Tenjin

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Tenjin ( Jap. 天神 ) is Shinto the Kami of learning calligraphy , the art of writing and the patron of writers and scholars. The associated belief system is called Tenjin Shinkō ( 天神 信仰 ).

overview

Tenjin is the deification of Sugawara no Michizane and in this form is partly identical to Raijin , the god of thunder. The poet, calligrapher and court nobleman Michizane achieved great importance in the Japanese government in the late 9th century, but fell victim to conspiracies by his rival Fujiwara no Tokihira at the beginning of the 10th century . He was deposed and exiled in Kyushu . He died there in 903 at the age of 59. Immediately afterwards, the capital was hit by heavy rain and thunderstorms, many of the leading Fujiwara died and fires and floods caused by lightning strikes destroyed many of their residences.

The court concluded that the problems were caused by Michizane's angry spirit and the emperor - to pacify him - reinstated him in all his offices, burned the order to exile him and ordered that he be under the name "Tenjin" (which means 'sky god') is to be worshiped. A shrine was built in Kitano , immediately ranked first among the official shrines of Japan, and was directly supported by the government.

For the next several centuries Tenjin was a god of natural disasters, worshiped to keep him peaceful and avoid his curses. However, Michizane was also one of the most famous poets and scholars of the Heian period . In the Edo period , scholars and educators began to regard him as the patron saint of learning. Today this role in popular belief has completely supplanted his position as the god of natural disasters.

The Ume tree that supposedly flew to Kyushu to be with Sugawara no Michizane

Tenjin's influence is now seen as particularly important for passing exams. Many pupils, students and their parents ask for success in front of his shrine before important entrance exams and, if successful, return to thank him for the success.

Michizane loved Ume -Trees much, he wrote a famous poem in exile, where he a particular Ume tree complained of absence, he had loved in the capital. Legend has it that he flew from Kyoto to Dazaifu in Kyushu to be with him and that this tree is still standing by his shrine today.

Shrines of the Tenjin are therefore often planted with many ume trees. By lucky coincidence, these trees bloom in February, the time of year when the test results are announced. So many shrines hold a festival at this time.

The bull is an animal that is associated with Tenjin in a special way.

The main shrines of this kami are the Kitano Tenman-gū in Kyōto , Dazaifu Tenman-gū in Kyushu and the Ōsaka Tenman-gū in Ōsaka . With over 14,000 other Tenjin shrines (so-called Tenman-gū ( 天 満 宮 )), this category of Shintō shrines is the third most common in Japan.

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  • Shinto no Iroha ( 神道 の い ろ は ). Jinja Shinpōsha ( 神社 新 報社 ), 2004, ISBN 4-915-26599-4
  • Ken Mihashi: ( 三橋 健 ), Waga Ya no Shūkyō: Shintō ( わ が 家 の 宗教 ： 神道 ). Daihōrinkaku ( 大 法輪 閣 ), 2003, ISBN 4-804-66018-6

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