для владения все верхнее небо. Появившийся затем бог Луны, недовольный таким решением, попытался захватить владения богини, но был побежден.
Аматэрасу вступает в брак со своим младшим братом, богом бури, ветра и воды Сусаноо. Совершается довольно странный обряд: Аматэрасу разгрызает его меч с десятью рукоятями, из кусочков которого появляются богини, а Сусаноо разжевывает ее чудесное ожерелье, производя на свет богов.
Однако эта божественная идиллия длится недолго. Сусаноо, обиженный более высоким положением сестрысупруги, глубоко оскорбляет ее. Он совершает действия, считавшиеся в Древней Японии тяжкими грехами: затаптывает межи на рисовых полях, засыпает оросительные каналы, оскверняет испражнениями праздничные покои, бросает шкуру, содранную с живой лошади в помещение, где богиня вместе с небесными ткачихами изготавливает ритуальную одежду.
Судя по безобразиям Сусаноо, Аматерасу покровительствовала земледелию и храмовым праздникам. Оскорбленная, она удаляется в пещеру, и верхний мир погружается во тьму (в этом эпизоде усматривается намек на солнечное затмение; хотя при нем, конечно же, наступают легкие сумерки, а вовсе не кромешная тьма).
Чтобы выманить ее из укрытия, небесный кузнец Амацумара вместе с богиней Исикоридомэ («Литейщицей») изготавливают священное зеркало; на ветви мирового дерева вешают чудесное ожерелье из резных яшм. Приносят петухов, возвещающих о том, что началось утро, а богиня Амэно удзуме, распустив завязки своей одежды, начинает отплясывать на перевернутом чане танец, как одержимая, вызывая хохот богов.
Заинтригованная смехом, Аматэрасу выглядывает из пещеры, и ее вытягивает на небосвод самый сильный из богов.
И в этом случае конфликт между богиней Солнца и богом бури завершается в конце концов компромиссом, а не чьейто победой или вечной враждой.
Согласно одной версии, Аматэрасу вручила своему сыну Ниниге рисовый колос со священного поля богов, для того чтобы передать этот дар на землю людям. По другой версии, Нийиги получает от матери священное зеркало, чудесные резные бусы и меч, который ей подарил Сусаноо. Эти предметы стали атрибутами императорской власти.
СУСАНОО
Его еще называют доблестным, яростным, быстрым богом из Суса. Как мы уже отмечали, он был последним из божеств, появившимся из капель воды, которыми первый на свете богмужчина Идзанаки омыл свой нос после того, как побывал в царстве мертвых в тщетной надежде вернуть к жизни свою супругу.
Сусаноо была отведена во владение равнина моря. Огорченный тем, что самое лучшее – небо и Солнце – получила его старшая сестра Аматэрасу, он плакал так долго, что у него за это время отросла борода до пояса. При этом иссякали моря и реки, высыхали деревья.
Он изъявляет желание посетить свою мать в царстве мертвых, за что отец (Идзанаки) изгоняет его из верхнего неба. Тогда он отправляется к Аматэрасу. Напуганная его громкой поступью, Аматэрасу готовится к сражению, но его намерения самые мирные: он предлагает ей жениться. Она соглашается. Они производят на свет детей оригинальным способом: она ломает и разгрызает его меч, из обломков которого рождаются юные богини, а он раскусывает ее яшмовое ожерелье, из кусков которого рождаются мальчикибоги.
По не вполне понятным причинам – то ли сильно охмелев, то ли от огорченья изза полученного «небольшого» наследства, то ли от того и другого вместе – он наносит сестре ужасное оскорбление: вытаптывает межи на ее небесных рисовых полях, засыпает землей канавы, испражняется в ее праздничных покоях, а напоследок сдирает с живой лошади шкуру и бросает ее в комнату Аматэрасу. Такие поступки считались в Древней Японии преступными.
Изгнанный на землю, он, то ли протрезвев, то ли раскаявшись, совершает добрые дела. Его путь лежит в страну Идзумо к реке Хии. Пройдя вверх по течению, он встречает горько плачущих старика, старуху и их молодую дочь. Оказывается, Яматопоороти («змейстрашилище восьмихвостыйвосьмиголовый») съел семь дочерей этой пожилой четы и готов прийти за последней, самой младшей и красивой. Сусаноо просит выдать за него эту девушку и, получив согласие, разрабатывает хитрый план. Ее родителям он предлагает восемь раз очистить сакэ, рисовую водку (нетрудно догадаться, что число 8 магическое, а если столько раз перегонять самогон, он превращается в спирт).
По указанию бога возводится ограда, в ней восемь ворот, а у каждого из них ставится бочка спирта. Теперь ловушка готова. Явившийся за девушкой змей проникает в ограду, просовывает головы в ворота и радостно лакает из бочек. Мертвецки пьяный, он засыпает. Сусаноо легко разрубает змея на куски (река Хии обагряется кровью), а в хвосте чудовища обнаруживает чудесный булатный меч, который в качестве подарка и в знак примирения посылает богине Аматэрасу (этот или, скажем так, подобный меч является атрибутом японских императоров).
Женившись на спасенной девушке, бог строит брачные покои и слагает первую песню из пяти строк (танака). Среди его ближайших потомков – бог Окунинуси («Земное божество»; в провинции Идзумо его почитают как главное божество). Он добр и справедлив, но завистливые старшие братья убивают его то раскаленным камнем, то в расщепленном дереве. Однако боги вновь и вновь возвращают его к жизни (еще один вариант мифа о погибающем и воскресающем боге). Повстречав дочь своего отца, Сусаноо обменивается с ней пылкими взглядами, после чего они желают вступить в брак. (Хотя Окунинуси потомок этого бога в шестом поколении, а она – во втором, это обстоятельство в мифическом времени не имеет значения.) После ряда тяжелых испытаний Окунинуси добивается желаемого, основывает правящую династию и становится культурным героем, обучая людей обустраивать окружающий мир и свой быт. Несмотря на успешное правление, по велению богов его сменяет потомок Аматэрасу Ниниги – основатель новой императорской династии.
Возможно, истории о земных деяниях Сусаноо и его потомков образуют сравнительно поздний мифологический цикл, а поначалу это был бог бури, ветра и водной стихии. Противоречивые его черты (то – губитель полей, ирригационных сооружений, осквернитель храмов, то – культурный герой) объясняются скорее всего тем, что ветер и вода хотя и приносят порой несчастья, но от них в конечном счете зависит плодородие полей. Не случайно в некоторых мифах Сусаноо выступает как божество плодородия.
По мнению исследователей, в образе Сусаноо объединяются, повидимому, черты разных богов. И это не удивительно: в Японии сохраняется как поклонение объектам и явлениям природы, так и культ предков, и прежде всего относящихся к правящим или правившим династиям, а вдобавок еще и преклонение перед культурными героями. Все это помогает людям использовать дремлющие в природе силы плодородия и в то же время сохранять поэтическое отношение к окружающему миру.
_________________ Мой девиз: один против всех, и всем несдобровать...
Найден онлайн текст книги Felix Guirand, "Всемирная мифология" на английском языке:
Цитата:
JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
Sources of Japanese Mythology
When the ancestors of the Japanese, coming probably from Korea, settled in Japan, they met and
made war upon the Ainus whom they drove into the north, while in the southern islands,
especially Kyushu, they came upon various tribes whom they subdued and assimilated. They
lived in tribes, each one of which had a chief, who, as we shall see later, was often a woman—a
characteristic which struck the Chinese when they came into contact with the Japanese, probably
about the beginning of our era. Besides China, Japan was also in touch with Korea, and these
ancient relations with the Asiatic continent had their influence on the minds of the Japanese
people. They also left distinct traces in their mythological tales. The southern tribes, living their
seafaring life, also had a share in building up Japanese mythology, and so had the local traditions
peculiar to each of the different regions.
Oral traditions
The interlacing of local myths with foreign legend constitutes the mythology as it has been
transmitted to us in the texts, and this is what makes the study such a delicate one. The difficulty
is increased by the fact that the mythological tales were closely connected with the origins of the
Japanese royal family, and therefore native scholars must not criticise or explain them in too
rationalist a way. These myths were preserved by oral tradition, thanks to the Katari-be, a
corporation of 'reciters' whose function was to recite these ancient legends during the great Shinto
festivals. Japanese scholars believe that this corporation of reciters was closely linked with the
priests and priestesses who, during the religious service, related ancient legends about the gods,
the tribe or the district.
