◆Japanese divination and taboos
Japanese traditional consciousness and etiquette
There are many full-time witches and divination personnel in Japan. Although Japan has entered a modern society, there are still many people who like fortune telling and divination. Judgment of bad luck is based on the phenomena of the sun, moon, stars, celestial bodies, the movements and calls of animals, the mutation of plants, and other natural phenomena. It is also based on mysterious sounds, people's fantasies, hallucinations, dreams, and the feelings of body organs such as itchy ears. This habit still remains in the daily life of Japanese people to this day.
During the Russo-Japanese War, there was a popular saying among Japanese people that "the appearance of a comet will lead to accidents and war." Since ancient times, the Japanese have believed that comets are precursors of war, famine, and national events. In addition, the Japanese believe that if a star (near star) appears near the moon, either death will occur or a natural disaster will occur. The Japanese can also judge whether a dead man or a woman is dead based on the position of nearby stars above, below, left, and right of the moon.
The Japanese compare snow to a sign of a good harvest. There is also a saying in our country that auspicious snow heralds a good harvest. In addition, the Japanese also believe that if it is sunny on August 15th, this year's wheat harvest will be bumper. If it is sunny on October 10th, this year will definitely be a good harvest year.
The Japanese believe that if it rains on New Year's Day, it will rain more throughout the year. A year with too many pumpkin vines must be a windy year. There are also popular sayings in Japan that "the sunset is used to grind the sickle" and "the morning glow is used to twist the rope". In addition, "Moon Daili" and "Frog Croaking" are also regarded as signs of rain by the Japanese.
The following is a brief introduction to several Japanese folk sayings.
"Growing cherry blossoms": The Japanese have eradicated years of experience in farming life and concluded that the most reasonable farming time is based on the changes in animals, plants and the four seasons of nature. Shizhongzakura is one example. The rice seedlings are in bloom now, and the survival rate of the seedlings is very high. Some shizhongzakura refers to a specific kind of cherry blossoms, and some refer to the flowers of a certain ancient cherry tree. Akita and Iwate prefectures in the northeastern region of Japan call the magnolia flower the shozazakura.
"Crow's call": Many countries and nations in the world regard crows as evil birds. The Japanese believe that the crow of a crow is a sign of death. If a crow flies three times under the eaves of a house, someone will definitely die in that house. In addition, the Japanese also believe that fire or death will occur in the direction of a dog barking. The absence of mice in a home is a harbinger of fire or decay. It is a good sign for swallows to build nests.
"Epiphyllum": The "Epiphyllum", which blooms once in three thousand years, is an imaginary plant created by Indians. There is also an introduction to the worry about Epiphyllum Epiphyllum in the Buddhist scriptures. The Japanese call the eggs laid by insects on bark, leaves and ceilings epiphyllum. There is a folk saying that "the blooming of the epiphyllum will kill people". It can be seen that the Japanese regard epiphyllum as an unlucky flower. However, some Japanese people divide the night-blooming night-blooming flower into two types: gold and silver, and point out that the golden night-blooming night-blooming flower is a lucky flower, while the silver one is a bad-luck flower.
"Dream": The Japanese believe that dreams have mysterious predictive power and believe that they can predict the future. There is such a story in the Japanese classic literary work "The Story of Soga": "Hojo Masako" judged that the dream his sister had was a lucky dream, but Masako pretended that the dream was a nightmare and bought it from her sister with a mirror and Tang Ling. In this dream, I was asked to marry the shogunate Yoritomo Minamoto as his wife. "There are many legends among Japanese folk about exchanging wine for auspicious dreams. After residents of Amakusa Island in Kumamoto Prefecture have auspicious dreams, they buy large silk fish and hold a "dream release" ceremony.
For Japan, Generally speaking, the order of auspicious dreams is Baochuan, one Fuji, two eagles, and three eggplants. In addition, dreams about climbing mountains, flying in the clouds, and seeing messengers of God, snakes, carps, apes, bears, and horses are all good omens. People with snakes can become rich people. Dreaming about a dead person and the laughter of a dead person is a symbol of longevity and good luck. Dreaming about fires, funerals, and hair turning gray is also a good omen.
