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Sekizan Myōjin
Sekizan Myōjin (赤山明神; also romanized as Sekisan Myōjin) is a Japanese Buddhist god venerated in the Tendai tradition. It is presumed that he is derived from a Chinese deity associated with Chishan, a mountain in Shandong who was incorporated into Buddhism and later brought to Japan by monks. Traditional narratives credit Ennin with his introduction, but this most likely does not reflect historical reality. Sekizan Myōjin is primarily considered a god of destiny, and in this capacity can be identified as a representation of the so-called "auxiliary star” of the Northern Dipper, Hosei (Alcor). He can also function as a protective god of Mount Hiei or as a deity associated with pestilence. In art he is depicted as an old man resembling the Ten Kings of Hell, sometimes armed with a bow and arrow. Oldest surviving depictions of him date to the Edo period. Through history, he acquired a number of associations with other deities, including , Shinra Myōjin or Matarajin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ema (Shinto)
are small wooden plaques, common to Japan, in which Shinto and Buddhist worshippers write prayers or wishes. are left hanging up at the shrine, where the (spirits or gods) are believed to receive them. Typically wide and tall, they often carry images or are shaped like animals, or symbols from the zodiac, Shinto, or the particular shrine or temple. In ancient times, people would donate horses to the shrines for good favor; over time this was transferred to a wooden plaque with a picture of a horse, and later still to the various wooden plaques sold today for the same purpose. Once inscribed with a wish, are hung at the shrine until they are ritually burned at special events, symbolic of the liberation of the wish from the writer. History In some early Shinto and folk traditions of Japan, horses were seen as carrying messages from the , and were usually used to transmit requests during droughts or famines. Horses were extremely expensive, and figures made of clay or wood ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