'The Katari-be seem to have sung their songs at the banquets of the Imperial Court or of the great
families, and no doubt the poems described the origin of the gods and the ancestors.' (p. 5, N.
Matsumoto, Essai sur la Mythologie Japonaise, Paris, 1928). hi the beginning of the eighth century
these tales were used to compile the old histories of Japan, and will be discussed later on. As we
have seen, relations between Japan and China and Korea existed at the beginning of our era, as the
facts of archaeology testify. We also know that Chinese learning and its form of writing were
officially established in the year 405, when the learned Korean Wani arrived.
Buddhism was introduced around 522 and after various vicissitudes became the official religion.
The Emperor Yomei (585—587) was the first sovereign to accept this foreign religion. In 592 the
Empress Suiko came to the throne, and the regent Prince Shotoku was a devout Buddhist. Foreign
customs influenced Japanese life so much that during a Shinto ceremony the descendants of the
Koreans uttered the words in Chinese. It is natural to assume that the scholars who had to
compose the history of Japan and the scribes who had to write it in Chinese must, under the
influence of their Chinese education, have modified and embellished the ancient traditions in
accordance with Chinese ideas.
Written sources. What are these written sources? First of all we have the Kojiki, the book of ancient
things or of ancient words. The Emperor Temmu (672—686) realised that the ancient families in
their contentions were changing the old traditions in order to provide more support for their
rights and privileges. These alterations threatened to harm the reigning family. So in 681 he set up
a Committee to put the old traditions into writing, but his death stopped the work. He had also
given orders to Hieda-no-Are, one of his attendant ladies who had a very good memory, to learn
all the old legends by heart. In 711 the Empress Gemmyo (707—715) ordered O no Yasumaro to
collect the stories of Hieda-no-Are, to make a selection, and to set down the ancient traditions in
the form of a book. In 712 the work was completed and presented to the Empress under the title of
Kojiki. It is curious to find that O no Yasumaro was uncertain how to write the book. He would
not write it entirely in Chinese for fear of distorting the character of the tales. But the Japanese
syllabary was not then in existence, so like a good Japanese he made a compromise, sometimes
writing in Chinese, sometimes using Chinese characters as the phonetic
equivalents of Japanese syllables - which caused difficulties in reading the text. It must not be
forgotten that the Kojiki was composed partly to settle the Imperial genealogy definitively and to
place it above all controversy; and partly to do the same for the Shinto legends, source of the ritual
and foundation of the state. In short, 'it was not so much a matter of writing a history as of
establishing an orthodoxy.' (Cl. Maitre, La Litterature historique du Japan des origines aux
Ashikaga, p. 53, B.E. F.E.O. October — December 1903.)
In 714 the same Empress also ordered a national history. Five years later, during the reign of the
Emperor Gensho (715 — 726) Prince Toneri and O no Yasumaro compiled in Chinese the annals of
Japan, Nihon shoki, (also called Nihongi) and presented them to the Emperor in 720. The first part
of these annals, entitled Jindaiki, 'records of the age of the gods', deals with mythological legends
and gives the different versions which existed at that time.
In 807 Imibe no Hironari wrote and presented to the throne the Kogoshui, 'gleanings of ancient
words', to protest against the injuries caused by the Nakatomi family to the Imibe family in the
protocol of religious services. Hironari relates several myths to show that the ancient traditions
were well kept up in his family which therefore take precedence over the Nakatomi family. These
myths are the same as those in the Nihon shoki and the Kojiki.
Tales and mythological information are also contained in the liturgical prayers, norito, included in
927 in the eighth volume of Ceremonial, Engishiki, which gives a great deal of information about
Shinto matters. Following the Chinese custom, the Japanese government in 713 ordered the local
authorities to draw up descriptions of their areas. These books were called Fudoki, but by far the
greater number of these monographs have disappeared, and there remain only five Fudoki and
fragments of others. They are a valuable source since they give local traditions which are a help to
understanding the ancient myths. Mythological tales are also to be found in the Manyoshu, the
first great anthology of Japanese poetry, compiled in the eighth century. In the Shojiroku, written
in 814, and containing genealogies of the old nobility, there are traces of ancient traditions also.
To these written sources must be added the studies in Japanese folklore which during the past
thirty years have been carried on with great energy. The numerous publications dealing with local
traditions have enabled us to understand the old stories a little better. The studies of folklore in the
Ryukyu islands have done much towards our understanding of the part played by women in the
ancient traditions (N. Matsumoto 'L'etat actuel des etudes de folklore au Japon' p. 228, No 10.
Japan et Extreme Orient, Paris, 1924). These folklore studies are especially interesting for the
primitive religion of Japan, for in the course of history official Shinto has been influenced by
foreign ideas, and has undergone certain modifications in consequence.
THE GREAT LEGENDS
The Kami. The Japanese deified the forces of Nature because they felt they were more powerful
than themselves, and venerated them under the name Kami. High mountains, tall and ancient
trees, rivers, were Kami and so, too, were great men. The word Kami means 'beings more highly
placed', those who are venerated, and does not have the meaning of our word, god. The Japanese
Kami are often characterised by the epithet chihaya-buru, which may be translated 'powerful'. The
gods of Japanese mythology have bodies like those of human beings, and are endowed with all
human qualities and defects. The myths speak perfectly frankly of certain exploits of the gods,
which English translators prefer to give in Latin. Traditions tell us that the gods possessed two
souls, one gentle, nigi-mi-tama, and one violent, ara-mi-tama. The Kami reacted according to the
activity of one or the other. At times this soul can leave the body and manifest itself in an object.
But the Kami of Japan are not omniscient. Those who live in Heaven do not know what is going
on down in the world, and have to send messengers to find out. And they make use of divination
to predict the future. The different gods can do good or do evil, but there are no essentially wicked
Kami among them. True, when the god Izanagi (of whom we shall speak again) returns from Hell
to earth
and washes off its impurities, the infernal mud gives birth to Yaso-Maga-Tsu-Bi, the god of
multiple calamities; but then there appears Kamu-Nahobi, the god who puts things right again.
All wicked things live in Hell, which is under the earth and these demons particularly represent
the sicknesses and epidemics and calamities which, afflict the inhabitants of Japan. But they are far
less powerful than the Kami, who by the power of magic can conquer them or prevent them from
coming out from under the earth.
Heaven, Earth, Hell. Japanese mythology divides the Kami into gods of Heaven, Ama-Tsu-Kami,
and gods of Earth, Kuni-Tsu-Kami, the latter of which are more numerous and live in the islands
of Japan. Still, some divinities rise up frorh earth to heaven, and on the other hand others come
down to settle on earth. Heaven, which the Japanese describe by the word Ama, is not a far-off
and inaccessible place. Its landscape is the same as Japan's, and it is crossed by the heavenly river,
Ama no Gawa, which like Japanese rivers has a very wide bed covered with pebbles. Formerly
earth was linked with heaven by a sort of bridge, Ama
no Hashidate, which allowed the gods to go to and fro. According to the Tango-fudoki, one day
when the gods were all asleep this bridge or stairway collapsed into the sea. This formed the
prolonged isthmus situated to the west of Kyoto in the sub-prefecture of Yosa, which is well
known as one of the three most beautiful places in Japan.
Under the earth lies the kingdom of the dead, which is called 'land of darkness', Yomi-tsu-kuni, or
'land of roots', Ne no Kuni, and also 'the deep land', Soko no Kuni. There are two ways of entering
Hell. There is a sloping and very winding road which begins in Izumo province and leads under
ground; and the other is situated on the sea shore. It is a bottomless abyss which engulfs all the
waters of the sea, and here on the day of grand purification all sins and all impurities are swept
down with the waters. Palaces and cottages are built in this subterranean kingdom, the homes of
male and female demons—the females are called shiko-me, ugly women, or hisa-me, frowning
women. This kingdom of the dead is seldom mentioned in myths, but it is named notably when
after the death of his wife Izanagi, the god Izanami goes down under the
earth to try to bring her back. Hell is also mentioned in a myth of Izumo province, where it is told
how the god O-Kuni-Nushi went down there to consult Susanoo.
Japanese mythological traditions have not handed down to us the ancient beliefs about death.
'Probably', says Professor Florenz (Lehrbuch der Religionsgesi'hichte, begrundet von Chantepic de
la Saussaye, Verlag von J. C. B. Mohr, 4th new edition, Vol i. article Die Japaner, p. 267), 'the
Shintoists felt a horror for everything which concerned death and corpses.' The idea of rewards
and punishments after death came into Japan with Buddhist beliefs, but there is no mention of the
topic in the old Shinto texts.