Japanese people regard dreams as unlucky. Dreams about monks, gods, marrying a wife, coffins, rice transplanting, etc., especially fishing dreams, white lily dreams, and teeth pulling dreams indicate that close relatives will die. The Japanese also have a theory of positive dreams and negative dreams, so what to do with dreams. The explanation often depends on the specific situation.
"Tinnitus": Small changes in the body are also regarded as some kind of sign by the Japanese. Tinnitus is called "ear ringing" and is regarded as a "bad omen". Biting your tongue is seen as a sign that you will be hated by others. Biting the flesh on the inside of your cheeks is seen as a good sign of praise.
"Morning God of Wealth": Japanese shops want to come in when they open in the morning. The first customers were women.
This indicates that trading will be prosperous that day. This is because women can give birth to children, which is a symbol of prosperous business. On the contrary, it is considered bad luck if the first person to enter the shop in the morning is a monk.
In addition, shoelaces are broken when going out, chopsticks are broken, things hanging on the wall suddenly fall off, etc. are all regarded as bad omens.
◆Japanese taboos and spells
In addition to observing signs, the Japanese also have many taboos. The Japanese have many taboos in the world. A brief introduction below.
The Japanese call death "black and impure". Family members and relatives of the deceased must mourn for a certain period of time. In the past, Japanese people had to enter special taboo rooms when mourning and cut off contact with the outside world. Nowadays, Japanese people often hang a "taboo" sign at the door to indicate a taboo house. During this period, family members are strictly prohibited from shaving, combing their hair, bathing, doing farm work or fishing in boats. In addition, women had to stop sewing or tinkering with looms. If two people die at the same time in the village, the whole village must mourn. The fire in the deceased's house is the most taboo. The Japanese believe that anyone who uses this kind of fire to rebel will die if he eats it. Never go to mourners to eat or borrow anything while others are there. According to Japanese tradition, the taboo on death is lifted on the forty-ninth day.
The Japanese call women's menstruation and childbirth "red and unclean". Menstruating women and pregnant women are not allowed to contact God, and they are prohibited from using the same fire as ordinary people for cooking. During this period, they often go to separate rooms to live in isolation or start cooking on new stoves. The mother's husband and family members must also observe taboos and cannot participate in activities such as hunting and burning charcoal. In addition, the fishery, salt industry, and brewing industries are also very taboo about "red and unclean". If someone eats at the mother's house, they are not allowed to go into the mountain, otherwise the charcoal kiln will be burned down or eaten by bears. Not only does the fishing village have strict regulations during the "Chi Bu Jing" period, but it is also taboo for women to ride alone on boats. It is said that women are not allowed to step over or touch fishing gear at will.
There are also many taboos on activities and eating for pregnant women. For example, if you cross a broom during pregnancy, you will have dystocia, if you watch fire, you will have a child with moles, and if you eat two chestnuts, you will have twins. In addition, pregnant women are strictly prohibited from eating fried foods, eggplant, and beef bladder.
Usually fasting means fasting without eating fish or meat. Japanese people resume eating fish on the third and seventh day after a funeral. The Japanese also call it "Shangzhai meal" or "Iftar meal". Zhaifan is originally a Buddhist term. Monks break away from secular life and practice in strict precepts. Since ancient times, Japanese people have also fasted and avoided taboos when worshiping gods. Those who worship the gods first enter the fasting hut and eat meals cooked by clean fire. Take a bath in the morning and evening, do not use a razor to shave your face, or take a bath in a bath or bath.
Japanese rural areas generally have some idle farmland called "secluded areas" and "respected areas". Legend has it that if you plant crops in these fields, you will encounter bad luck. The Japanese also have a mountainous area called "Fujoyama". It is said that people will lose their way if they enter it. In addition, there are some places where logging is not allowed. If crops are planted in fields called "sick fields", the crops will become diseased, so such fields are often left uncultivated for many years. Japanese people generally do not use the ruins of elder houses, temples, and cemeteries for other purposes, otherwise it will bring bad results. In Japan, most of the land that is forbidden to enter or use contains small shrines, stones, and graves. These places are considered sacred areas.
