What Role Did Amaterasu Play In Japanese History
How did Amaterasu come into being? What role, according to legend, did she play in Japanese history?
Per the earliest Japanese “mythohistories” (Kitagawa), Kojiki (records of ancient matters, compiled in 712) and Nihongi (chronicles of Japan, complied in 720), the origins of the empire date back to 660 BCE, a date calculated from a cyclical formula introduced from China during the fifth or sixth century CE (Kirkland 111); none of the persons or events mentioned can be firmly established in historical terms until the sixth century, when Keitai (r. 507-534 CE) came to power in Yamato. After a prolonged succession struggle, Kimmei (r. 540-572) began to consolidate the power of the Yamato throne, by the seventh century a centralized state was …show more content…
well established (110). There is evidence that the concept of the “sun-lineage” as the foundation of royal authority originated in the Yamato period; the Yamato rulers were believed to have descended from the sun goddess, Amaterasu. (109)
Amaterasu Omikami “the great deity who illuminates heaven” also known as Hi no kami “diety of the sun” was born from the mother of all, Izanami and the father of all, Izanagi and it was like the sun rising in the east.
According to the Kojiki, the oldest version of her birth tells that while Izanagi was washing his left eye from the Miasma of Yomi no Kuni in a ritual purification following his attempt to revive the goddess Izanami from Yomi (the land of death / underworld), he gave birth to Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi, the goddess of the Moon and Susanoo, the god of sea and storm. Izanagi divided the world between the three siblings with Amaterasu inheriting the heavens and provided her with a special necklace of five hundred curved jewels; the Mikuratana no kami. An alternate version of her birth in the later record, the Nihongi’s main text states that Izanagi and Izanami delibertly decided to give to birth to a “lord of all” after giving birth to all the kami of the land. Together they produced the Hi no kami (‘kami of the sun”), and since her radiant splendid shone throughout the world, Izanagi and Izanami rejoiced and entrusted to her rule over the affairs of …show more content…
Heaven.
Amaterasu’s feuding with her uncontrollable brother, Susanoo, the god of sea and storm is equally as infamous as her and appears in several tales. According to the Kojiki, Susanoo became dissatisfied with his share and ascended to heaven to see his older sister, fearing his wild behavior, she descended heaven and met him. She suggested that they prove their faithfulness to each other by bringing forth children through receiving a seed, chewing it and spitting it away. The Nihongi, states that Izanagi tired of Susanoo’s complaints and wicked behavior banishes him to Yomi but before he bids his sister goodbye. Amaterasu becomes suspicious but Susanoo proposes a challenge to prove his sincerity by each taking an object of the others and from it birth gods and goddesses. Amaterasu birthed three women from Susanoo’s sword while he birthed five males from her necklace, with Amaterasu claiming the gods were hers because they were born of her necklace. Susanoo confident and conceited over his success, claiming to be victorious at having proved his innocence began playing the role of trickster. He raged across earth causing massive damage, flooding her rice fields and plains, destroying trees, leveling mountains and killing multitudes of people. The violent campaigns reach their climax when Susanoo hurls a half-flayed piebald pony, sacred to Amaterasu into her weaving hall, causing the death of one of her attendants. This enraged the sun goddess so much that she hid herself in a celestial cave lwayado as darkness filled the heavens and earth because she could not believe that her brother would attack her in her most sacred place. The gods were at a loss and conferred on how to lure the sun goddess out. All of the kami decided to bring her out by collecting cocks, whose crowing precedes the dawn, hung a mirrors, beads and jewels on a sakaki tree in front of the cave. The goddess Amenouzume began to dance and undress on an overturned tub, causing all the kami to clap and roar with laughter. Amaterasu became curious how the gods could make merry while the world was plunged into darkness and was told that outside the cave there was a deity more illustrious than she. She peeped out, saw her reflection in the mirror, heard the cocks crow, and was thus drawn out from the cave. The kami then quickly threw a shimenawa, or sacred rope of rice straw, before the entrance to prevent her return to hiding. The gods told her that the rope marks the boundary for her and begged her to never go back in the cave and desert them. Susanoo was banished from earth, Amaterasu returned to the throne of high heaven, while the light of the sun returned to all heaven and earth.
This ancient story is part of Shinto mythology, which is the native way of Japan, embodying a sense of harmony with the natural world and a connection with local places and historical events. Amaterasu later sent her grandson Ninigi no Mikoto to pacify Japan: his great grandson Jimmu, became the first emperor, he had a sacred sword (Kusanagi), jewel (Yasakani no magatama), and mirror (Yata no kagami) that became the Japanese imperial regalia. Amaterasu’s chief place of worship is the Grand Shrine of Ise, there she is represented in a mirror, which is one of the three imperial treasures of Japan. The shrine is torn down and rebuilt every twenty years, however not open to public on the graounds are and she is celebrated every July 17 with street processions all over the country and festivities on December 21, the winter solstice, celebrate her coming out of cave. Amaterasu is credited with inventing the cultivation of rice and wheat, use of silkworms and waving with a loom.