Origin of the gods and of the world. Japanese mythology tells us that 'at the time when heaven
and earth began, three divinities were formed in the plain of high heaven'. They were born of
themselves, and then hid. 'Later, when the earth was young and like floating oil. moving like a
jelly-fish, from something which sprang up like the shoot of a reed there were born two divinities,
and they too hid.' After that came seven generations of gods, and the last couple were called
Izanagi and Izanami.
It is very probable that these beginnings of Japanese mythology, which show the influence of
Chinese ideas, were set down by the compilers to act as an introduction to national traditions.
Izanagi and Izanami. Izanagi and Izanami received the order to consolidate and fertilise the
moving earth. Standing on the 'floating bridge of heaven' they stirred up the waters of the sea with
a lance which the gods had given them. When the water began to coagulate they withdrew the
lance, and the drop which fell from its point formed the island of Onokoro, a word which means
'naturally
JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY — 407
coagulated'. The two deities then came down on this island, and created a column and a home.
Having looked well at one another Izanagi and Izanami decided to come together in order to
beget countries.
They then walked round the column, Izanagi going round from the left and Izanami from the
right. When they met the goddess Izanami exclaimed: 'What a pleasure to meet such a handsome
young man!' But the god Izanagi was displeased with this exclamation, for the first words should
have been spoken by him since he was the man. From this primordial union there was born 'a
leech-child' whom his parents were unwilling to own. So they put him on a raft of reeds and set
him adrift. Then the island of Awa was born, but they also refused to recognise it as their child.
They went off and consulted the gods, who explained to them that these unfortunate births were
the result of Izanami's mistake in speaking first to her future husband and that they must walk
round the column again and carry out the rite correctly. This the god Izanagi and the goddess
Izanami did, and so gave birth to the many islands which constitute Japan as well as numerous
gods the god of Wind, of Trees, of Mountains etc. The last-born was the god of Fire, whose birth
burned the goddess Izanami and caused her dreadful suffering. From her vomit, her urine, and
her excrement other gods were born; and then she died. Izanagi lamented, and his tears gave birth
to the goddess, Moaning-river. Furious with the baby who had caused the goddess's death,
Izanagi picked up his sword and cut off the child's head. Drops of his blood, trickling down the
blade, fell on the ground, and gave birth to eight different gods; and eight other deities
symbolising different mountains came from various parts of the body.
Izanagi's descent into Hell. Izanagi was inconsolable for his wife's death, and went down to Hell
and his wife came to meet him, but refused to return with him because she had already tasted the
food of Hell. She suggested that she should go and discuss the question with the god of Hell, and
begged her husband not to look inside the house. But the god became impatient and took the risk
of following her. He broke off the 'made tooth' of his comb, that is. one of the two at the end of a
comb, lighted it for a torch, and went into the palace. He found Izanami's body decomposing and
full of worms, and watched over by eight Thunders. He fled in horror. Izanami called after him,
'You have humiliated me!' and set the ugly-girls-of-hell at him. Izanagi defended himself with
various magical methods. So the goddess then sent eight Thunder gods and the soldiers of Hell.
When he reached the end of the slope to Hell, Izanagi picked three peaches and threw them at the
soldiers of Hell, who fled, and then blocked the entrance to Hell with a huge boulder. Izanami had
pursued him, and found herself on the other side of the bouider. The two gods swore they would
divorce, and so parted. The god Izanagi felt sullied by this contact with the world of the dead, and
went off to the island of Tsukiji where he purified himself at the mouth of the little river Tachibana
in Hyuga province. He threw away his stick, and from this stick was born the God-set-up-at-crossroads.
Then he took off his clothes and threw them away, each one of them producing a deity. He
then dived into the river, and the impurities he had brought back from Hell gave birth to two gods
of different ills. To cure these ills Izanagi gave birth to two gods who set the ills right, and to the
'sacred goddess'. Izanagi then dived into the sea, and from this bath arc derived all the various sea
gods. He washed his left eye, and so gave birth to the great goddess Amaterasu, goddess of the
Sun; he then washed his right eye and brought into the world the goddess of the Moon,
Tsukiyomi. Then he washed his nose, and gave birth to the god Susanoo. Izanagi ordered his elder
daughter Amaterasu to rule the plain of Heaven, giving her his necklace of jewels. To the god of
the Moon he entrusted the kingdom of night, and to the god Susanoo the plain of the seas. The
goddess of the Sun and the god of the Moon obeyed the order of their father Izanagi, and took
possession of Heaven and of the kingdom of night. Susanoo alone did not leave, and stayed where
he was, weeping and groaning. Izanagi asked him the reason for these laments, and Susanoo said
he wanted to go to the kingdom of his dead mother. The god Izanagi grew angry and drove him
away, and Susanoo then said he wanted to say farewell to his elder sister before going down to the
world underground.
Scholars who make a study of mythology have found certain
resemblances between- the myths about Izanagi and Izanami and those of Polynesia, for instance.
Also it is highly probable that the Chinese legend of Pan-Ku, whose left eye became the sun and
his right eye the moon, was grafted on to an ancient tradition by the authors of the Kojiki and the
Nihon shoki. As Mr N. Matsumoto has very rightly pointed out in his Essai sur la Mythologie
Japonaise, the whole collection of these ancient traditions indicates that Susanoo represents the
gods of Izumo province, and Amaterasu those of Yamato. The two tribes of these regions were
enemies. The Imperial family, as we shall see later on, had the Sun goddess as an ancestor, and by
recording the ancient traditions hoped to establish the supremacy of Yamato, which at the time
when these
texts were put down was already a historical fact. By a comparison of ancient texts and from the
study of folklore, not only of Japan proper but of the Ryukyu islands, we observe that although
Amaterasu was the Sun goddess she also has the character of a priestess, which is very
understandable seeing that in ancient Japan 'the notions of god and priest were confounded', and
consequently the lives of priests and priestesses influenced the building up of the myths. We shall
see in myths to follow that Amaterasu, though ; Sun goddess, wove the gods' clothes, and we
know that the Shinto f priestesses were employed in weaving garments before the great
ceremonies. The myths which tell us of the struggle between Amaterasu and her brother Susanoo
probably are a reflection of the
rivalry between a brother and his priestess-queen sister. On this rivalry we have the testimony of
the Chinese historians who, in the annals of the Wei dynasty (220—264), relate that after the death
of the priestess-queen Himeko of the kingdom of Yamato, a younger brother who had helped her
was put on the throne, and that this succession led to civil wars. Peace was not restored until the
eldest daughter of the dead queen ascended the throne.
Susanoo and Amaterasu. Let us return to the mythological stories of the Kojiki and Nihon shoki.
Susanoo went up to Heaven to see his elder sister, but he made such a noise, shaking the
mountains and rivers and making the earth quake, that the goddess thought it as well to take
precautions in meeting him. So she slung a quiver on her back, and placed before her a bow whose
string she vibrated. When she asked him why he had come, he said he had no evil intent, and had
come simply to say good-bye to her before going to the distant land where his mother was.
The Sun goddess asked her brother for proofs of his goodwill. Susanoo proposed that each of
them should create children — his would be boys and that would prove the sincerity of his
intentions. Amaterasu took her brother's sword, broke it in three pieces and, after having chewed
them, blew a light mist from her mouth which gave birth to three goddesses. Susanoo asked his
sister for the five strings of jewels she was wearing and, after cracking them between his teeth,
blew a light mist from his mouth and gave birth to five masculine deities. Amaterasu declared
they were her children because they had been created from jewels which belonged to her.
It is interesting to note that in the historic epoch the eight children of Amaterasu and Susanoo
were venerated as the eight 'princes' and considered as ancestors. The eldest male was the
ancestor of the Emperors, and the others of the great families.
Susanoo was so pleased with his success that he lost all self-control. In the impetuosity of his
victory he destroyed the rice-fields prepared by Amaterasu, filled in the irrigation ditches, and
deposited excrement in the Temples built for the festival of First-fruits. The Sun goddess made
excuses for her brother's misdeeds, but he continued them. One day when the goddess Amaterasu
was weaving the gods' clothes in the sacred house Susanoo made a hole in the roof of the house,
and threw down a piebald horse which he had already flayed. This terrible and unexpected
apparition caused such a disturbance that one of the weaving women pricked herself with the
shuttle and fell dead. The goddess Amaterasu was terrified and hid in a rocky cave of Heaven,
blocking the entrance with a boulder. The world was plunged into darkness.
