What does Onmyoji do? Can you also introduce Abe Kiyomei?

The Origin of Onmyoji Onmyoji can be said to be fortune tellers and illusionists, but their work goes beyond that: observing stars, reading faces, measuring directions, identifying disasters and anomalies, drawing talismans, chanting incantations, and performing illusions. . They also have a deep understanding of the invisible forces, such as fate, souls, and ghosts, and have the ability to control these things.

The organization formed by the gathering of Onmyoji is called "Onmyodo". The Japanese "Yin Yang Tao" originated from the Chinese theory of "Yin Yang and Five Elements". The "Five Elements" refer to metal, wood, water, fire and earth, which are the five elements that make up all things in the world. The emergence of the "Yin Yang and Five Elements Theory" realizes people's hope in the Dream Age to predict the changes in the world and avoid disasters. Its representative classic is the "Book of Changes" that has been handed down since the Zhou Dynasty.

In the sixth century AD, China's Yin-Yang and Five Elements theories and the Five Classics (including the "Book of Changes") were mixed with Taoist incantations and esoteric divination techniques and were introduced to Japan via the Korean Peninsula. After landing in Japan, these theories and other alchemy techniques introduced to Japan at the same time quickly attracted the attention of the emperor and were used in observing the sky, fixing calendars, and divination. However, when the term "Yin Yang Dao" officially appeared in Japanese historical materials, it was already in the tenth century. The Yin and Yang Tao at this time is different from the early Chinese Yin and Yang thought. It has applications in divination, sacrifice, astronomy, calendars, etc. It can be used to explain everything from national destiny and emperor's destiny to the affairs of the common people. From then on, Yin and Yang Onmyoji became a popular "profession" and entered a period of full prosperity

The Rise of Onmyoji

The most prosperous period of Onmyoji was the Heian Dynasty (770) when the world was ruled for more than 400 years. ~1071), he was in the same era as our country's Tang Dynasty. During this period, a splendid culture with incomparable splendor that amazed later generations was born. But the Heian period was an era of civility and peace on the outside, but internally it was full of dirty aristocratic power struggles. Due to the incompetence of the rulers at that time, the lives of the people at the bottom were miserable. All kinds of negative emotions filled an era, which was accompanied by the emergence of resentful spirits. It was the onmyoji's mission to fight against these resentful spirits that harmed mankind. Work. In addition, Kyoto, Japan, suffered unprecedented natural and man-made disasters at that time: major earthquakes, fires, floods and other situations continued to occur, so people were panicked, and chaos among ghosts and gods was rampant. Not only did the superiors believe it, but it also became popular among the common people. The nobles firmly believe in the good and bad fortunes of directions and days. Whenever they go out, they must choose the day and direction. Whenever there is a disease or disaster, they will blame ghosts and creatures or encounter unclean things such as ghosts walking at night. Therefore, the nobles at that time were familiar with the various taboos of Onmyodo and strictly abided by its etiquette and laws. Even trivial matters such as getting up, washing, and eating had corresponding taboos. The good and bad fortunes of the court's actions must also be based on this principle.

Onmyoji uses mysterious spells and divination to exorcise evil spirits and kill monsters, becoming a powerful protector for the royal family and the common people. In addition, Onmyoji is familiar with all elegant things, including Japanese songs, Chinese poetry, pipa, flute, as well as incense ceremony or tea ceremony. In addition, one must have the ability to see through people's minds and the professional ethics of not leaking secrets. Therefore, those who can become Onmyoji are all top-notch talents at that time.

In the Nara period, the emperor decided to use Onmyoji as one of the means to rule the people. Onmyoji was incorporated into the management of the country and closely monitored its development. Ordinary people are strictly prohibited from owning special classics on Yin and Yang Dao such as "He Tu", "Luo Shu", and "Taiyi", and Yin and Yang Dao has become the exclusive tool of the state. Onmyoji began to appear as the country's exclusive fortune-telling masters, and throughout the Heian period, they reached the pinnacle of development.

During the period of Emperor Tenmu, the official organization "Yin-Yang Ryo" to which the Onmyoji was affiliated was formally established. The On-Yang Ryo was one of the six dormitories under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. There is one doctor each, one doctor in astronomy, one doctor in calendar, two doctors in chronometry, and six doctors in onmyoji. Its main responsibilities are to observe astronomy, formulate calendars, judge auspiciousness and disasters, determine geomorphology, Feng Shui, hold rituals, etc. There are 89 people at its disposal. Yin and Yang Dao has now become part of the legal system. Whoever controls the "Yin and Yang Liao" has the ability to interpret everything.