Works Cited
Varley, H. Paul, trans., A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns: Jinné Shoitkiof Kitabatake Chikafusa (New York: Columbia University Press, 1980), p. 7. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
Russell, Kirkland, “The Sun and the Throne. The Origins of the Royal Descent Myth in Ancient Japan.” Numen, Vol. 44, Fasc. 2 (May, 1997), pp. 109-152. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
References
"Amaterasu".
Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 15 Feb. 2014.
Goldspinner, Jay, et al. Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess. Spinning Tales, Weaving Hope: Stories, Storytelling and Activities for Peace, Justice and the Environment. Gabriola Island, B.C.: New Society, 2002. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
"Japanese mythology". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 15 Feb. 2014.
Kelsey, W. Michael "Untitled", Asian Folklore Studies Vol 42, No 1 (1983), pp. 142–3. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
Kojiki, Norito, ed. Kurano Kenji and Takeda Yiikichi (Tokyo: Iwanami shoten, 1958), pp. 216f., 246f., 280f., 320f. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
Philippi, Donald L. trans., Kojiki (Tokyo: Uni- versity of Tokyo Press/Princeton University Press, 1969), pp. 8-11, 245, 282, 321, 364f. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
Takeshi, Matsumae, Origin and Growth of the Worship of Amaterasu, Asian Folklore Studies,
Vol. 37, No. 1 (1978), pp. 1-11. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
The term "mythohistories" is from Joseph M. Kitagawa, On Understanding Japanese
Religion
(Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1987), pp. 56, 112. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
Sakamoto Tare, The Six National Histories of Japan, trans. John S. Brownlee
(Vancouver/Tokyo: UBC Press/University of Tokyo Press, 1991), pp. 30-8. Web. 13
Feb. 2013.
Waida, Manabu. Sacred Kingship in Early Japan: A Historical Introduction History of Religions, Vol. 15, No. 4 (May, 1976) , pp. 319-342. Manabu Waida assumes that "Hi-no-miko was a sacred designation generally used to adore the 0-kimi [the Yamato king] of the fifth-century dynasty. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
Per the earliest Japanese “mythohistories” (Kitagawa), Kojiki (records of ancient matters, compiled in 712) and Nihongi (chronicles of Japan, complied in 720), the origins of the empire date back to 660 BCE, a date calculated from a cyclical formula introduced from China during the fifth or sixth century CE (Kirkland 111); none of the persons or events mentioned can be firmly established in historical terms until the sixth century, when Keitai (r. 507-534 CE) came to power in Yamato. After a prolonged succession struggle, Kimmei (r. 540-572) began to consolidate the power of the Yamato throne, by the seventh century a centralized state was …show more content…
well established (110). There is evidence that the concept of the “sun-lineage” as the foundation of royal authority originated in the Yamato period; the Yamato rulers were believed to have descended from the sun goddess, Amaterasu. (109)
Amaterasu Omikami “the great deity who illuminates heaven” also known as Hi no kami “diety of the sun” was born from the mother of all, Izanami and the father of all, Izanagi and it was like the sun rising in the east.
According to the Kojiki, the oldest version of her birth tells that while Izanagi was washing his left eye from the Miasma of Yomi no Kuni in a ritual purification following his attempt to revive the goddess Izanami from Yomi (the land of death / underworld), he gave birth to Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi, the goddess of the Moon and Susanoo, the god of sea and storm. Izanagi divided the world between the three siblings with Amaterasu inheriting the heavens and provided her with a special necklace of five hundred curved jewels; the Mikuratana no kami. An alternate version of her birth in the later record, the Nihongi’s main text states that Izanagi and Izanami delibertly decided to give to birth to a “lord of all” after giving birth to all the kami of the land. Together they produced the Hi no kami (‘kami of the sun”), and since her radiant splendid shone throughout the world, Izanagi and Izanami rejoiced and entrusted to her rule over the affairs of …show more content…
Heaven.
