User:Lx 121/Kiku Jidô
working notes:
Kiku Jidô / Ju Citong / 菊慈童 / chrysanthemum boy, also known as Makura Jidô 枕慈童 (pillow-boy) is the main character in an eponymous myth about a boy from the court of the emperor of china, who was exiled & living in a remote mountain wilderness; before he left the court, he was given secret information by the emperor, this caused him to become effectively immortal, eternally young, & the source of a type of water, Kikusui 菊水, "chrysanthemum water", which had magical/miraculous properties that offered the possibility of the same benefits, as well as a medical cure/panacaea , for others.
Ji or Ji-do (慈童) being the boy's (given/familliar/nick? - name )
the story is possibly of chinese origin (& certainly includes many elements of chinese-buddist culture/mythology/folklore/etc., exported to japan, & developed/popularized further in japanese culture. buddhist tradition, tendai sect; folklore with elements relevant to an 'imperial cult' as well as to buddihst piety.
depicted as a familliar/genre subject in japanese art; in NO play(s(?)) known/performed as Kiku Jidô 菊慈童 or Makura Jidô 枕慈童 (pillow-boy)
many variations of the details of the story (include/provide outline of the basic (i,e.: most-invariable? elements)
story-type? (refer-to/check-the fairytale-type index/list?)
exile took place either at the time of King Mu of Zhou (10th century bc)/ or Emperor Qin Shi 秦始皇帝(259-210 BC); with king MU sometimes given as the source/originator of the secret imperial knowledge (entrusted to him in a separate story/myth)
a favourite of the emperor (possibly lovers?), jealousy/court intrigue; incriminated over a point of court etiquette; touched the emeror's pillow with his feet/stepped on/over it, etc.
court ministers issued a death sentence, the emperor commuted it to life in exile, gave him the secret information before he (the boy) left the palace/court
exiled into a mountain(nous)-wilderness (possibly to japan(?), according to some sources)
the boy memorized, recited, & inscribed the stanzas/mantra(s) on the leaves/petals of chrysanthemum flowers (VERY fine handwriting/delicate work/etc.)
dew which condensed on these blessed/magical leaves/petals (what effect on the plants themselves?) formed/ran into a small stream, which became magic-water/ambrosia/nectar.
alternatively, the boy wrote the inscriptions during the day, & dropped the flowers (and/or leaves?) into the water at night
night teansformation? moonlight?
the boy drank this water & gained health, immortality, eternal youth, & a 'state of grace', from a combination of this water, the mantras he recited, & his goodness/innocence(boith in eneral sense, & in terms of his 'crime/exile'), (& his beauty?).
lived in this timeless way & place (weather/seasons?), protected from (&/or by?) the dangerous beasts of the wilderness
visitors/cure-seekers/etc.?
long time/many generations/centuries (800 years?)
left his wilderness home in the time of the Emperor Wenti 文帝魏 Wei reigned 220-
226, returned to the court, taught emperor of this new era/generation/dynasty the secret stanzas/mantra(s)
latter part of his life/adventuires/tale/story sometimes is/can be associayted with Pengzu 彭祖
indefinite outcome/ending(?) lived on, returned to mountain, travelled elsewhere, died, etc....?
the same myth is found in parts of NO as Kiku Jidô 菊慈童
or Makura Jidô 枕慈童 (pillow-boy)
Ji (Ji-dō 慈童)
Ju Citong; Kiku Jido
Ju Citong (菊慈童) (mythological figure/creature; Chinese; Male; 10thC BC)
King Mu of Zhou / Emperor Qin Shi 秦始皇帝(259-210 BC)
emperor's favourite
lover?
court intrigue?
stepped over the emperor's pillow/touched it with his feet
death penalty emperor takes pity & changes it to exil
the emperor gave him the secret mantra/stanza/thing (buddhist or otherwise)
he (the boy) went into the wilderness
the water Kikusui 菊水, "chrysanthemum water"
at the time of Emperor Wenti 文帝魏 Wei reigned 220-
226 he left the mountain Pengzu 彭祖
C. Myths about the ritual of enthronement unction Return to Table of Contents
We can not go into details of the ritual anointing of the induction. However, it should be noted
now that there are at least three forms of this ritual in medieval Japan: there was one part of a
ritual anointing of the induction in the tradition of Toji, the other hand, another ritual in the
tradition of Tendai, and finally, the ritual seems to have been actually practiced by the Emperors
(the ritual is transmitted in families Fujiwara clan). While the first two, which are in a more
"theoretical" or "imaginary" are more complex and feature rich mythic elements, the latter,
whose actual content is sent to us by rare documents and in particularly terse descriptions,
appears to have been very simple, involving almost any given myth.