Onmyojisei

Chronology of the Heian Period

770 - 781 Emperor Konin's Treasure Turtle and Tenyo

781 - 806 Emperor Kanmu's Enryaku

809 - 823 Emperor Saga Hirohito

823 - 833 Emperor Junwa Tenchō

833 - 850 Emperor Nimei Chengwa , Jiaxiang

850 - 858 Emperor Buntoku Niju, Qiheng, Tianan

858 - 876 Emperor Seiwa Zhengan

876 - 884 Emperor Yosei Genkei< /p>

884 - 887 Emperor Mitsutaka Niwa

887 - 897 Emperor Uta Kanpei

897 - 930 Emperor Daigo Shoyasu, Enki, and Yanchang

930 - 946 Suzaku Emperor Taihei and Tenkei

Abe Seimei

Abe Seimei's Biography

Among the many legends and book records, as long as it involves "Onmyoji" "The first thing people think of with this term is the figure who shines like a morning star - Abe Seimei. Abe Seimei (あべのせいめい) is a real and active person in history. It is not an exaggeration to describe the numerous history and legends related to him. So what is this real and imaginary figure in Japanese history like? ? Let’s take a brief look at it ^^

According to records, Abe Seimei was an Onmyoji active in the middle of the Heian period. The Heian period was an era where the top officials were civilized and peaceful on the outside, but internally full of dirty aristocratic power struggles. Due to the incompetence of public governance at that time, the lives of the people at the bottom were miserable. In this harsh situation, the people at the bottom have questions about "why am I alive?" The capable people at the top and the losers in power also have questions: "The political situation is deteriorating, how can we save it?" Therefore, in this situation, all kinds of negative emotions filled an era, and with it came the emergence of resentful spirits, and it was the job of the Onmyoji to fight against these resentful spirits that harmed mankind. In addition, Kyoto, Japan, suffered unprecedented natural and man-made disasters at that time: major earthquakes, fires, floods and other situations continued to occur, so people were panicked, and chaos between ghosts and gods was rampant. Not only did the superiors believe it, but it also became popular among the common people. The nobles firmly believed in the good and bad fortunes of directions and dates. Whenever they went out, they would choose the day and direction. Whenever there was a disease or disaster, they would excuse ghosts and creatures or encounter unclean things such as hundreds of ghosts walking at night. Therefore, the nobles at that time were familiar with the various taboos of Onmyodo and strictly abided by its etiquette and laws. Even trivial matters such as getting up, washing, and eating had corresponding taboos. The good and bad fortunes of the court's actions must also be based on this principle. Therefore, the Yin and Yang Dao at that time not only had its own department in the country - Yin Yang Liao (Yin Yang Liao was one of the six liaos under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Central Affairs, responsible for observing astronomy, meteorology, divination, formulating calendars, etc., in addition to officials, there were also Onmyoji, Onmyoji, Onmyoji, Lisheng, Lisheng, Astronomy, Astronomy, Dr. Lu Ke, Shouchen Ding and other staff), also affected the implementation of national policies. During this period, Onmyodo was no longer a unified This is a simple belief based on taboos and spells, but it has a certain political significance. Onmyoji therefore became active on the political stage as "national civil servants" during the Heian period. What’s even more interesting is that because Onmyodo was monopolized by the Imperial family, “folk Onmyodo” also developed among the public. Of course, these are all digressions, so let’s not talk about them for the time being. Let’s get to the point.

Abe Seimei is the best, most outstanding, and greatest of all the Onmyoji in the past. His ability far exceeds that of any Onmyoji of any generation. Judging from the records in the unofficial history (classical) "The Story of the Past and the Past", Seimei once saw a spirit body attached to his maid when he was born. According to the records in "The Tale of Uji's Relics" and "Kojidan", Seimei's body was the reincarnation of a highly accomplished monk, and he gained the ability to control ghosts, gods and spirits during his training. There is also a legend that when Seimei was a child, he noticed the ghosts traveling at night while walking at night, and inadvertently saved the life of Kamo Tadayuki, the chief priest who was in charge of the Onmyo Ryo at the time.

From this, Kamo Tadayuki discovered his natural aptitude, began to educate him as his disciple, and taught all the Onmyodo to Seimei.

However, it is quite difficult to find the deeds of Abe Seimei from official history, which can be described as "mysterious". First of all, his exact time of death cannot be determined. One theory is that he died at the age of 85 in the 21st year of Yanxi (921) - the 2nd year of Kuanhong (1005). However, according to the "Tsuchimikado Family Records", Abe Seimei was only 45 years old. Which statement is correct can only be said: it is a mystery, it is a mystery, it is still a mystery. -_-|||

Then there is the issue of the exact place of birth. In history, his birthplace is stamped with such a bright red seal: "Unknown", and there are three main legends: 1) Osaka said: There is Abe Seimei Shrine in Abeno Motomachi, Osaka City, and there are sacred festival activities. There is a stone monument that reads "Abe Seimei's Birthplace and Heritage Site", and next to it are the remains of a well that was used to heat hot water for Seimei's production.