Amaterasu’s feuding with her uncontrollable brother, Susanoo, the god of sea and storm is equally as infamous as her and appears in several tales. According to the Kojiki, Susanoo became dissatisfied with his share and ascended to heaven to see his older sister, fearing his wild behavior, she descended heaven and met him. She suggested that they prove their faithfulness to each other by bringing forth children through receiving a seed, chewing it and spitting it away. The Nihongi, states that Izanagi tired of Susanoo’s complaints and wicked behavior banishes him to Yomi but before he bids his sister goodbye. Amaterasu becomes suspicious but Susanoo proposes a challenge to prove his sincerity by each taking an object of the others and from it birth gods and goddesses. Amaterasu birthed three women from Susanoo’s sword while he birthed five males from her necklace, with Amaterasu claiming the gods were hers because they were born of her necklace. Susanoo confident and conceited over his success, claiming to be victorious at having proved his innocence began playing the role of trickster. He raged across earth causing massive damage, flooding her rice fields and plains, destroying trees, leveling mountains and killing multitudes of people. The violent campaigns reach their climax when Susanoo hurls a half-flayed piebald pony, sacred to Amaterasu into her weaving hall, causing the death of one of her attendants. This enraged the sun goddess so much that she hid herself in a celestial cave lwayado as darkness filled the heavens and earth because she could not believe that her brother would attack her in her most sacred place. The gods were at a loss and conferred on how to lure the sun goddess out. All of the kami decided to bring her out by collecting cocks, whose crowing precedes the dawn, hung a mirrors, beads and jewels on a sakaki tree in front of the cave. The goddess Amenouzume began to dance and undress on an overturned tub, causing all the kami to clap and roar with laughter. Amaterasu became curious how the gods could make merry while the world was plunged into darkness and was told that outside the cave there was a deity more illustrious than she. She peeped out, saw her reflection in the mirror, heard the cocks crow, and was thus drawn out from the cave. The kami then quickly threw a shimenawa, or sacred rope of rice straw, before the entrance to prevent her return to hiding. The gods told her that the rope marks the boundary for her and begged her to never go back in the cave and desert them. Susanoo was banished from earth, Amaterasu returned to the throne of high heaven, while the light of the sun returned to all heaven and earth.
This ancient story is part of Shinto mythology, which is the native way of Japan, embodying a sense of harmony with the natural world and a connection with local places and historical events. Amaterasu later sent her grandson Ninigi no Mikoto to pacify Japan: his great grandson Jimmu, became the first emperor, he had a sacred sword (Kusanagi), jewel (Yasakani no magatama), and mirror (Yata no kagami) that became the Japanese imperial regalia. Amaterasu’s chief place of worship is the Grand Shrine of Ise, there she is represented in a mirror, which is one of the three imperial treasures of Japan. The shrine is torn down and rebuilt every twenty years, however not open to public on the graounds are and she is celebrated every July 17 with street processions all over the country and festivities on December 21, the winter solstice, celebrate her coming out of cave. Amaterasu is credited with inventing the cultivation of rice and wheat, use of silkworms and waving with a loom.
Works Cited
Varley, H. Paul, trans., A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns: Jinné Shoitkiof Kitabatake Chikafusa (New York: Columbia University Press, 1980), p. 7. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
Russell, Kirkland, “The Sun and the Throne. The Origins of the Royal Descent Myth in Ancient Japan.” Numen, Vol. 44, Fasc. 2 (May, 1997), pp. 109-152. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
References
"Amaterasu".
Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 15 Feb. 2014.
Goldspinner, Jay, et al. Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess. Spinning Tales, Weaving Hope: Stories, Storytelling and Activities for Peace, Justice and the Environment. Gabriola Island, B.C.: New Society, 2002. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
"Japanese mythology". Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online.
Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2014. Web. 15 Feb. 2014.
Kelsey, W. Michael "Untitled", Asian Folklore Studies Vol 42, No 1 (1983), pp. 142–3. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
Kojiki, Norito, ed. Kurano Kenji and Takeda Yiikichi (Tokyo: Iwanami shoten, 1958), pp. 216f., 246f., 280f., 320f. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
Philippi, Donald L. trans., Kojiki (Tokyo: Uni- versity of Tokyo Press/Princeton University Press, 1969), pp. 8-11, 245, 282, 321, 364f. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
Takeshi, Matsumae, Origin and Growth of the Worship of Amaterasu, Asian Folklore Studies,
Vol. 37, No. 1 (1978), pp. 1-11. Web. 12 Feb. 2013.
The term "mythohistories" is from Joseph M. Kitagawa, On Understanding Japanese
Religion
(Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1987), pp. 56, 112. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
Sakamoto Tare, The Six National Histories of Japan, trans. John S. Brownlee
(Vancouver/Tokyo: UBC Press/University of Tokyo Press, 1991), pp. 30-8. Web. 13
Feb. 2013.
Waida, Manabu. Sacred Kingship in Early Japan: A Historical Introduction History of Religions, Vol. 15, No. 4 (May, 1976) , pp. 319-342. Manabu Waida assumes that "Hi-no-miko was a sacred designation generally used to adore the 0-kimi [the Yamato king] of the fifth-century dynasty. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.