Some scholars have interpreted this disappearance of the sun as an allusion to an eclipse, but we
are in agreement with Mr N. Matsumoto in his interpretation of the myth as the beginning of
winter, since that event takes place after the festival of First-fruits.
Amaterasu's return. The darkness which covered the world greatly aided the wicked gods in their
doings, and caused consternation among the good gods. The eight hundred myriads of gods all
assembled in the dry bed of a river, to decide on what measures should be taken to bring back the
Sun goddess. They approached the god 'Hoard-thoughts', and in accordance with his advice they
collected cocks whose crow precedes the dawn. They gave orders for the making of a mirror and
strings of jewels, which they hung on the branches of the Sakaki tree (Cleyera japonica) which
they also decorated with cloth streamers. They uttered the ritual words. The goddess Ama no
Uzume decked herself out with different plants, gathered some bamboo leaves, and then mounted
a tub turned upside down which was placed outside the entrance to the cave. She then began to
dance, drumming with her feet on the sounding tub. Carried away by divine ecstasy she took off
all her clothes, and the eight hundred myriads of gods all roared with laughter. The Sun goddess
hearing the crowing of the cocks, then the noise of Ama no Uzume dancing, and then the burst of
laughter from the gods, was puzzled and asked the reason for all these noises. Ama no Uzume
replied that the gods were rejoicing because they now had a better goddess than Amaterasu.
Urged by her curiosity the Sun goddess looked out and saw the mirror which they had set up,
and, much interested by its reflection, she came a little way out of the cave. The god of Force who
had hidden himself close by seized her hand and forced her to come out completely. Then a rope
was stretched in front of the cave to prevent Amaterasu from going back
into it, and once more the world was lit up by the rays of the Sun goddess. The gods decided to
punish Susanoo and forced him to pay a heavy fine. Then they cut off his beard and moustache,
tore off the nails from his fingers and toes, and kicked him out of heaven. We have already
stressed the particular character of the Sun goddess's retreat after the festival of First-fruits. The
obscene dance of the goddess Ama no Uzume is another sign that these traditions have an
agricultural significance, for 'in primitive religion obscenity has always an agricultural
significance, looking to the fertility of the fields', and the gods' laughter means that the life which
had seemed extinct is about to be re-born. (P. L. Couchoud, Le mythe de la danseuse obscene.
Mercure de France, 15 August 1929.)
_________________ Мой девиз: один против всех, и всем несдобровать...
Susanoo's exploits. When the god Susanoo was driven out of heaven, ne came down to Izumo
province. We have already said that the myths connected with this god come from that region. It
must be also noted that Susanoo was not an essentially evil god. His character was such that it
displayed itself in wicked deeds when he was controlled by his wicked soul, Ara-mi-tama, and in
good deeds when .his peaceful soul, Nigi-mi-tama, was in the ascendant. He was a fertility god,
closely linked with agricultural beliefs. At one and the same time he is a god of Thunder, Storm
and Rain. For this reason he is associated with snakes, for in ancient Japan the snake was
considered as the god of Thunder. Mr N. Matsumoto points out that the main descendants of the
god Susanoo are related either to water, thunder or the snake. The following pages from the
Nihon shoki and the Kojiki relate myths about the god Susanoo.
When he came down to Izumo he met an old man and an old woman who were crying beside a
girl. Susanoo asked the reason for these tears. The old man told him that he had had eight
daughters and that every year a snake with eight heads from the Koshi district had come and
devoured one of his daughters. Seven already had been eaten, and now the snake was coming to
devour the last. Susanoo told them he was the brother of Amaterasu, and asked them to give him
the girl. The old parents gladly agreed. Susanoo changed the girl into a comb which he stuck in his
hair. Then he had eight bowls prepared and filled them with rice wine. When the terrible snake
appeared it was attracted by the scent of the wine, and each head made for one of the bowls. The
snake got drunk and went to sleep. Susanoo drew his sword, and cut the monster to pieces. In the
middle of the snake's tail he found a wonderful sword which he presented to his sister the Sun
goddess. In later stories this sword is given the name Kusanagi, and was transmitted to our own
times as one of the three emblems of Imperial power It is kept in the Temple of Atsuta, near the
town of Nagoya.
Once he had got rid of the Snake, Susanoo built himself a palace at Suga, and lived there with his
new wife. From this union was born the god O-Kuni-Nushi, who afterwards became Lord of
Izumo.
Adventure of O-Kuni-Nushi. According to ancient traditions, O-Kuni-Nushi was a god of
medicine connected with sorcery. The invention of therapeutic methods was attributed to him.
The legend of the white hare of Inaba tells us that a skinned hare appealed to the eighty gods,
brothers of O-Kuni-Nushi, and they advised it to bathe in the sea and then dry itself in the wind.
The poor animal suffered dreadfully. It then met O-Kuni-Nushi, who felt sorry for its sufferings,
and told it to wash in fresh water and then to roll in the pollen of sedges spread on the ground.
The hare was completely cured, and when returning thanks declared that the princess Yakami
would go to O-Kuni-Nushi, and not to his brothers. O-Kuni-Nushi's brothers were very angry at
this, and by various subterfuges they managed to kill him, but he was resurrected through the
intercession of his mother with the goddess Kami-Musubi. O-Kuni-Nushi once more became a
strong young man. To save him from the rage of his brothers, his mother sent him to the
underworld, to the god Susanoo. There he met Suseri-Hime, the god's daughter. She fell in love
with him, and they were united. Susanoo received him, but put him to sleep in a room full of
snakes. O-Kuni-Nushi was saved by a scarf which had been given him by Suseri-Hime. The next
night he was sent to sleep in a room full of centipedes and wasps, but Suseri-Hime had given
another scarf which protected him from the centipedes and wasps, and O-Kuni-Nushi came
through that test unscathed. Then Susanoo shot a hissing arrow into the middle of a vast meadow
and sent
412 — JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY
O-Kuni-Nushi to look for it. When O-Kuni-Nushi was in the middle of the meadow Susanoo set
fire to the grass, but O-Kuni-Nushi was saved by a mouse which showed him an underground
room in which to shelter, and brought him the arrow. The god Susanoo then felt some confidence
in him and, after asking-O-Kuni-Nushi to wash his hair, went to sleep. O-Kuni-Nushi took
advantage of Susanoo's sleep to tie the god's hair to the rafters of the house, then put his wife
Suseri-Hime on his back and fled, taking also the great god's sword, bow, arrows, and his harp,
Koto. But the Koto brushed against a tree and awoke Susanoo, who started up and so pulled down
the house. While Susanoo was freeing his hair O-Kuni-Nushi made good use of the time and had
got far away when the god started in pursuit. On the slope of Hell Susanoo saw the abductor of
his daughter in the distance, and advised him to fight his brothers with the sword and bow and
shatts he had taken. In this way, he asserted, O-Kuni-Nushi would conquer them and reign over
the world. He then asked him to make Suseri-Hime his chief wife, and to build his palace at the
foot of mount Uka.
The myths about O-Kuni-Nushi then speak of a god who arrived in a drifting boat. This was
Sukuna-Bikona, the son of the goddess Kami-Musubi, who was well received by O-Kuni-Nushi,
and together they fortified the region. One day the god Sukuna-Bikona went to cape Kumanu, and
disappeared in the direction of the region of Tokyo. O-Kuni-Nushi was in consternation when he
found he was alone, and said to himself: 'Now I am quite alone to keep order in this land. Is there
nobody to help me?' At that moment the sea was lit up with a divine light, and a god said: 'How
could you rule this country if I were not at your side?' O-Kuni-Nushi asked the god who he was. 'I
am your protecting deity, and I wish to be worshipped on mount Mimoro, where I live.' O-Kuni-
Nushi worshipped this god, whose name is Omiwa.
The first part of official history related in the Nihon shoki ends with these legends of O-Kuni-
Nushi. The narrative then comes back to the Sun goddess and her grandson, the ancestor of the
Emperors of Japan. The events told in this second part all took place on earth or in the kingdom of
the Sea god.
