Jugemu

Jugemu (寿限無) is a Japanese folktale and is one of the most famous stories in rakugo, a form of Japanese spoken entertainment. It has a simple storyline, with the most humorous part being the repeating of a ridiculously long name. It is often used in training sessions for Rakugo entertainers.

In the tale, a couple could not think of a suitable name for their newborn baby boy, and so the father went to the temple and asked the chief priest to think of an auspicious name. The priest suggested several names, beginning with Jugemu. The father could not decide which name he preferred and, therefore, gave the baby all of the names. One day, Jugemu fell into a lake, and his parents barely arrived in time to save him as everyone who had to pass along the news had to spend a lot of time reciting his entire name.

Jugemu's full name is as follows:

Jugemu Jugemu

Gokō-no surikire

Kaijarisuigyo-no Suigyōmatsu

Unraimatsu Fūraimatsu

Kūnerutokoro-ni Sumutokoro

Yaburakōji-no burakōji

Paipopaipo Paipo-no-shūringan

Shūringan-no Gūrindai

Gūrindai-no Ponpokopī-no Ponpokonā-no

Chōkyūmei-no Chōsuke

寿限無寿限無

五劫の擦り切れ

海砂利水魚の　水行末

雲来末　風来末

食う寝る処に住む処

やぶら小路のぶらこうじ

パイポパイポ　パイポのシューリンガン

シューリンガンのグーリンダイ

グーリンダイのポンポコピーのポンポコナーの

長久命の長助

The recitation from memory of these names is a feature of the NHK children's TV program Nihongo de Asobo ("Let's play with Japanese").

The story of Tikki Tikki Tembo, which is told in America under the auspices of being a Chinese folktale, is very similar, and may have been directly copied from Jugemu.

Meanings

Jugemu

Literally "limitless life".

Go kō no surikire

Literally "five kō (totaling 20 billion years) of rubbing off (the rock)". In Japanese legend, a heavenly maiden will visit the human world every three thousand years, leaving friction marks on a rock with her dress. It takes five kō or five times 4 billion years to split up the rock with the rubbing. The priest blesses the child to live that long.

Kaijari suigyo

Literally "gravels in the sea and fish in water". The number of gravels and fish in the world is supposed to represent the number of the child's luck and fortune.

Suigyōmatsu

Literally "where water eventually goes". Because water is free to go anywhere, the child is blessed with boundless well-being wherever he goes.

Unraimatsu

Literally "where clouds originally come". Because clouds come from anywhere, this is similar to the above.

Fūraimatsu

Literally "where wind originally comes". Similar to the above.

Kūnerutokoro

Literally "places to eat and sleep". It is fortunate to be free from hunger and shelterlessness.

Sumutokoro

Literally "places to live". Same as above.

Yaburakōji-no burakōji

Literally "Ardisia japonica bushes in Yabura Trail". This plant is considered to be imbued with energy year-round. "Yabura" serves no meaning but perhaps for rhyming purpose.

Paipo, Shūringan, Gūrindai, Ponpokopī, Ponpokonā

These are fictitious names of a kingdom and the royal family in ancient China. Paipo was a rich and peaceful kingdom, where King Shūringan and Queen Gūrindai reigned. They gave birth to Princess Ponpokopī and Princess Ponpokonā, and all of them enjoyed longevity.

Chōkyūmei

Literally "long and lasting life".

Chōsuke

Literally "blessed for a long time".

References in popular culture

• "Jugemu" (sometimes "Jugem"; known as Lakitu in the U.S.) is the name of an enemy character from the Super Mario Bros. series of games.

• In the video game Star Ocean: Blue Sphere, ジュゲム (Jugemu) is a colossal underground monster (#40 on the list) showing only a tiny twig and a single leaf above ground.

• "Jugemu-jugemu Gokōnosurikire" is part of the chant Sasami says in the Japanese original video animation Magical Girl Pretty Sammy to transform into Pretty Sammy, the rest being "Sammy Davis Broiler Chicken".

• In a yonkoma for the anime Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, the nameless character Scar reveals that his name is the full name from the tale. His opponent, Wrath, then reveals that he also shares that name. The two keep on saying the name until Scar breaks his tongue.

• Several episodes of Gintama' feature a monkey with a similar long name.

External Links

"寿限無". 古典落語109. http://d.hatena.ne.jp/R-HAJIME/20080103. Retrieved 17 January 2012.