2) Ibaraki said: According to the "Origin" included in the oldest biography of Seimei "ほきSCO", Seimei's birthplace was Cat Island at the foot of Mount Tsukuba in Hitachi Province, which is now Ibaraki Prefecture. Cat Island in Akeno Town, Makabe County. Cat Island is the old territory of the Takamatsu family, and there is Seimei Shrine as evidence of Seimei's birthplace. In addition, the Takamatsu family also collected "Seimei Biography" in the eighth year of Hoei's reign (1711). In the Kingdom of Hitachi, there is a record of the imperial court ordering onmyojis to be dispatched from Kyoto before Seimei was born. Although it is a research on Onmyoji, there is no conclusive evidence that Cat Island is the birthplace of Seimei.

3) Kagawa said: "Sanuki University Diary" contains records that Seimei was born in Ihara-so, Kōtō County, Sanuki Province. Also, in the "Nishizanfu Chronicle" published by the Marugame Domain, there is a record of Seimei's birth as Yusa, Kagawa County, Sanuki Province. What’s interesting is that Yusa of Sanuki Province has a close relationship with Cat Island of Hitachi Province. The place name Yusa was named after the Yusa family who was born in Hitachi Province.

The next step is the issue of origin. According to the available information, the origin of his family name began with Dayan Ming, the prince of Emperor Xiaoyuan. There is such a record in the "Kojiki": "The root of the Japanese is the country of Jiu Liu." Emperor Xiaogen ruled the world in the original palace of Qingchi... There were five sons in total of this emperor. In the days of Wagenko, Dabi Ming ruled the world, and his brother Dabi Komei's son Jian. Numahe is named as the ancestor of Abe Chen and others." The ancestor of the Abe family in Seimei's lineage is the 11th generation grandson of Ohiko Mikoto - Abe Kurahashi Maro, also known as Abe Uchimaro. Kurahashi Maro was the left minister during the Daika reform, and his son Abe, the right minister, was the right minister during the reign of Emperor Bunmu. It is recorded in "The Tale of Bamboo Cutter" that he obtained fire rat skin for Princess Kaguya. Koatsuhime, the daughter of Maro Kurahashi, was the concubine of Emperor Kotoku and gave birth to Prince Ma. She was a rival of Emperor Tenchi and was killed due to Soga Aka's brother's trick. From this, it seems that Abe Seimei was supposed to have a distinguished background and a noble birth. But why did the Abe family decline by the time it was passed down to his father in the Monogatari legend? This is indeed unknown.

According to the Abe family tree, Seimei’s father is Daizen Daifu (responsible for the emperor’s meals, an official in the Imperial Household Ministry) Abe Masukai. The 8th generation of the Abe family since Master Abe. In the legends since Kamakura, it is called Abe Yasunai, and modern research proves that Seimei's father was Taira Shomon. There is an ancient legend that Abe Seimei's mother was the incarnation of a white fox, and recent research shows that her mother was a mountain dweller. During the Heian period, there were very few people living outside cities. They were collectively called "mountain people" and their status was not high. Abe Seimei may have deliberately concealed the truth in order to cover up the fact that he came from a humble background. However, people living in remote areas, because they are always in contact with nature and feel the aura between heaven and earth (this... why the more I say it, the more I feel like Tarzan -_-|||), naturally have things that people in the city cannot. The ability to understand. Therefore, there is no doubt that Abe Seimei inherited part of his powerful psychic abilities from his mother. Of course, there are various legends. There is another theory that it is a wandering maiden (a shrine maiden who traveled throughout Japan, the most famous one is "Izumo no Akun" in the Azuchi Momoyama period), and there is also a theory that Tachibana Fumiko was born. However, it is generally believed that the mother was a commoner so there is no record.

Like his mother, Abe Seimei’s marriage problems are also full of mysteries. Legend has it that she is Kamo Sara, the daughter of Kamo Tadayuki, who died in childbirth at the age of 14. Later, he married his biological daughter Saya Abe. There is also the questionable sister Enhime of Tsuchimikadoden. According to historical records, the Abe family was renamed the Tsuchimikado family during the Muromachi period, so it is indeed a bit difficult to understand who this Tsuchimikado family is.