Amaterasu and Ninigi. Amaterasu decided to send her son Ame-no-Oshido-Mimi down to earth
to reign over it as sovereign. But before leaving, the god looked at the earth from the floating
bridge of Heaven, saw it was full of disturbances, and refused to go. The eight hundred myriads
of gods were then ordered to meet, and the god-who-hoards-thoughts was told to work out a
plan. After consultation the gods decided to send down the god Ame-no-Hohi to find out what
was happening in the 'middle country of the land of reeds'. Three years passed without any news
from him, so the gods sent down his son, with the same result. At last they chose Ame-no-
Wakahiko, renowned for his courage, and gave him a divine bow and divine arrows. When he got
down to earth the young god married O-Kuni-Nushi's daughter, Shitateru-Hime, and began to
reign over the land. Eight years passed without any news of him reaching the gods. So the gods
sent down to earth a pheasant to ask Ame-no-Wakahiko what he had been doing all this time. The
pheasant settled on a tree opposite the door of the god's house, and one of the women said it was a
bird of evil omen. So Ame-no-Wakahiko shot a divine arrow which pierced the bird, made a hole
in heaven, and fell at the feet of Amaterasu and Taka-Mi-Musubi. Seeing the blood-stained arrow
and recognising it as one he had given to Ame-no-Wakahiko, the god cursed it and flung it back.
The arrow, hurled across the heavens, struck Ame-no-Wakahiko in the heart and killed him. The
widow lamented and wept so bitterly that the gods of heaven heard her, and Ame-no-Wakahiko's
parents came down to be present at his funeral. Ame-no-Wakahiko's funeral rites are described in
great detail and are of much interest since this is the oldest document we possess about Shinto
rites. The gods then sent to Izumo two gods who informed O-Kuni-Nushi that the Sun goddess
had sent them to subjugate the land. O-Kuni-Nushi consulted his two sons. The elder accepted
Amaterasu's suzerainty. The younger tried to resist, but was conquered by the power of the
heavenly envoys and fled, promising however that he would not undertake anything against the
Sun goddess. The gods returned to heaven to announce Izumo's submission. Meanwhile
Amaterasu had a grandson, the god Ninigi, and decided to send him to earth. Ninigi received the
sword Kusanagi which Susanoo had found in the tail of the eight-headed snake, the heavenly
jewels, and the mirror which had caused Amaterasu to leave the cave, and as companions
several deities, among them the goddess Ama-no-Uzume. When giving Ninigi the mirror, his
grandmother Amaterasu said: 'Adore this mirror as our souls, adore it as you adore us.' The
jewels, the sword Kusanagi and the mirror became the three emblems of the Imperial power.
The god Ninigi and his suite descended on mount Takachiho in the province of Hyuga, and built a
palace on cape Kasasa. Japanese and Western scholars have had much discussion about this
passage in the Japanese texts. Why should the grandson of the Sun goddess arrive at the island of
Kyushu instead of at Izumo? Mr N. Matsumoto (op. cit. p. 104) quotes the opinion of a Japanese
scholar, Professor K. Shiratori, who thinks the choice of the place may be explained by 'the
political object of the compilers of these myths, who wanted to bring the hostile tribes of the island
of Kyushu under the Imperial power'. That is perfectly comprehensible, given the state of mind in
which the compilation of the Kojiki and Nihon shoki was undertaken.
Ninigi's sons. The god Ninigi married Kono-Hana-Sakuya-Hime, daughter of the Mountain god,
but as she conceived on the first night he doubted her fidelity. The princess Kono-Hana-Sakuya
was angry at this attitude. She built a doorless house and at the moment of birth set fire to the
house, swearing that the child would perish if it were not Ninigi's. She brought forth three sons:
Hoderi, Hosuseri and Hikohohodemi. Afterwards the texts speak of only two brothers. Hosuseri
specialised ih fishing, while Hikohohodemi became a clever hunter. One day the brothers tried to
change over their occupations, but perceived that the results were bad. Hosuseri returned the bow
and arrows to his younger brother, and asked for his fish-hook, but Hikohohodemi had lost the
real fish-hook and gave him another one. Hosuseri refused to take it, as well as other hooks
Hikohohodemi offered him. Hikohohodemi was grieved at the loss, and went down into the
depths of the Ocean to visit the palace of the Sea god. He attracted the attention of the god's
daughter, who presented him, and became his wife. He told his story to the Sea god, and the hook
was found in the mouth of a red fish. Although life in the palace of the Sea god was very pleasant,
Hikohohodemi persisted in wishing to return home. The sea god gave him two jewels, one which
makes the tide rise, and another which makes it fall. His wife promised to rejoin him after a
certain time. When Hikohohodemi got back he returned the fishhook to his brother, but as he
continued to be a nuisance Hikohohodemi made use of the jewel which brings the high tide. The
elder brother, finding himself covered with the sea, begged his pardon and promised to serve him.
Hikohohodemi then threw into the sea the jewel which causes the low tide, and set his elder
brother free.
The Sea god's daughter kept her word and rejoined Hikohohodemi. She told him she was about to
have a child, but added that he must not be present at the birth nor try to watch her. Urged by
curiosity Hikohohodemi looked between the walls of the hut, and saw his wife take the form of a
dragon. She left the child with her husband and returned to her father the Sea god, but sent her
sister to look after the child. This sister became the child's wife, and one of their sons, who
received the names of Toyo-Mike-Nu and Kamu-Yamato-Iware-Hiko, is famous in history under
his posthumous name of Jimmu-Tenno — he was the founder of the Imperial line of Japan. From
this time the history of Japan officially began, but for a long time it was sown with ancient
legends—the rivalry between Yamato and Izumo continued, and the wives of several Emperors
were princesses of Izumo.
THE GODS
Ancient Japanese texts often speak of 'the eight hundred myriads of gods', a scarcely exaggerated
number when you remember that every region, every town, every village and the most humble
inhabitant possessed a local Kami and his attendants. In addition, as we have seen, every object
whose shape or size differed from the normal — such as rocks, old trees etc. — was venerated as a
Kami. Even in modern Japan we see not only the great Temples and Shinto shrines with torii,
typical entrances, before the sanctuaries, but in the forests and on the mountains the traveller often
comes upon
small sanctuaries, hokora, dedicated to a local Kami or to a large rock or a very old tree.
The Sun goddess, Amaterasu. With so many deities, the established mythology is dominated by
the Sun goddess, Amaterasu, who is worshipped not only as a heavenly body but as a spiritual
divinity and the ancestor of the Imperial family. The Japanese people also venerate the sun which
brings warmth and the harvest; and salute it in the morning by clapping hands. Amaterasu's chief
shrine is at Ise. At first the goddess was worshipped in the Imperial palace itself. But, with the
evolution of the Imperial power this proximity threatened difficulties, for the influence of the
priestesses exercised through oracles deprived the Emperor of complete liberty. The Emperor
Sujin (97—30 B.C.) decided to build a special sanctuary for the solar emblems, and appointed his
own daughter to their worship. A little later the Emperor Suinin (29 B.C. to A.D. 70) handed over
the cult of the goddess to his daughter Yamato-Hime. Looking for a suitable site she came to Ise
province, and there, in accordance with an oracle of Amaterasu she built the sanctuary. Since that
remote date the Shrine of Amaterasu has always been at Ise, where it is periodically restored but
always By exactly copying the ancient shrine; and thanks to this, the style of the ancient
architecture has remained until our own times.
This shrine houses the sacred mirror which is the Shintai of the deity, that is to say the object into
which the goddess's spirit enters to be present at the ceremonies and to listen to the prayers
addressed to her.lt is the octagonalmirror which was made to bring Amaterasu out of the cave in
which she was hiding. In the grounds attached to the Shrine at Ise are a large number of cocks
which are considered as birds sacred to the sun because they salute the dawn. In ancient times a
crow with several feet, Yata-Garasu, was also venerated as the messenger of Amaterasu. Very
probably this belief was of foreign origin. The kite and the heavenly arrows are also considered to
be emblems of the sun by the Shintoists.
Takami-Musubi. Although the Sun goddess occupied the first place in the official mythology she
was not considered as an omnipotent deity. Thus, when Amaterasu called an assembly of the gods
to appoint messengers to Izumo, the god Takami-Musubi was named with her; and legend also
mentions him as being beside the goddess when Ninigi was sent down to earth. The Sun goddess
does not act on her own will and pleasure, but asks advice of the other deities. She reigns over the
high heavenly plain, but has to obtain her information about the earth from intermediaries. The
seas and the world underground are not subject to her. We have already seen that the legends
about the Sun contain traces of the lives of Shinto priestesses and their occupations. Amaterasu
herself officiated in heaven, and carried out the ceremony of the new harvest, while she also wove
divine garments. Up till our own times, in April and September, the festivals of divine garments
were celebrated in the great Ise Shrine. Before dawn the pilgrims make their way to the sea-shore
of Futami at Ise where two rocks, one large and one small, stand out of the sea, and are called 'the
Wedded Rocks', Myoto-Ga-Seki. There is a place on this beach where the sun may be seen rising
between these two rocks. The pilgrims adore the rising Sun by clapping their hands and piously
saluting.
