The Japanese dragon is the personification of a variety of divine powers. This fabulous creature can be evil and kind, noble and insidious. His image is inextricably linked with water, which, with its power and unpredictability, seems to personify the awesome energy of a powerful animal. The role dragons play in Japanese mythology will be discussed in this article.
Origin
It is not known how independent the Japanese dragon is. Firstly, all oriental fabulous animals (including Korean and Chinese) are very similar to each other. Secondly, the Japanese myths recorded in the annals not only completely copy the legends of a distant neighbor, but are also written in Chinese. And yet the legend of dragons in Japan has its own flavor, different from the legends of other peoples. We will talk about the features of the national folklore of this country below.
Distinguishing Features
The Japanese dragon differs from the Chinese, first of all, in physiological features. The fact is that the number of claws, tails and heads of these creatures is different. The Japanese monster has only three claws. Scientists attribute this fact to the fact that earlier in China the dragon looked the same. Moreover, in his image he personified the strength and power of the country. However, after the conquest of China, the Mongols put their dragon on a pedestal, which already had four claws as a sign that it was much more powerful than its predecessor. When the Chinese gained independence, they did everything to forget about the Mongol rule. They again modified their dragon, adding another claw to it. Naturally, all these metamorphoses of the Japanese dragon did not touch. As he came three-fingered from China, he remained so. But he had a lot of heads and tails. Therefore, it was not easy to deal with the raging monster. All Japanese legends testify to this.
Habitat
The natural habitat for a dragon is water. In legends, he is inextricably linked with Japanese water deities. In the old days, the dragon itself was considered a powerful creature of heaven, which was revered in various parts of the country. The center of worship for these creatures is the province of Kanagawa. Legends and myths of Japan say that two famous dragons used to live here. The nine-headed monster lived in Lake Ashinoko, in the Hakone mountains, and the five-headed monster lived on the island of Enoshima. Each of these fabulous creatures has its own special story.
Dragon five-headed
A shrine dedicated to the dragon appeared on Enoshima in 552. Itlocated in the rocky northern part of the island. Not far from the temple, at the very edge of the water, there is a grotto, where, according to legend, the Japanese dragon still lives. The five-headed patron of the island did not immediately become a deity. To do this, he had to marry a goddess.
In the 6th century AD in Japan there was a cult of worship of the goddess Benten - the patroness of the hearth, women, arts and fiery eloquence. According to legend, she was so beautiful that she subdued the great dragon. He wooed Benten and received consent. Since then, the five-headed animal has become a full member of the Japanese divine pantheon. He was recognized as the giver of moisture for the land of Sagami. The animal was also given a special name - Ryukomeijin, which translates as "light dragon deity".
Sacred rites
On the coast in the vicinity of Ethnosima, a spacious temple is dedicated to the five-headed creature, and on the island there is a sanctuary of his noble wife, the goddess Benten. In Japan, they believe that lovers should always be together everywhere and always. Eastern mythology involves the performance of certain rituals. So, on the first day of the lunar calendar (the day of the Snake), a solemn ceremony takes place every year: a symbolic image of the deity is sent from the dragon sanctuary to the temple of the goddess Benten. The spouses, therefore, are close. And once every 60 years, a wooden figurine is taken out of the dragon temple with all sorts of honors, which is then transported to the statue of Benten on the island.
Dragon nine-headed
This creature from Ashinoko hasit was a completely different fate. It is considered a very ancient animal, which from time immemorial has been chosen on the coast of the lake and eaten children from the surrounding villages. No one could resist the gluttonous monster until a pious priest named Managan appeared in those parts. Dragon hunters often appear in Eastern legends, and each time, in addition to courage, they have remarkable ingenuity. And the Shinto servant owned not only God's Word, but also acting magic. With the help of witchcraft spells, the hero managed to pacify the dragon and chain him to the trunk of a huge tree growing at the bottom of the lake. More than a thousand years have passed - and since then no one has seen a gluttonous dragon get out on land.