It is also good here, noting the structure characteristic of many texts of medieval rituals: they
consist of a description of the ritual itself, which is the essential part, combined very often the
history of the secret transmission (kechimyaku 血脉"blood lineage"), authenticating the text
content, and a myth or a legend "hand" (engi 縁起) which may have different functions or, for
example, explain the origin of the ritual, or explain the circumstances under which he was
charged, etc.. (indeed, the history of transmission and the legend of opportunity can sometimes
be confusing) (107).
Dakini-ten is a central element in the rituals of all three traditions. However, it is in the
tradition of the Tōji found a myth in which she plays a leading role, in the other two traditions, it
is present in the essential formulas of the ritual, but on the mythical, tradition by Tendai replaces
the myth of the tradition of Tōji another myth and ritual "official" seems to contain no explicit
mythical element. Thus, one can believe that is the tradition by Tōji who originally brought
these elements relating to Dakini-ten, which is understandable if we consider the very close
relationship between Tōji and the cult of Inari.
The following summarizes the two myths, one by the traidion Tōji and the other by that of the
Tendai:
1. The myth of the tradition of Tōji (we follow a summary given by Abe Yasuro, by
supplementing some details (108)):
The original land (honji 本地) Great Deity Amaterasu is simply Dakini-ten. She becomes both
the deity of Kasuga 春日 than Kashima 鹿岛(one or the other were the tutelary deities of the
Fujiwara clan). It appeared one day in a native (domin 土民, literally "a man of the earth", a
farmer or grower) Country Hitachi 常陆(where the Kashima Shrine) in the form of a (e) fox ( e)
Divine (e) (Shinko 辰狐) and took his little child she wandered around the child, lay back and
laid on his belly, pronouncing this word mantra: "Ji-son -sa-ri-kuwi sai-shi-wi-sa-sa-sa-ko-ten 自
尊佐利均在位七歳作坐冠天子. She gave him the secret ritual of the Great Deity [Amaterasu]
and sickle with the handle was wrapped in vine wisteria (fuji-maki no kama 藤卷の鎌) predicted
that it would be the Master of the Son of Heaven ( ie the emperor tenshi no shihan 天子の師範),
then returned to his parents. Later, this child grows up, went to the capital and became an
employee at the Court (many versions say he was a janitor at the Court). This was when Soga no
Iruka 苏・鸏繾(? -645, A minister who monopolized all political power before the mid-seventh
century)
was at the height of his power and put the throne in danger. A man who had been blessed
by the fox went to the side of Prince Naka-no-Oe-no-Oji 中大兄皇子(which will be the Emperor
Tenji 天智天皇, 626-671, reigned 668-671), an enemy of 'Iruka, and cut off the head of it with a
sickle given him by the fox. He became minister and gave the Emperor the secret ritual that he
had received from the fox. Because he always had a sickle (kama) with the handle wrapped in
vine wisteria (fuji) he was named Fujiwara no Kamatari 藤原镰蠬(614-669), the ancestor of the
Fujiwara family whose members were from generation to generation the Master of the Son of
Heaven.
2. The myth of the tradition of Tendai (summary based on the text of the Tendai-gata go-ho-
sokui 天台方御即位法 manuscript copied by Shun'yu 春瑜 in 1429 and kept at the Library of Ise
Shrine 神宫・库(109)):
This myth is divided into two parts. In most texts of the ritual anointing of the induction by the
Tendai tradition, we find that the first part, although there were documents with both parties at
the end of the thirteenth century (110).
Part. Under the Zhou Dynasty 周 China (1121? -252 BC). There was a king named Mu 穆王.