Wakahiru-Me. Amaterasu is far from being the only deity. The ancient texts mention others.
Wakahiru-Me, Amaterasu's younger sister, according to the Nihon shoki, was weaving divine
garments with her when Susanoo threw down the flayed horse into the room where they were
sitting, and thus she is probably also a solar deity. Motoori Norinaga (1730—1801), the learned
commentator of the Kojiki, interprets the name Waka, young, hiru, sun, and me, a woman, as
meaning that this young sister of Amaterasu was a personification of the rising or morning sun.
Hiruko. According to a variant reading quoted in the Nihon shoki, the god Hiruko was born after
the sun and moon, and his name is interpreted as 'the childleech'. Professor Florenz (op. cit. p. 286)
considers this etymological explanation defective, and thinks that Hiruko was most probably a
male solar deity thrown into the background by the cult of Amaterasu, the protecting divinity of
the conquering Yamato tribe. In other texts we come upon a god whose name may be abridged to
Nigihaya-hi, meaning 'swift-and-gentlesun',
that is the early morning sun. By a comparison of the texts we can determine that this solar
god was the brother of Ninigi, the grandson of Amaterasu.
The numerous compilations of the ancient texts were an attempt to build up a mythological whole
from the ancient traditions and names of gods which had been preserved; and in so doing have
greatly confused the origins of Japanese beliefs. Professor G. Kato, in his book on Shinto (Annales
du Musee Guimet, vol. L, p. 135, 1931), quotes a typical case where four divinities have been
arbitrarily amalgamated into one. It must also be remembered that the compilers of the Nihon
shoki and Kojiki in building up an orthodoxy coolly dethroned or debased many divinities and
tended to simplify greatly the original complicated structure according to their own personal
beliefs and preferences.
Tsuki-Yomi, god of the Moon. The cult of the moon has been greatly modified in the course of
ages. The ancient texts inform us that Izanagi gave birth to the moon by washing his right eye. His
Japanese name, Tsuki, moon, and Yomi, counter, that is to say, 'counter-of-the-months,' links him
with the primitive calendar (N. Matsumoto, op. cit. p. 16, note i). In Japan the lunar divinity is
masculine, and in the ancient poems of the Manyoshu anthology his name is followed by the word
Otoko, man, to stress his masculine character. This god has a shrine at Ise as well as at Kadono,
and in both these sanctuaries is a mirror in which the god may manifest himself. It is curious to
note that the Chinese picture of the hare in the moon preparing the drug of immortality has
passed into the iconography of modern Japanese with certain modifications. The Japanese
represent the white disk of the moon with a rabbit or a hare pounding rice in a mortar. This
symbol is based on a pun. In Japanese, Mochi-zuki means to pound rice for cakes, and Mochi-zuki
also means the full moon. Although the ideograms with which the two words are written are
entirely different, the identity of the consonants was enough to produce the image.
The stars. As to the stars Mr G. KLato says: 'They never had a prominent place in early Shinto
beliefs, although they included the god of evil, Amatsu-Mikaboshi, "the-august-star-of-heaven", in
other terms Ama-no-Kagaseo, "the-brilliant-male".' Later on, due to the influence of Chinese and
Buddhist beliefs, the Japanese god of stars was identified with the Pole Star, Myo-ken (in Sanskrit,
Sudarsana), and finally with Ama-no-Minakanushi-no-kami, the-Divine-Lord-of-the-middleheavens,
the supreme heavenly deity (G. Kato, op. cit. p. 23 — 24). The legend of the annual
meeting of the star of the Cowherd and the star of the Spinning Maiden over the Milky Way was
brought to Japan during the reign of the Empress Koken (749—759) and utilised to found the
festival of Tanabata, celebrated on the seventh evening of the seventh moon-whence the name
Tanabata, which means seventh evening. (M.G. Cesselin, les 'Sekku' ou quelques fetes populaires,
IV. Tanabata no Sekku, p. 194, No 10, April 1906. Melanges japonais, Tokyo.)
Storm and thunder deities. It is curious to note that in later belief the god Susanoo was linked with
the lunar cult, whereas in the myths generally he is rather the Storm or Thunder god and seems
closely associated with agricultural rites. Mr N. Matsumoto (op. cit. p. 37 and following) has
devoted to him a most interesting study, where he points out that the relationship between the
ceremonies of expulsion and purification led, in the Middle Ages, to the god Susanoo being
considered as the god of plague, and confused with a god of foreign origin, Gozu-Tenno, the Oxheaded-
heavenly-King. The ancient texts also speak of the Thunder deities at the death of Izanami,
whose body was guarded by eight Thunders who afterwards went in pursuit of Izanagi. But these
thunders do not so much represent heavenly thunder, as the underground thunders which are so
common in a volcanic country like Japan. The god Take-Mika-zuchi, who was sent by the other
gods to subjugate Izumo province, is also considered a god of Thunder, who pursued the son of
O-Kuni-Nushi to lake Suwa and conquered him. Aji-suki-takahikone, another son of the same
god, is also a Thunder god. At his birth he cried and screamed, and they calmed him by carrying
him to the top and then to the bottom of a ladder. 'In the Japanese mind the ladder is used to get to
heaven, so this episode seems to allude to one of the characteristics of the Thunder, which is to
come and go between heaven and earth. He was also placed in a boat which sailed between the
eighty islands. The boat was the means by which the Thunder god connected heaven and earth
(N. Matsumoto, op. cit. p. 57—5. Kami-Nari, the god of Rolling-Thunder, is greatly venerated,
and many sanctuaries are devoted to him. Trees split by lightning, Kantoki no ki, are considered
as sacred, and it is forbidden to cut them down. In the Annals of Japan for the year 618 of our era
may be read the story of the official, Kawabe-no-Omi, who was ordered by the Emperor to cut
down trees for the construction of ships. Among the trees was one which had been hit by
lightning. The official made offerings to it and then gave orders for it to be cut down, but scarcely
had the wood-cutters approached the tree when a terrible storm, with rain and thunder, broke
over the forest. A sword plays the part of Shintai in the shrines which
416 — JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY
are consecrated to Kami-Nari, and is probably a symbol of lightning. The most venerated of the
sanctuaries of Kami-Nari is situated at Kashima.
Rain gods. Rain also had its special gods, such as the god Taka-Okami who lives on mountains,
and Kura-Okami who dwells in valleys and can cause snow as well as rain. Fujiwara-no-Kisaki, a
concubine of the Emperor Temmu, says in effect in her poems that she has offered prayers to the
god Kura-Okami so that he will send down snow-flakes on the Imperial palace (Manyoshu,
volume n, poem 19).
In the description of Izumo province, it is stated that to the west of mount Kaminabi the wife of
the god Aji-Suki-Taka-Hikone gave birth to the god Taki-Tsu-Hiko (Prince-cataract), and advised
him to build a temple there. The god is a rock, and if prayers are said to it during a drought it
sends rain.
The ceremonial of the Engi period (901—922) enumerates the ninety-five shrines to which in case
of drought the Emperor sent messengers to ask the gods for rain.
But Japanese fanners have forgotten the old gods, and when there is a drought they get up a
procession preceded by a Shintoist priest carrying the Gohei, the symbol of divinity. The priest is
followed by a peasant blowing in a conch, and then comes a dragon made of bamboo and plaited
straw. The procession is closed by peasants carrying banners on which are written prayers to bring
rain. The peasants follow in a crowd, beating drums and making a noise. The procession makes its
way to a lake or a river, where the image of the dragon is dipped in the water.
Gods of wind. The Wind gods appear at the beginning of the mythological narrative of Nihon
shoki. From the breath of the god Izanagi came the Wind god, Shina-Tsu-Hiko, and to blow away
the mist which covered the land the same god created the goddess, Shina-to-Be. This god and
goddess are also mentioned in an incantation, Norito, in which it is said that the Wind god fills the
void between heaven and earth, and bears up the earth. Besides these two chief deities, there is
another couple of Wind gods—the god Tatsuta-Hiko and the goddess Tatsuta-Hime. They are
named from Tatsuta, the place where their sanctuary is built. They are prayed to for good
harvests. Fishermen and sailors were among their fervent worshippers, and wore their amulets to
protect themselves against storms.