Relative to his complicated life experience, what is more clear to people is Seimei’s descendants. According to the records of "Anthology of Ancient and Modern Writings", "Eika Monogatari" and "Xiaoyou", his eldest son Abe Yoshihei , Dr. Ren Yin Yang. The second son, Abe Yoshimasa, is the head of Yin Yang. However, it is unavoidable that there are still legends here

Another theory is that Abe Tokuyu, the son of his biological daughter Saya, was killed by Ashiya Michitoshi. (Attachment: Abe family diagram)

Finally, let’s take a look at the life of this enigmatic figure. Abe Seimei was born in 921 (the heyday of the Fujiwara family's regency politics) in the home of Abe's right minister in the Nara period. He has loved astronomy and astrology since he was a child. Perhaps it was indeed a kind of fate. In 960, when he was 40 years old, he became an astronomy student in the "Yin Yang Liao" and later became a doctor of astronomy. He has successively served as the chief chef, doctor of astronomy, chief accountant Quansu, Ukurain Beitang, Harimamori, and Sakyo Quan. In the third year of Changbao (1001), he was appointed to the fourth rank, which is beyond the Yin and Yang head of the fifth rank. The highest grade. Unfortunately, there are no records of Seimei from childhood to middle age. Even the surviving portraits only show her appearance after middle age. This is probably one of the reasons why it is full of mystery. Therefore, there are countless novels and biographies about his youth throughout the ages. In Chapter 16 of Volume 24 of "The Story of the Past", it is recorded that when Seimei was practicing Onmyodo at Kamo Tadayuki's place, the oxcart accompanying Tadayuki saw the appearance of a ghost. Tadayuki discovered Seimei's super power and turned his magic like "an inverted bottle" "Zhongshui" will all be taught to Qingming. However, it is also said that Seimei's master was Tadayuki's son Yasunori. He is the founder of Tsuchimikado Shinto. Although astrology and predictions are not believed, it at least shows that Abe Seimei has a keen sense of insight into people's hearts and analysis of political situations. And he formulated a perfect astronomical calendar, which fully demonstrated his extraordinary talents in mathematics and astronomy. Although Abe Seimei wrote numerous books throughout his life, only one of his works, "Divination", has survived. However, it is an important document on Onmyoji divination. This may be another mystery left to future generations by this charming and enigmatic figure.

Qingming in the record:

(1 year old) Qingming was born

(54 years old) Astronomy Doctor Qingming’s secret memorial

( 58 years old) The house of Dr. Yin Yang Qingming was struck by lightning.

(65 years old) practiced the art of exorcism for the women of Fujiwara wealthy family.

The table above recommends the time for removing tin strands.

(66 years old) predicted that Emperor Hanayama would become a monk.

The Tengu who were ordered by Emperor Hanayama to seal Mount Nachi.

(68 years old) held a ghost festival for Fujiwara Sane.

The table above suggests the time for the Planet Festival.

(69 years old) held the Taizan Fugun Festival for the Emperor.

(74 years old) The table above suggests the time for the Nioh meeting.

The above is about the thunderstorm imperial account.

(77 years old) The chief planner helped Abe Seimei to repair the sword in Yiyoden.

The table above suggests the time for Higashi Sanjo-in Temple to be visited.

Divination of the cause of the Emperor’s toothache.

(79 years old) The above table suggests the itinerary and time of Prince Chang Zinai, the Queen Mother.

On-site inspection of the Imperial Palace where Changzi moved.

The table above suggests the time for the Liberation Fire Festival.

The above table suggests the time for establishing Zhangzi as queen.

(80 years old) The table above suggests the time for the Judicial Court to be held.

Divination on the cause of strange things happening at Fujiwara Yukinari’s residence.

Serve the emperor as emperor.

(81 years old) The fortune teller of Higashi Sanjo-in’s Togo.

The above table shows the miscellaneous matters related to the funeral ceremony of Higashi Sanjo-in Temple.

The above table shows fires in the palace and other daily events.

(82 years old) held Taishan Fujun Festival.

(83 years old) Divined the illness of Prince Dunkang.

Decide on the location of the Koban Samadhi Hall.

Due to the death of Yori Michio’s wet nurse, the priest’s visit to Kamo was postponed.

Ask the Taoist priest to stop building Buddha statues.

(84 years old) held the Five Dragon Festival.

Divination on whether the trip to Zhangzi Zhonggong Da Yuanye will be postponed or cancelled.

Divination of the reason for the sound of Duowu Peak.

Sacrifice was held to support Taoist Master’s Mahaprajna Sutra.

(85 years old) performed rituals for the Taoist priest before he moved to his new residence in Higashi Sanjo.

Abe Seimei, the fourth doctor of astronomy, died.

Special note: The Seimei Shrine in Seimei-cho Kamigawa-dori Ichi, Kamikyo-ku, Kyoto City now has regular worship activities. The Seimei Platycodon Seal is a prayer charm that symbolizes the five elements of heaven and earth and purifies all things in the universe. It is regarded as a divine seal.

There is Seimei’s tomb in Saga Kakukura Town, Ukyo Ward. September 26 is Seimei’s birthday, and a festival is held here.