Healing tears
Japan is famous for such legends. The most interesting thing is that the creators of the legends believed that the evil monster could be re-educated. It is believed, for example, that the inhabitant of Lake Ashinoko has long repented of his criminal deeds and weeps bitterly, remembering them. But there is no one to disenchant the dragon, because Managan died long ago. The tears of a fairy-tale creature are considered healing, so the waters of Ashinoko are credited with medicinal properties. Some Japanese come to these parts to heal from illnesses and wounds. Even the path along which the dragon got out of the lake has been preserved. The shrine's lake torii have now been erected over it.
Patron of family happiness
For some unknown reason, the nine-headed dragon is considered the patron saint of matchmaking, and now twice a year - on the Japanese holiday of all lovers Tanabata and Western Valentine's DayValentine - unmarried Japanese women rush to the shores of Lake Ashinoko to ask the fabulous creature for well-being in their personal lives. And every month, on the 13th, a service is held in the dragon sanctuary, during which everyone who longs to find family happiness is asked for protection from the deity.
Yamata no Orochi
Japanese folklore mentions another formidable dragon, which could not be corrected - had to be destroyed. It is said that in the southern part of the island of Honshu, in the region of Izumo, an indomitable monster named Yamato no Orochi raged. One family was especially unlucky - it had eight daughters, and every year a fabulous creature kidnapped and ate one of them. The description of the dragon says - he was terrible. The red-eyed, eight-headed monster was exceptionally large: its length was eight hills and eight valleys. In addition, he had eight tails, and trees and moss grew on the back of the monster. The belly of the dragon was always engulfed in fire and no one could resist his atrocities. When only one daughter remained in the house of the unfortunate parents, Susanoo no Mikoto (local god) came to them and offered help. In return, he demanded the hand of his rescued daughter. Of course, the old people agreed, and God ordered to do the following. He ordered to brew a large amount of sake, which he then poured into eight large barrels. Susanoo no Mikoto then placed the alcohol on high ground surrounded by a high fence. In each of them was made an opening for the dragon's head. The snake, which apparently was not indifferent to sake, did not smell the catch and drank the prepared treateach of the heads. He immediately got tipsy and fell asleep, which allowed the cunning god to chop him into pieces. Then Susanoo no Mikoto married the saved girl, and in one of the dragon's tails he discovered the Kusanagi sword, which has magical properties. Later, this item became one of the symbols of imperial power.
Colored dragons
The Japanese dragon is a very unpredictable creature. He can change his appearance, size, shape, and even become invisible. Legendary animals differ in color. Perhaps this is their only constant feature. Each color has its own meaning. The golden dragon brings happiness, we alth and good luck. Blue (or green) symbolizes spring, a meeting with him promises good luck and good he alth. Red stands for strength, activity, storm and summer. The black dragon represents winter, the north, storm, revenge and unrest. White is associated with mourning, autumn and death.
Watatsumi no kami
Ryujin or Watatsumi no Kami is the god of the water element, the dragon. He is considered a good patron of Japan. Many glorious deeds are attributed to the fabulous creature. Once, for example, he saved Japan from the Mongol invasion: he caused a hurricane and sank an enemy flotilla. In netsuke, this dragon is depicted as a gray-haired old man in imperial attire. But among the people, his completely different appearance is much more popular: Ryujin, naked to the waist, bearded and long-haired, holds a pearl that controls the tides in his hand, and a huge dragon or octopus perched behind the god.
The Japanese believe that Ryujin owns vast we alth and is the most powerful being in the entire world. He lives at the bottom of the sea, but sometimes turns into a human and visits people. The most attractive women in the country allegedly enjoy his attention. Dragon children are very beautiful: they have green eyes and black hair. They also wield black magic.
The Legend of Ryujin
There are a lot of legends about this dragon. They say, for example, that once two gods (the fisherman Hoderino-no Mikoto and the hunter Hoori-no Mikoto) decided to exchange crafts to find out if they could master an unfamiliar business. They were siblings and loved to compete for any reason. Hoori no Mikoto drowned his brother's magic hook while fishing. In order to return the loss, the hero had to go down to the seabed. There he met Toyotama-bime-no Mikoto, Ryujin's daughter, fell in love and married her. Only three years later, the unlucky fisherman remembered why he had come. The sea god quickly found the hook and handed it to his son-in-law. He also gave Hoori no Mikoto two pearls, one to control the tide and the other to control the ebb. The hero returned to earth, reconciled with his brother and lived happily ever after with his beautiful wife.
