「鬼のパンツはなぜ虎の皮？」
Do you know about Japanese oni? An oni is a kind of demon in Japanese folklore, and it has a unique appearance. At 4T-AMKY, Teachers and Students write about Japanese culture, food, history, many spots to visit, and other stuff. Enjoy reading and knowing about deeper Japanese culture!
Why do oni (demons) wear tiger skin pants?
An illustrated postcard on Setsubun.
On the day of Setsubun*, February 3, 2023, I received an illustrated postcard painted by my Kampo medicine teacher, Mr. Yukio Nemoto. It depicted a red oni(demon) and a blue oni(demon). Even though it was a picture of demons, somehow it was charming and brought a smile to my face. The picture is accompanied by the following words.
Beans (called Mame in Japanese) are Ma(Demons)Me(eyes). So they must be roasted (shot). (Roast and shot are both called “iru” in Japanese.) Red demons represent greed, blue demons represent hatred. Strike the demons from your own heart.”
It’s a play on words, and I think it is very meaningful. I heard that it is a saying that has been passed down from generation to generation.
The origin of the demon’s appearance.
By the way, do you know why demons have horns and wear tiger skin pants? Here is the origin of the demon’s appearance which I heard from Mr. Nemoto.
It dates back to the Tang Dynasty in China. An emperor ordered a painter to draw a picture of hell. The painter was troubled because he didn’t know what the demons looked like, although it is said that there are demons in hell. Then he heard the following story. There is a mountain called Dosakusan, where lives the Queen Mother of the West (a mother goddess in Chinese religion and mythology) in the eastern sea. There are sacred peaches there, and demons guard the northeastern gate as its guardians.
According to the Chinese zodiac, northeast is the direction of the Ox and Tiger signs. Therefore, the painter combined an ox and a tiger to depict a demon. The demon has horns and tail of an ox, and the eyes and fangs of a tiger. This is the origin of the demon’s figure. So, the demon’s pants must be tiger skin, not silk.
*Note:
- According to the lunar calendar that was once used in Japan, Setsubun is the day which divides the two seasons winter and spring. Setsubun refers to the end of winter, which also celebrates the arrival of spring.
- Please read our blog “Setsubun (Bean-Throwing event）” posted by Takuya. F. on Feb.2, 2021. You will know why oni are throwing beans in this illustrated postcard.
節分の日の絵手紙
節分の日に、漢方の先生から絵手紙が届きました。赤鬼と青鬼が描かれています。鬼の絵なのになぜか愛嬌があり、楽しい気持ちになりました。絵にはこんな言葉が添えられています。
「豆は摩目、故に豆は炒（射）らねばならぬ。赤鬼は貪欲、青鬼は憎しみ。自分の心の鬼を打つ。」
意味深いですね。昔から言い伝えられている言葉だそうです。
鬼のパンツはなぜ虎の皮？
ところで、鬼はなぜ角があって虎の皮のパンツを履いているのかご存じですか？ 鬼の姿の由来を、先生から聞いたのでご紹介します。
中国は唐の時代に遡（さかのぼ）ります。ある皇帝が絵師に、地獄絵図を描くように命じました。絵師は、地獄には鬼がいると言われていますが、鬼の姿がわからず困りました。そんなとき、こんな話を聞きました。東方の海上に仙女（せんにょ）西王母*（せいおうぼ）の度朔山（どさくざん）がある。そこには仙桃**（せんとう）があり、その番人として鬼が北東の門を守っている。
北東は丑寅（うしとら）の方位にあたります。そこで、絵師は、牛と虎を合成して鬼の姿を描いたのです。
牛の角（つの）と尻尾（しっぽ）、虎の目と牙。これが鬼の姿の由来です。 ですから、鬼のパンツはシルクではなく、虎の皮でなければならないのです。
*西王母：中国で古くから信仰された女仙、女神。
**仙桃：仙人の桃のこと。
Aki Sawaguchi.
Editor: Stuart Cauley
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