He had a cart with eight horses and one day he climbed on the tank and went to the West (111)).
He reached the Mount of G dhrakū a Rajagrha, India, just as the Buddha Sakyamuni preaching
the Lotus Sutra of the Good Law. Welcomed the arrival of the king, the Buddha taught him the
basic stances of Sutra in Chinese (in Specifically, two verses of the Chapter on the Bodhisattva
Avalokitesvara, Fumon-good 普门・, who said: "It looks beings with eyes of compassion, of the
Ocean Awards is infinite," Jigen shujō shi, Fuku-ju-kai muryō 慈眼视众饖?蜮・・・(112)),
saying he should send them in the imperial lineage from generation to generation for the good
government of the country (jikoku 治国).
Part II. However, during the reign of Emperor Qin Shi 秦始皇帝(259-210 BC). There was a
boy named Ji (Ji-dō 慈童) to the Court, monopolized alone all the love of the Emperor (113). One
day, he had the audacity to crossing over the pillow of the Emperor. The Ministers deliberated
and decided he deserved the death penalty, but the Emperor took pity on the boy and said he was
exiled, and when he went into exile, he taught in secret stanzas reserved emperors (two stanzas
Chapter Fumon-good). Ji-dō was exiled to Mount called Lixian 郦县盭, deep, dark mountains
filled with wild animals like tigers and wolves. Ji-dō, according to the teaching of his king,
recited every morning stanzas of Sutra and do not forget them, inscribed on the leaves of
chrysanthemum. Drops of dew that fell from the leaves formed a stream. Ji-dō tasted the water
of this creek, which was sweet as ambrosia (this water is called Kikusui 菊水, "Chrysanthemum
Water") and the wild beasts, instead of tormenting him, helped him live. Thus, he lived without
aging, and eight hundred years later, at the time of Emperor Wenti 文帝魏 Wei (reigned 220-
226), he left the mountain, calling Pengzu 彭祖(a famous immortal Chinese legend). He then
taught at the Emperor's stanzas secret. Thus from generation to generation, each time the crown
prince ascends the throne, he received these stanzas.
As can be seen from these summaries, both sides of the Tendai myth is based on a more or less
loitaine on Chinese classics (114), and more directly to alterations Japanese who had taken the
themes of these Chinese sources ( 115). By cons, it seems that the myth of the tradition of Tōji
either purely Japanese origin. The first document mentioning the strange myth in a draft form is
a biography of legendary Shotoku-Taishi 圣徳太子, entitled "Taishi Shotoku-on-koto 圣徳太子
御事, including the copy stored at Bubliothèque of Sonkei-kaku 尊经阁・库 is dated 1227, but
there it is simply explaining the name of a Kamatari (e) fox (e) which would have made a sickle
(kama) at the time of his birth, and n ' There is no question of the Anointing of induction (116).
tendai myth
Tendai (天台宗 Tendai-shū?) is a Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism, a descendant of the Chinese Tiantai or Lotus Sutra school.
Tiantai (Chinese and Japanese: 天台宗; pinyin: tiāntāi zōng; )
Cheontae is the Korean descendant of the Chinese Buddhist school Tiantai. Tiantai was introduced to Korea a couple of times during earlier periods, but was not firmly established until the time of Uicheon (1055-1101) who established Cheontae in Goryeo as an independent school.
D. Documents relating to the ritual of enthronement unction Return to Table of Contents
Jien's testimony makes clear that in his day (1155-1225), the ritual of anointing induction was
generally not practiced, we can also deduce that, at least in the minds of Jien, this ritual was to
consist mainly of fist Seal of Wisdom, that is to say the Seal of the Buddha Mahavairocana Plan
Diamond, the new emperor was to form up at the High Throne.
Seal of The Fist of Wisdom will always remain the most important of the Anointing of induction.
- While at the time of Jien, it seems that the ritual of anointing induction was virtually unknown
(except as a vague memory), a few decades later, manuscripts describing this ritual or recounting
of the myths that concern begins to form, the most ancient documents that relate directly
Anointing induction seem up to the second half of the XIII century (remember that the anointing
induction was performed at the enthronement of Emperor Fushimi, 1288). Documents are
particularly numerous in the fourteenth century, and ranging up to the seventeenth or eighteenth century
(117).
