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Asobi (ancient Japan)
(also sometimes known as ) were Shinto priestesses devoted to the goddess Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto during the Heian period (794–1185) in Japan. Originating as performers of shamanistic rituals performed to appease the souls of the dead, originally functioned as priestesses designed to deal with death. Though they played a role in conducting royal funerals, with the introduction of Buddhism and Confucianism in the 700s, the place of in royal funerals disappeared, and they instead became known for their songs. In combination with receiving gifts for sexual favors, became the source of wealth for . After the Taihō Reform Code in 701 and the Yōrō code of 718, the public began to develop unsavory views toward the practices of . Though they conducted business similarly to prostitutes, they were considered to be performers because of their musical talents. being the term for prostitute, the dictionary Wamyō ruijushō (compiled by Minamoto no Shitagō in the 930s) describes th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shinto
Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintoists'', although adherents rarely use that term themselves. There is no central authority in control of Shinto, with much diversity of belief and practice evident among practitioners. A polytheistic and animistic religion, Shinto revolves around supernatural entities called the . The are believed to inhabit all things, including forces of nature and prominent landscape locations. The are worshiped at household shrines, family shrines, and ''jinja'' public shrines. The latter are staffed by priests, known as , who oversee offerings of food and drink to the specific enshrined at that location. This is done to cultivate harmony between humans and and to solicit the latter's blessing. Other common rituals include the dances, rites of pass ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Settsu Province
was a province of Japan, which today comprises the southeastern part of Hyōgo Prefecture and the northern part of Osaka Prefecture. It was also referred to as or . Osaka and Osaka Castle were the main center of the province. Most of Settsu's area comprises the modern day cities of Osaka and Kōbe. History During the Sengoku period, the Miyoshi clan ruled Settsu and its neighbors, Izumi and Kawachi, until they were conquered by Oda Nobunaga. The provinces were ruled subsequently by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. The regents of Hideyoshi's son soon quarreled, and when Ishida Mitsunari lost the Battle of Sekigahara, the area was given to relatives of Tokugawa Ieyasu. It was from then on divided into several domains, including the Asada Domain. Sumiyoshi taisha was designated as the chief Shinto shrine (''ichinomiya'') for the province. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ōe No Masafusa
was a famed poet, scholar and tutor under the emperors of Shirakawa, Horikawa, and Toba. Masafusa was most known by his title of "Acting Middle Counselor". In 1060 AD, Masafusa became mainly known for being the author of the famous work: '' Gōke Shidai''. For the ceremonial and public functions in the eleventh century, this became one of the most valuable sources of historic information. During the year of 1111, Masafusa died at the age of 71. One of his students in the art of war was Minamoto no Yoshiie. Masafusa authored a number of texts, including: * (early 12th century) * (mid to late 11th century) * * * * *''Gōdanshō'' (江談抄) *''Rōei gōchū'' (朗詠江註; a commentary to Fujiwara no Kintō's ''Wakan rōeishū'') *''Honchō shinsenden'' (本朝神仙伝) Ancestry His paternal great grandparents were and Akazome Emon, Masahira himself being a grandson of . Koretoki was a son of and grandson of Ōe no Otondo. Otondo was a son of Prince Abo, who was a son ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shinsarugakuki
is an 11th-century Japanese work of fiction written by Fujiwara no Akihira (989–1066). The work consists of an introduction and twenty-eight short chapters and portrays a ''sarugaku'' performance took place in Kyoto and the family of a military official Uemon-no-jō in the audience. While describing the performance in the introduction and the members of Uemon-no-jō's family, namely his three wives, sixteen daughters and/or their husbands, and nine sons, in the following chapters, the narrative incorporates various words related to performing arts and the respective occupation of the figures and thus provides the readers with lists of objects. For example, the book provides in the introduction an account of various performances, including comic sketches, lion dances, puppets, rice-planting songs, and solo sumo wrestling. As a result, ''Shinsarugakuki'' is considered to be one of the most important sources relating the lives and society of the time. Ideal farmer The husband of Ue ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saigyō
was a famous Japanese poet of the late Heian and early Kamakura period. Biography Born in Kyoto to a noble family, he lived during the traumatic transition of power between the old court nobles and the new samurai warriors. After the start of the age of Mappō, Buddhism was considered to be in decline and no longer as effective a means of salvation. These cultural shifts during his lifetime led to a sense of melancholy in his poetry. As a youth, he worked as a guard to retired Emperor Toba, but in 1140 at age 22, for reasons now unknown, he quit worldly life to become a monk, taking the religious name . He later took the pen name , meaning “Western Journey”, a reference to Amida Buddha and the Western paradise. He lived alone for long periods in his life in Saga, Mt. Koya, Mt. Yoshino, Ise, and many other places, but he is more known for the many long, poetic journeys he took to Northern Honshū that would later inspire Bashō in his '' Narrow Road to the Interior''. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood. In the Early Buddhist schools as well as modern Theravada Buddhism, a bodhisattva (Pali: ''bodhisatta'') refers to someone who has made a resolution to become a Buddha and has also received a confirmation or prediction from a living Buddha that this will be so. In Mahayana Buddhism, a bodhisattva refers to anyone who has generated ''bodhicitta'', a spontaneous wish and compassionate mind to attain Buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings. Mahayana bodhisattvas are spiritually heroic persons that work to attain awakening and are driven by a great compassion (''mahakaruṇā''). These beings are exemplified by important spiritual qualities such as the "four divine abodes" (''brahmaviharas'') of loving-kindness ('' metta''), compassion (''karuṇā''), empathet ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Emperor Go-Uda
was the 91st emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1274 through 1287. This 13th-century sovereign was named after the 9th-century Emperor Uda and ''go-'' (後), translates literally as "later"; and thus, he is sometimes called the "Later Emperor Uda," or in some older sources, may be identified as "Emperor Uda, the second" or as "Emperor Uda II." Genealogy Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (''imina'') was Yohito (世仁). He was the second son of Emperor Kameyama. They were from the Daikaku-ji line. *Consort: Imperial Princess Reishi (姈子内親王; 1270–1307) later Yūgimon'in (遊義門院), Emperor Go-Fukakusa's daughter *Consort: Horikawa (Minamoto) Motoko (堀河（源）基子) later Nishika'mon-in (西華門院; 1269–1355), Horikawa Tomomori's daughter **First son: Imperial Prince Kuniharu (邦治親王) later Emperor Go-Nijō *Lady-in-waiting: Itsutsuji (Fujiwara) C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kasuga-taisha
is a Shinto shrine in Nara, Nara Prefecture, Japan. It is the shrine of the Fujiwara family, established in 768 CE and rebuilt several times over the centuries. The interior is famous for its many bronze lanterns, as well as the many stone lanterns that lead up the shrine. The architectural style '' Kasuga-zukuri'' takes its name from Kasuga Shrine's ''honden'' (sanctuary). The Torii at Kasuga-taisha is one of the oldest in Shinto and helped influence the style of Torii seen across much of Japan. Kasuga Shrine, and the Kasugayama Primeval Forest near it, are registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara". The path to Kasuga Shrine passes through a deer park. In the park, deer are able to roam freely and are believed to be sacred messengers of the Shinto gods that inhabit the shrine and surrounding mountainous terrain. Kasuga Shrine and the deer have been featured in several paintings and works of art of the Nambokucho Period. O ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kamakura Period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the Genpei War, which saw the struggle between the Taira and Minamoto clans. The period is known for the emergence of the samurai, the warrior caste, and for the establishment of feudalism in Japan. During the early Kamakura period, the shogunate continued warfare against the Northern Fujiwara which was only defeated in 1189. Then, the authority to the Kamakura rulers waned in the 1190s and power was transferred to the powerful Hōjō clan in the early 13th century with the head of the clan as regent (Shikken) under the shogun which became a powerless figurehead. The later Kamakura period saw the invasions of the Mongols in 1274 and again in 1281. To reduce the amount of chaos, the Hōjō rulers decided to decentralize power by allowing two imperial lines – Northern and Southern ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Koto (instrument)
The is a Japanese Plucked string instrument, plucked Tube zither#Half-tube zithers, half-tube zither instrument, and the national instrument of Japan. It is derived from the Chinese and , and similar to the Mongolian , the Korean and , the Vietnamese , the Sundanese people, Sundanese and the Kazakhstan . Koto are roughly in length, and made from Paulownia, Paulownia wood (''Paulownia tomentosa'', known as ). The most common type uses 13 strings strung over movable bridge (instrument), bridges used for tuning, different pieces possibly requiring different tuning. 17-string koto are also common, and act as Bass (instrument), bass in ensembles. Koto strings are generally plucked using three fingerpicks (), worn on the first three fingers of the right hand. Names and types The character for ''koto'' is , although is often used. However, (''koto'') is the general term for all string instruments in the Japanese language,(jaKotobank koto/ref> including instruments such as the , ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kagura
is a type of Shinto ritual ceremonial dance. The term is a contraction of the phrase , indicating the presence of gods () in the practice. One major function of is , involving a procession-trance process. Usually a female shaman will perform the dance and obtain the oracle from the god—in the setting, the dancer herself turns into god during the performance. Once strictly a ceremonial art derived from , has evolved in many directions over the span of more than a millennium. Today, it is very much a living tradition, with rituals tied to the rhythms of the agricultural calendar, thriving primarily in parts of Shimane Prefecture, and urban centers such as Hiroshima. Types of There are two major types of : and . consists of slow circular movement, stressing quiet and elegance, while consists of quick leaping and jumping, stressing activation and energy. The two types can be understood as two phases of : is a preparation process for trance and is the unconscious trance ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
