Mythic Animals: Reptile: Kappa of Japan

In Japan, signs can be found posted at various ponds to inform people to “Beware of the Kappa.” These turtle-like amphibians often lurk at the bottom of rivers and lakes waiting for an unwary person. Since their favorite food is the entrails of children, a Kappa would reach up inside the child’s body and pull the organs out. Besides killing people, Kappas would pass gas, look up women’s kimonos, and rape women. People had to be on guard for a sneak attack by a Kappa.

 

Besides entrails, Kappas also feast on cucumbers. A prepared person can prevent an attack by offering cucumbers to the beast. Another way to stave off an attack is to be very polite to the Kappa. Because Kappas prize decorum and politeness, the beast would bow when the person bowed. (In order to walk on land, a Kappa has a bowl of water on its head.) When the beast bowed, the life-giving water would flow out.

 

Once the Kappa is incapacitated, a person could have the beast sign a legal contract. In return for water, a Kappa would agree to help the family, such as doing farm work, setting broken bones, or teaching medicine. Because the Japanese considered Kappas to be trustworthy, they used legal documents to keep the beasts in line whenever possible. Although Kappas are dangerous, the Japanese exploited their weaknesses to their benefit.

 

Works Used:

Chamberlain, Basil, “Japanese Things,” Charles Tuttle, Tokyo 1905 (reprint 1971).

Schumacher, Mark, “KAPPA = River Imp, Water Sprite,” Japanese Buddhist Corner, Onmarkproductions.com, 2010, http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/kappa.shtml, .

Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon and Ash DeKirk, “A Wizard’s Bestiary,” New Page Press, Franklin Lakes, NJ, 2007.

Mythic Animals: Semi-human: Tengu (Japan)

 The Tengu (“Heaven Dog”) was introduced in Japan as a part of the cultural borrowing from China, beginning in the 6^th Century. A part of Chinese mythology, Tengu was adopted into Japanese lore as well. These bird-like goblins became a part of Japanese Buddhism and Shintoism. Karasu Tengu (Crow Tengu), the original import, disliked humans, and often abducted them. Then, Yamabushi Tengu (Monk Tengu) emerged in the 13^th Century to help ordinary people and punish vain monks.
Works Used:

Chamberlain, Basil, “Japanese Things,” Charles Tuttle, Tokyo 1905 (reprint 1971).

 Schumacher, Mark, “Tengu: The Slayer of Vanity,” Japanese Buddhist Corner, onmarkproductions.com, 2010, http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/tengu.shtml.
Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon and Ash DeKirk, “A Wizard’s Bestiary,” New Page Press, Franklin Lakes, NJ, 2007.

Japanese Days of the Week and Correspondences

Kobo Daishi

Japanese Days of the Week

In the 800’s, the Japanese adopted their “official” calendar system from the Chinese.  One of the major aspects of the Chinese calendar was the seven day week.  The Chinese, in turn, had adopted the seven day week from the West.  However, they changed the week day names to match the elements instead of the original names of various Roman Gods.

The Japanese copied the Chinese calendar including the “Seven Luminaries” which consists of the Sun, Moon, and the planets: Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn.  In addition, the Japanese named their days of the week to reflect Chinese conventions.  In English, Japanese weekday names are “Sun day”, “Moon day”, “Fire day”, “Water day”, “Wood day”, “Gold day”, and “Earth day”.  This order actually reflects the traditional Babylonian system, which was transferred through China to Japan.  In their correspondences of elements, the Chinese and Japanese usually list “water” before “fire”.

The Japanese monk, Kobo Daishi is credited with introducing the Chinese calendar into Japan in 804 CE.  Traditional Japanese months were twenty-nine or thirty days, and were divided into five groups of six days.  The Rokuyo (six days) was a system of “good luck” and “bad luck” days.  Also in the old calendar, the first day of each month was assigned a Rokuyo “day” (such as the first and seventh months were Sensho.) Kobo Daishi decided that Mitsubi (secret day) which starts the Rokuyo was “Sun day”, the first day of the seven day week.  However, since Rokuyo are six days, they repeat every seventh day, starting on days other than “Sun day”.  Modern Japanese calendars still list the days of Rokuyo to aid Japanese in tracking these days.

Traditional Correspondences for Japanese Days of the Week

(Missing correspondences are added by me, and labeled “mine”.)