In one of the variants of the Nihon shoki it is said that the body of Ame-no-Wakahiko was brought
down to earth from the plain of heaven by the Whirlwind god, who is named Haya-ji or Haya-
Tsu-muji-no-Kami. Ryobu-Shinto (that is to say, the Japanese form of Buddhism which considered
that all the gods of the Japanese pantheon were merely local manifestations of Buddhist divinities)
has pictorially represented the Wind god in a terrible shape, carrying on his back a great bag from
which he released the wind. The Thunder god was depicted among drums.
Earthquake gods. Among the scourges of Nature, earthquakes could not fail to impress the
Japanese, but we find no mention of an Earthquake god. Not until the year 599 of our era, after an
earthquake which no doubt was particularly violent, was there instituted a cult of the Earthquake
god, Nai-no-Kami; and rather more than a century later several sanctuaries were dedicated to this
formidable deity.
Mountain gods. In a volcanic country like Japan it was natural that the mountains should become
gods. The extinct volcano Fujiyama is the most revered, and the sanctuary of the goddess Sengen-
Sama is built on its peak. During the summer numbers of pilgrims climb the sacred mountain to
worship the rising sun. At one time women were forbidden to go to the top, because they were
then considered impure, but this restriction no longer exists. In addition to mount Fuji there are
many other sacred mountains with shrines dedicated to different gods. In Shinano province there
are Ontake-San and mount Nantai near lake Chuzenji; and in southern Japan, in Higo province,
there is mount Aso, etc. In Japanese mythology we find the name of a deity O-Yama-Tsu-Mi, chief
go'd and lord of mountains. He was born when Izanagi cut the Fire god into five pieces. The
second god was Naka-Yama-Tsu-Mi, that is, the god of mountain slopes. The third was Ha-Yama-
Tsu-Mi, the god of the lower
mountain slopes; the fourth, Masaka-Yama-Tsu-Mi, the god of the steep slope; and the fifth Shigi-
Yama-Tsu-Mi, the god of the mountain foot. In the Kojiki there are mentioned the god of
mountain slopes, Saka-no-Mi-Wo-no-Kami, and a couple of gods of mountain minerals, Kana-
Yama-Hiko and Kana-Yama-Hime
River gods. Rivers also had their gods called by the generic name Kawa-no-Kami (Kawa, river;
Kami, god; no, of) and well-known rivers each had in addition their own god, greatly venerated
on account of the frequent floods. In the year A.D. 22, the river Yamato was in flood and burst its
banks; in a dream the Emperor saw a god who told him that the River god demanded a sacrifice of
two men. A man was sacrificed and the banks repaired, while the second victim escaped by a
subterfuge. The considerable number of persons drowned in Japanese rivers gave birth to the
dwarf Kappa, who by his magic power draws people down into the water. The only way to avoid
his clutch is to bow low to him, then he bows and pours all the water there is from a hole in his
skull. Deprived of this water the Kappa can do no harm. There is also a god of river-mouths,
called Minato-no-Kami.
Springs and wells also have their gods. The god of wells is named Mii-no-Kami, he who causes
water to flow from the earth. In the Kojiki we read that Yakami, one of the wives of O-Kuni-Nushi,
gave birth to a son, and from fear of the chief wife hid the child in the fork of a tree, whence his
other name: Ki-no-Mata-No-Kami. When a new well is begun there is a special ceremony of
purification, and when the well is finished a little salt is thrown in as purification offering.
Sea gods. The sea has several gods. The greatest is O-Wata-Tsu-Mi, also known as the Old Man of
the Tide, Shio-Zuchi. When Izanagi washed off the impurities of Hell in the waters of the sea, he
made several gods—the god of the sea bottom, god of the middle waters, and god of the surface.
In the Engi epoch (901 — 922) the ceremonial mentions a shrine of the Sea god in Harima
province, and the shrine of another Sea god in Chikuzen province. Fish and all sea creatures are
ruled by the Sea god, and his messenger is the sea-monster which the ancient texts call Wani. We
have already noted that the god Hikohohodemi went to the bottom of the sea to look for his
brother's fish-hook, and lived in the palace of the Sea god who gave him the two jewels of the
tides. At the time of the spread of Ryobu-Shinto, the Sea god had a sanctuary at Sumiyoshi, but
became amalgamated with the Hindu god Varuna and thus developed into the very popular god,
Suitengu, a great protector of sailors, with t sanctuaries in almost all the big towns. On top of this
mingling of personalities was engrafted the child Emperor, Antoku, who with his nurse died at
sea during the battle of Dan-No-Ura. Thus grew up the belief that the god Suitengu, being a child
himself, protects and comforts sick children.
The Fire god. The Fire god caused his mother's death when coming into the world and was killed
by his father—on this occasion the god was called Kagu-Zuchi. In incantations he is always
evoked under his other name of Ho-Masubi, the causer of fire, and in Ryobu-Shinto he becomes
the god of mount Atago near Kyoto. He is supposed to be a protection against fire, so he is visited
by many pilgrims who bring back amulets bearing the figure of a wild boar. The Fire god was
greatly feared by the Japanese, for during L the season of high winds their wooden houses were
easily destroyed w by fires. Twice a year the priests carried out at the Imperial palace a ritual
intended to placate fire, and also to drive away all risk of ' burning from the Sovereign's dwelling.
During this complicated ceremony some of the priests lighted fires by different methods in the
four corners of the palace. Others read an incantation which related the myth of the god's birth,
and enumerated the four ways to control him—with the help of the water-goddess, the gourd,
river weed, and the clay-goddess, in accordance with the instructions given by Izanami. After that
the priests read a list of the offerings which must be given to the Fire god to persuade him to spare
His Majesty's palace.
The ritual customs of the shines demanded a pure fire which J the priests made either by the
friction of pieces of Hinoki wood I (this is the Kiri-Bi fire) or by striking a hard stone with steel,
which * gives Uchi-bi fire. The priests of Shinto use it in their houses, and | the Emperor's food is
prepared over it. On New Year's Day at [
Kyoto the faithful make their way to the Temple of Gion, and there receive from the priest's hands
the pure fire, which they take home carefully to light the fire of their own hearths, and thus
receive protection throughout the year. The matron overseers strike pure fire above the heads of
geishas and courtesans to give them magical protection when they go out to clients.
Gods of the Road. The ancient texts mention several Road gods. Chimata-No-Kami is the god of
crossroads and is mentioned in one of the norito. We must also note the god of innumerable roads,
Yachimata-hiko, with whom goes a goddess of innumerable roads, Yachimato-hime; the god-ofthe-
place-not-to-be-visited, Kunado; and also the-god-of-the-place-not-to-be-violated, Funado.
These gods are named also Sae-no-Kami, gods-who-ward-off (misfortunes), or the-ancestors-ofroads,
Dosojin. They protect mankind against the wicked gods of Hell. It is to be noted that they
have no sanctuaries, but twice a year ceremonies were celebrated in their honour at the entrance to
a town or at a cross-roads, offerings were made them, and the ritual texts were read. To protect
themselves against misfortunes and diseases which might be brought them by foreigners, the
ancient Japanese celebrated ceremonies to the honour of the Sae-no-Kami two days before the
arrival of an embassy. These protector gods are phallic gods, and their Shintai is a stick. When
they are represented in human form, in stone or wood, their sex is always clearly indicated. Some
Japanese scholars think the Road gods and the phallic gods were originally distinct, and only later
were blended. However that may be, these gods were very popular in ancient Shinto, and as lords
of procreation they were considered to be powerful protectors. In the Kogoshui we read that a
phallus was set up in the middle of a field to protect the rice from i locusts. In ancient times large
stone phalluses were often placed at cross-roads, but the Buddhist priests opposed this belief, and
replaced the ancient phallic emblems by wooden images of Mikado-Daimyojin (G. Kato, op. cit. p.
177). Then the Imperial government gave orders to take down the emblems of the cult and to
remove them to unfrequented places. But the cult persists in popular belief, and there are still
shrines where the god is venerated. The emblems are often to be found in the small domestic
altars in courtesans' houses. Near forked trees in the mountains, little chapels containing a phallus
are often found. Mr G. Kato has devoted a study of Japanese forms of phallic cult. (A Study of the
development of Religious Ideas among the Japanese People as illustrated by Japanese Phallicism.
Transactions of the Asiatic Society of Japan, vol I, suppl. 1924).