Documents concerning the anointing of induction, many are still not printed, can be broadly
classified into three categories:
1) The writings of rituals and traditions of esoteric Shingon and Tendai schools, and "bouddho-
Shinto" medieval. Here are some examples:
Tōji sokui-ho 东?蘵・・"Ritual of the induction by the [tradition] Tōji", manuscript dated 1337,
preserved in Sanbo-in 三宝院 the Daigo-ji 醍醐寺, where there is a signature of Kakujō 觉・(it
would have been a disciple of Eizon 睿尊[1201-90], the founder of the Shingon-risshū 眞言律
宗) (118);
Sōji-shō 总??of Chogo 澄豪, section called "[Seals and Forms] given to the Emperor during his
coronation" (Go-sokui no toki teiō or Sazuka-tatematsuru koto 御即位之时・醂・・?) (119)
where there is a complete description of the Tendai ritual with the myth of the tradition of Tōji
and the first part of the myth Tendai;
Tenshō-Taijin kuketsu 天照太神口决, "Oral Traditions of the Great Deity Tenshō" which the
author might be Kakujō, the disciple of Eizon mentioned at the time (a manuscript dated 1601,
preserved in Fund Yasui 保井文库 Library of Tenri University 天理图书馆, has a colophon
dated 1327). He is writing a secret oral tradition of the Shingon school on the Ise Shrine, which
contains a detailed description of the ritual in the tradition of Toji, a myth developed in the
tradition of Toji, and the first Part of the myth Tendai (120);
Biki-sho [or Gaeri Hana-sho]鼻归[皈]书, "Treaty to return to the beginning" [?], Composed by
a dog 智圆 in 1324, preserved at the Library of Ise Shrine. This book, a strange title, is close to
inside the Tenshō-Taijin kuketsu. : It contains a detailed description of the ritual in the tradition
of Toji, and a history of transmission of the ritual. It seems to include material of current
Tachikawa-ryū (121);
Shindai hiketsu 神代秘决, "Traditions Scret the time of the gods", the oldest copy, preserved in
Entsua-ji 圆鑗?at Koya-san 高野山, is dated 1346. According Masayoshi Ito, this document
may be considered as representing the "final" (Kettei-ban 决定版), the most comprehensive to
date, the rituals of the tradition of Tōji and that of the Tendai. Much of the document concerning
the rituals of enthronement unction is mentioned by Ito (122);
Tenshi sokui Kanjo 天子即位灌顶, "The Anointing of enthronement of the Son of Heaven",
which appears to date from 1474, a copy is kept in the Sanzen-in 三千院 in Kyoto, and another
at the Cabinet Library 内阁・库. It is a document attesting to the transmission of ritual (injin 印
信) before the Superior of Tendai Kōshō 公承 the current Superior Tendai Gyōin 尧・
containing a complete description of the ritual in the tradition of Tendai (123).
2) A few messages Relevant officials of high rank. The main items in this category is Sokui
Kanjo in-myo-ji yurai 即位灌顶・・・??, "Transmission Seal and Formula Anointing
Induction", dated 1500, written by Ichijō Fuyura [or Fuyuyoshi]一条冬良(1464-1514) which
forwards the received tradition of his father, Ichijo Kanera [or Kaneyoshi]一条兼良(1402-1481).
The both were Great Rapporteurs Affairs Ministers and Supreme, kampaku Dajo-daijin 关 白太
政大臣; Ichijō Kanera was the little son of Nijo Yoshimoto 二条良基[1320-1388], which first
belonged the court of Emperor Go-Daigo 后醍醐天皇[1288-1339, reigned 1318-1339], but then
began under the patronage of Ashikaga 足利 and could become regent or Rapporteur of the
Grand Court North 北朝. This document covers the history of the transmission of family ritual
in the Nijo and Ichijo, but does not describe its contents in words deliberately obscured and hid
the Seal and the formula by dashes ( "所诠・譣- -印明者- - -明也. "" The Seal is - - the formula
is - - - ") (124). However, one can speculate that the two dashes Seal match chiken 智拳, that is to
say, the "Seal of Wisdom Fist," and three dashes of Formula match dakini 荼枳尼, c ' is to say
the word "Dakini" - at least that restores Kamikawa (125).