Ryo Wo
The legend of dragons says: many of them have luxurious palaces at the bottom of the sea, as befits a powerful sea deity. Ryo Wo has a dwelling so spacious that all drowned people fit in it. This dragon is distinguished by nobility and wisdom. He is the patron saint of the Shinto faith. The Japanese believe thatthis creature has great power and can travel all over the world. He is also very handsome and smart. Ryo Wo sometimes doesn't mind playing with the clouds and thus causing rain or a hurricane. Another weakness is pearls. For the sake of a rare specimen, the Japanese dragon is capable of much.
Famous dragons
Japan's dragon heritage is great and varied. In addition to the most famous, there are other, less well-known ones in the land of the rising sun. Here are some of them:
- Fuku Riu is a dragon that brings good luck. It is difficult to call him ferocious, so any Japanese dreams of meeting him. After all, this creature symbolizes good luck, prosperity and abundance.
- Sui Riu is a dragon that can make it rain. Moreover, it is blood-red in color and can portend trouble.
- Han Riu is a colorful dragon. Its body is decorated with stripes of nine different shades. In addition, its body length is 40 feet. This creature is forever striving for the heavens, but will never be able to reach them.
- Ka Riu is a small scarlet dragon. He is only seven feet long, but his body is always engulfed in bright flames.
- Ri Riu is a vigilant dragon. He can see 100 miles around.
- Benten is a Japanese goddess. According to legend, she sometimes descends from heaven on a nameless dragon and stops the atrocities of other fabulous creatures.
- Kinryu - golden dragon.
- Kiyo is a female creature. Originally an attractive waitress, this dragon was later reborn and is now considered the patron saint of inns.
- O Goncho -white dragon, a ferocious ever-hungry monster. He hunts with his brother, the red Uwibami. It attacks people and feeds on large men.
Temples and altars
Dragon shrines are found in all prefectures of Japan. Usually they are located on the banks of the seas and rivers, because these creatures are aquatic animals. In the inland sea of Japan, there is the famous Temple Island. It is visited to meditate and pray to the great dragons. The descendants of these legendary creatures, according to legend, become rulers. Sculptures depicting dragons adorn the exteriors of Buddhist temples and castles in Japan. They symbolize all the obstacles and difficulties that a person must overcome in order to subsequently achieve enlightenment.
Dance of the golden dragon
In Akasusa, in the temple of Sensoya, a symbolic golden dragon dances every year for a cheering crowd. He is present during the solemn parade, and then returns with honors to the sanctuary. First, people throw coins into the grating of the temple and try to touch the dragon for good luck. After that, the symbol of the animal is taken out into the street, where it "dances" in front of a jubilant crowd. This annual festival is held in honor of the temple of the goddess Kanon, which symbolizes mercy, opened in 628. The shrine was discovered by two fisherman brothers who hunted on the Sumida River. According to legend, they recognized the temple because two golden dragons flew out from there. The festival is held to bring good luck for the coming year.
Black Dragon
As mentioned above, the black dragon is a symbol of unrest and retribution. It is assumed that before the outbreak of World War II, an influential secret society operated in Japan. It was led by Minister of War Tojo, a man who dreamed of starting a war with the United States and winning it. The organization was called the Black Dragon. Japan then tried to defend its military superiority over other countries. Members of a terrorist organization committed a series of high-profile murders, paving their way to power. According to some reports, the Second World War in the Pacific began precisely thanks to the activities of this society, because it included representatives of the nobility who fiercely hated the United States. Tojo eventually became the sole dictator of Japan, but his power did not last long. The FBI is still investigating the activities of the Black Dragon organization and is finding more and more evidence of its crimes.
Now you know that Japanese mythology is a centuries-old cultural heritage. Dragons in the land of the rising sun continue to be deified. They are revered much more than real animals. For example, the Japanese yakuza consider this outlandish creature to be their patron and not only wear tattoos with his image, but also decorate their homes with statues of him. Dragon hunters in Japanese mythology are rare. Indeed, in local legends, they, most often, do not at all look like ferocious monsters from children's fairy tales, and you can always agree with them. And a person who managed to please such a creature,forever can find happiness, we alth and longevity.