Rustic gods. We have already said that the ancient Japanese conceived that all aspects and
phenomena of Nature were manifestations of different divinities. For this reason the Kojiki
mentions among the gods derived from Izanagi and Izanami, the Princess-of-Grass, Kaya-Nuhime,
who is the goddess of fields and meadows, and is named Nu-Zuchi. Other texts mention
gods of the tree trunks, Kuku-no-chi, and a god-who-protects-leaves, Hamori. In addition to the
generalised divinities, each species of tree has a special god— oaks, for instance, are protected by
Kashiwa-no-Kami. Large and beautiful trees are venerated, and often hung with a rope of plaited
straw from which hang little pieces of paper called Shime-nawa, telling the passer-by of the tree's
divine quality. In a hollow of the tree or in front of it there is made a tiny chapel where the faithful
leave offerings. The tree Sakaki (Cleyera japonica) is particularly venerated, because it was the tree
chosen by the gods on which to hang the mirror during the ceremony carried out to tempt the Sun
goddess from her cave. In all Shinto shrines there are plantations of sakaki, and branches of the
tree are laid before the altars. The big Japanese cedar called the tree of fire, Hinoki, is also
considered as sacred, and is therefore planted round sanctuaries. Mr G. Kato (op. cit., p. 21) says:
'It seems to me that, from Saka Shibutsu's Daijingu Sankeiki or Journal of Pilgrimages to the Ise
Shrines, we may infer that so late as the fourteenth century there existed at Ise a Nature-cult which
took the form of tree-worship. A cherry-tree called Sakura no miya was worshipped within the
precincts of the great Shrine at Ise.'
Gods of Stones and Rocks. Stones and Rocks are also objects of veneration in Shinto. There existed
an important god of rock, Oiwa Daimyojin, while in the Izushi Shrine stones are worshipped.
JAPANESE MYTHOLOGY — 417
We must not forget the stone which, according to the legend, the Empress Jingo (170—269 A.D.)
carried on her belly in order to delay the birth of her child, because she was in command of a
military expedition against Korea. This stone is now venerated, and is supposed to help women in
childbirth. In Hizen province, a sanctuary is dedicated to a similar stone and bears the name
Shrine-of-the-stone-helping-childbirth, Chinkai-Seki-no-Yashiro. Clay or earth, as matter, has a
goddess called Hani-Yasu-no-Kami.
The goddess of Food. In the ancient texts the goddess of food is given different names—Uke-
Mochi-No-Kami, she-who-possesses (Mochi), food (uke); Waka-Uke-Nome, the-young-womanwith-
food; and Toyo-Uke-Bime, the princess-of-rich-food, etc. In the Nihon shoki we learn that
Amaterasu sent her brother Tsuki-Yomi, the Food goddess. She invited him to a meal, and
produced rice and other dishes from her mouth to set out several tables. Tsuki-Yomi was annoyed
by such a meal, and killed the goddess Uke-Mochi. Amaterasu was angry at this murder, and
separated from her brother. Uke-Mochi-No-Kami is worshipped in the Geku Shrine, which after
that of the Sun goddess, is the most important of the Ise sanctuaries.
The Rice god. Inari, the Rice god, is closely related to the Food goddess, but his cult is far more
extended and he has shrines with many red Torii, perhaps in greater number than any sanctuaries
in Japan. In popular belief the god Inari is represented as a bearded old man sitting on a sack of
rice, flanked by two foxes, who are his messengers. The people confuse Inari with his messengers,
and worship the fox as the god of Rice. He is now considered as the god of Prosperity in all his
forms, and is especially worshipped by tradesmen. In old Japan he was known as the patron of the
smiths who forged swords.
Hearth gods. The hearth is protected by several deities. There are gods of the entrance and a
couple of Kitchen gods named Oki-Tsu-Hiko and Oki-Tsu-Hime. There is a special god for the
Imperial kitchen. The Emperor Keiko (A.D. 71 — 188) wished to reward the culinary talents of a
deceased Imperial Prince, so dedicated a shrine to him, and promoted him to the rank of tutelary
divinity of the Imperial kitchen (G. Kato, op. cit. p. 62). The god of the kitchen range, Kamado-no-
Kami, is a greatly venerated deity in all houses. in old Japan special festivals were dedicated to the
god of Pots, and all artisans who used pots in their occupation took part in them. During the
ceremony of good wishes for the Palace, known as Otono-no-hogai, the procession visited the
bathroom and the closets, where offerings were made of a few grains of rice and a few drops of
rice-wine. The god of Closets was respected and feared because, according to the Japanese, evil
gods always settle in unclean places, and from there afterwards send dangerous diseases.
Deified heroes. The pantheon of Shinto gods was always increasing. In addition to the
mythological gods, historical personages were and are considered as Kami, but this is not a very
ancient tendency. In the ninth century there is a mention of prayers addressed to a deceased
Emperor to ootain rain or avoid a misfortune. Towards the beginning of the tenth century we find
a written order to make offerings to the deceased sovereign as if he were a Kami. Among the
deified sovereigns we must put to one side those to whom shrines were erected in order to calm
their anger, or the desire for vengeance, which they might have felt from the suffering of their
lifetime. Such was the Emperor Junnin (750 — 764) who was banished to Awaji island and then
assassinated; such too Sutoku (1124—1141) who died in exile in Sanuki; Go-Toba (1184—1198),
Tsuchi-Mikado (1199-1210) and Juntoku (1211-1221) who were exiled to different places after the
defeat of their troops by the army of the military Government of Kama Kura; the Emperor Go-
Uaigo (1319 — 1338) who also tried to free himself from the control of the military Government of
Kama Kura. He was banished to the island of Chiburi, succeeded in escaping and in re-assuming
power, but had finally to abdicate after several years of hard struggle. And then there was the
child Emperor Antoku, already mentioned, who died in 1185 in the naval battle of Danno-ura.
The sovereigns Chuai and Ojm, as well as the Empress Jingo, were deified for their military
exploits. The last-named is venerated in the Shrine of Sumiyoshi for her expedition to Korea,
which
probably occurred about the fourth century of our era. The Emperor Chuai fought the rebel tribes
of Kyushu island, and died just before the expedition to Korea.
The Emperor Ojin, son of Chuai and Jingo, had a shrine at Usa, built in 712 by the Empress
Gemmyo (708 — 714), and he became the god of War under the popular name of Hachiman. In the
ninth century the Emperor Seiwa (died 876) built another shrine to him at Iwashimizu. The
Ryobu-Shinto doctrines introduced Buddhist elements into his cult, and added on to his name a
Buddhist epithet, Hachiman Daibosatsu. After the Imperial restoration of 1868 he once more
became a purely Shinto deity. His shrines are still numerous, and always thronged with the
pigeons who are his messengers. The Imperial government deified the legendary founder of the
dynasty, the Emperor Jimmu, as well as the great reforming Emperor Kammu (719—781) and put
up shrines to them. The Emperor Meiji, who died in 1912, and his wife, have been deified and
have a sanctuary.
Statesmen also have become gods, and shrines have been built to them. The Minister Fujiwara
Kamatari (614 — 669) has a shrine and receives offerings. Sugawara Michizane (845—903) is a
Minister who died in exile. After his death his spirit brought misfortune to those who had
calumniated him to the Emperor, and a small shrine was erected to him in 907, and a larger one in
947. He is considered as the protector of scholars, and the god of Calligraphy. He is called Tenjin,
and his shrines are numerous.
The great military dictator Oda Nobunaga (1534—1582) is venerated in a Shinto shrine, and so is
his successor Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1530— 1598), leyasu (1524— 1616), founder of the house of
Tokugawa, which governed Japan for nearly three centuries, has sanctuaries where he is
worshipped under the name of Tosho-Dai-gongen. Other examples might be quoted.
There were even persons to whom shrines were erected in their lifetime, and who were venerated
as Kami before their death. Mr G. Kato has paid special attention to this question, and has devoted
to it a volume of over four hundred pages, Hompo Seishi no Kenkyu, with an appendix in
English: Shinto worship of living human gods in the religious history of Japan, 1932, Tokyo, as
well as several articles in the Transactions of the Meiji Japan Society. He mentions the case of
Honda Tadakazu (vol. XL, 1933), and that of Matsudaira Sadanobu (1758—1829) chief Minister of
the Tokugawa and man of letters (vol. XXXIII, 1930). We will limit ourselves to these two
examples.
_________________ Мой девиз: один против всех, и всем несдобровать...
Вы не можете начинать темы Вы не можете отвечать на сообщения Вы не можете редактировать свои сообщения Вы не можете удалять свои сообщения Вы не можете голосовать в опросах
FAQ
Поиск
Пользователи
Группы
Регистрация
Профиль
Войти и проверить личные сообщения
Вход
. Kami-Nari, the god of Rolling-Thunder, is greatly venerated,