3) Some passages of secular literature, or drama more or less popular. The best known are a
famous passage of chronic war-ki Taihei 太平记, dating from the fourteenth century and probably
from the middle of the monastic school Ritsu (Risso 律僧), which is related to the myth of the
long tradition of 'Tendai School (126), the same myth is found in parts of NO as Kiku Jido 菊慈童
or Makura Jido 枕慈童(127). - The myth of ritual tradition of Tōji finds himself in a very
developed and fictionalized in a play popular genre Kowaki-May 幸若舞 entitled "Iruka 入鹿",
dating from the fifteenth or sixteenth century ( 128).
Readers may be surprised that there are records of secular literature, in which elements are set
on such a big secret, but it is a fact quite typical of Japanese culture from the Middle Ages. The
great Buddhist temples, like Hiei-zan or Koya-san 高野山 or the Kōfuku 兴??-ji Temple in Nara
(Temple who had particularly close relations with the Kasuga Shrine - always linked to clan
Fujiwara - and the Shingon school) were not only religious centers but also cultural centers, as it
was the nervous knots in which the cultures of all social strata as were obliged to pass. It was
there that accumulated both aristocratic culture that popular culture is also amalgamated and
created new cultures, and finally it was here that these cultures disseminated to all social strata.
We should particularly note the important role played in these temples people "outcaste" (we
mean people of various kinds, such as those practicing certain specialized occupations such as
blacksmiths or loggers, or artists, ascetics, religious vendors, the "warrior monks", beggars,
lepers, etc.. (129)), regarded as sacred and as such fears, although they were subject to social
discrimination, especially From the second half of the Middle Ages, many literary arts or
performing arts were created and disseminated by them. Thus the esoteric and aristocratic
traditions which could be held in the utmost secrecy could infiltrate and be broadcast by the
channel to the secular world.
But it is remarkable to note also that, when stories about the rituals of anointing induction are
cited in these works, they are separated from the ritual context itself, so that readers or viewers
could hardly imagine that behind them, a religious world of a deep and dark mysticism spread.
Everything seems as if the creators of these works had access more or less directly to the largest
esoteric secrets, but they carefully avoided disclosing as is the secular world. The case of Taihei-
ki is particularly striking. Ito has been shown that the story quoted in this book is almost literally
the same as the oral tradition of Tendai-gata go-ho-sokui summarized above (130). He even says
that the stanzas of good-Fumon are transmitted to each heir the day of his enthronement. But he
said nothing of the ritual itself, and cites throughout the story as a legend of mythical horses of
ancient kings.
Ju Citong (菊慈童) (mythological figure/creature; Chinese; Male; 10thC BC)
Biography
Youthful favourite of King Mu of Zhou, exiled after offending court etiquette by touching the king's pillow with his feet. He received a magic spell ensuring protection from evil, which he wrote out on the leaves of chrysanthemums.
Also Known As
Ju Citong; Kiku Jido
It is said that in very ancient times the Chinese emperor Muh-Wang became a Buddhist and showered the benefits of these teachings upon all those around him. A favourite in his court was a young man named Jido, who was especially taught the phrases meant to ensure long life. When Jido fell out of favour, he was banished to a mountain in Japan which overhung a clear river and was covered with chrysanthemum blooms. Accepting his exile cheerfully, Jido painted the blessing for longevity upon individual chrysanthemum petals from morn to nightfall each day. As he dropped these into the river, its waters became an elixir of life, bringing vitality and healing to all who drank from it. Perhaps this is the way in which the idea was brought to Japan, where echoes of the Chinese tale as well as the wine-drinking ritual flowered and became an important part of ceremonial life. The Japanese Immortal, or Sennin, believed to be the genius of the chrysanthemum, is called Kiku-jido, the Grace Boy of the Chrysanthemum, who has passed beyond all human limitations and has a perfect communion with nature.