Sunday: Nichiyoubi: Sun day

Traditional elements: One listed

Direction: Top (Mine)

Color: Gold (Mine)

Season: Midsummer (Mine)

Time of day: Morning (Mine)

Planet: Sun

Monday: Getsuyoubi: Moon day

Traditional elements: One listed

Direction: Bottom (Mine)

Color: SIlver (Mine)

Season: Midwinter (Mine)

Time of day: Evening (Mine)

Planet: Moon

Tuesday: Kayoubi: Fire day

Traditional elements: All listed

Direction: South

Color: Red

Season: Summer

Time of day: Midday

Planet: Mars

Wednesday: Suiyoubi: Water day

Traditional elements: All listed

Direction: North

Color: Black

Season: Winter

Time of day: Midnight

Planet: Mercury

Thursday: Mokuyoubi: Wood day

Traditional elements: All listed

Direction: East

Color: Green

Season: Spring

Time of day: Dawn

Planet: Jupiter

Friday: Kinyoubi: Gold (metal) day

Traditional elements: All listed

Direction: West

Color: White

Season: Autumn

Time of day: Dusk

Planet: Venus

Saturday: Douyoubi: Earth day

Traditional elements: some listed

Direction: Center

Color: Yellow

Season: 18 days at the end of each season

Time of day: Afternoon (Mine)

Planet: Saturn

Rokuyo – Six Days of good and bad luck.

Sensho (Senkachi, Sakigachi):

Good luck in morning

Bad luck between 2 and 6 PM

Good day for urgent tasks and lawsuits

Tomobiki:

Good luck in morning

Bad luck in afternoon

Bad day for settling affairs

Senbu (Senpu):

Good luck in afternoon

Bad luck in morning

Bad day for urgent tasks and lawsuits

Butsumetsu:

Bad luck all day

Taian:

Good luck all day

Shakko (Shakku):

Good luck between 11 AM and 1 PM

Bad luck rest of day

Works Used:

“Bathrobe” (Greg Pringle), “Bathrobe’s Days of the Week in Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese”, Bathrobe’s Chinese, Japanese, and Vietnamese Language Site, 2007, http://www.cjvlang.com/index.html

 Chamberlain, Basil, “Japanese Things”, Charles Tuttle: Tokyo 1905 (reprint 1971)

Kakuta Haruo, “Rokyo”, Kakkun’s Workshop, blog, 04, Feb 2010, http://kakkun.blogspot.com/

Renshaw, Steve and Saori Ihara, “The Lunar Calendar in Japan”, Astronomy in Japan, 2010, http://www2.gol.com/users/stever/calendar.htm

---, “ROKUYO – Lucky and Unlucky Days in Japan”, Seiyaku, 2011, http://www.seiyaku.com/customs/rokuyo-about.html

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Morals of Selected East Asian Dragon Stories

At first glance, the Chinese myth, “The Legend of Pai Lung”, and the Japanese story, “Kiyo’s Revenge” seem to be alike.  They both contain similar elements, such as young women presumed to be wronged by men, and then left to fend for themselves.  Also, the endings of people seeking mercy from the dragons created by the innocent women seem to be the same.

However, there are important differences.  In “The Legend of Pai Lung”, the young girl dies from fright at what she gave birth to.  She had become the mother of Pai-Lung, the white Dragon King.  This dragon, a product of the young girl’s suffering, will offer mercy to those who ask him.  The moral of the story, “The Legend of Pai Lung” is that understanding is the key of life.  Mercy is returned for ignorance and prejudice.  Forgiveness will be granted to those who accused the young woman of wrong doing

Meanwhile, the heroine of “Kiyo’s Revenge” does not forgive but instead seeks vengeance.  Deciding not to cast her lot to the fates, Kiyo learns how to shape-shift into a dragon.  Unlike Pai Lung, Kiyo wants retribution.  She finds the priest who seduced her, and flames him.  The moral of “Kiyo’s Revenge” is to take nothing for granted.  Also, if you are immoral, you will be punished such as the priest who wronged Kiyo.

Comparing the story “Dragon Pearl” with the previous two stores adds further insight to the morals of these stories.  In this Chinese story, a young boy works to keep his mother from starving.  To feed himself and his mother, he digs up a pearl from the ground.  When thieves try to steal it, the boy swallows the pearl and transforms into a dragon.  Like the mother of Pai Lung, he gives “birth” and like Kiyo, he becomes the dragon.  This story explores want and greed.  The boy’s want becomes money which then attracts the greedy thieves.  The pearl is both a blessing and a curse.  Again goodness overcomes greed when the new dragon ends the drought for all.

The dragon of “Dragon Pearl” transmutes sorrow to joy and brings rain to the thirsty land.  The dragons of the Chinese stories are agents for good.  Meanwhile, the Japanese story has a woman shape-shifting into a dragon.  Unlike the other two heroes, Kiyo is active instead of passive, and becomes the major impetus in her own life. The major difference is that the woman Kiyo did not return mercy for wrong doing when she was a dragon.  She remained human in her being.