There are still a considerable number of rural areas in Japan that still retain the custom of not raising chickens or eating chickens or eggs. Izumo's "Legend of Sanhoguan" is very famous in Japan. It is said that the rooster's crow in the morning can arouse the love of the gods. No chickens are raised in any village that worships gods. The Japanese here believe that the chicken is the bird that tells time and is the messenger of God. Therefore, ordinary families are not allowed to raise chickens or eat chickens. In addition to chickens, domestic animals that are prohibited from being raised as messengers of gods include white horses (gods’ rides), white dogs, and black cows. There are also some villages that do not raise or eat sheep, catfish, carp, and salmon. It is said that they can communicate with gods.
Not growing cucumbers is probably the most common among Japanese crop taboos. This is because the cross-section of a cucumber is exactly the same as the symbol of slandering the garden god, so it is unlucky to fertilize cucumbers and eat cucumbers. During the Garden Festival, even those who eat cucumbers on weekdays must fast. There are many villages in Japan from Nagano Prefecture to the Northern Kanto and Tohoku regions that do not grow sesame. Legend has it that sesame seeds can pierce the eyes of gods and ancestors. Some villages ban the planting of pumpkins, winter melons, watermelons, taro, eggplants, radishes, peas, hemp and other plants for the same reason. Some bans are based on villages, and others are based on tribes or families. Most of the reasons are because these plants are disgusted by gods, or they are offerings to gods.
In addition, some Japanese families are taboo about planting loquats, figs, camellias, etc. in their homes.
Farmers in the Kanto region of Japan are taboo about scattering seeds on the ground when sowing seeds. They call this phenomenon "liquidation." Legend has it that if you do this, people who don't eat will die. There are also many taboos in various workshops. In particular, there are the most taboos in the mountains and at sea. For example, you are not allowed to bring sea fish when working in the mountains, you are not allowed to go hunting with seven people, and you are not allowed to spend the night in a mountain hut with 12 people, etc. People with muddy feet are not allowed to board the ship, they are not allowed to sing or whistle on the ship, they are not allowed to throw prune cores into the sea, and they are not allowed to bring soybean paste, vinegar, etc. on board the ship.
Japanese people are taboo about eating with one chopstick. This is because only one chopstick is inserted into the food offered to the dead. A bowl of rice and a flower are also offered to the dead, so they are also taboo on ordinary days. In addition, using a spoon with a handle to scoop out water, adding boiling water to the water, talking loudly while collecting water, handing things over a screen, and using two brooms to clean the seat are all methods used at funerals and are also taboo in daily life. It is also not allowed for two people to sew a piece of clothing or to sew things with unknotted threads. Serving rice or vegetables over the edge of the pot, using chopsticks to pick up or pick up food are all taboos. The Japanese observe taboos on food and housing as a daily etiquette.
Just as the Japanese are taboo on holding various celebrations and holding funerals on Tomohiki on the day of the death of Buddha, today's Japanese are still taboo on building on the "Three Neighbors Die" day in the almanac. Legend has it that building a house on this day will cause disaster and endanger three neighbors. Some areas stipulate that promises cannot be kept on this day. The Japanese will not do farm work on any of the mentioned earth-fire days, sky-fire days, or unfamiliar days. No charcoal kiln can be built on impure days. Try to avoid this day when launching new boats. In addition, it is also a folk custom that the Japanese abide by that no rice seedlings can be planted on the Mao day, wheat cannot be harvested on the Xu day, and no funeral ceremonies can be held on the Yan day.
On every day of worship for gods and Buddhas of personal belief, Yunri, New Year's Day, Obon Festival and traditional New Year events, Japanese people stop working and rest to celebrate. Agricultural work is prohibited on the traditional festival on the fifth day of May, and cattle and horses must be allowed to rest. Fishing is prohibited in fishing villages. In addition, it is taboo for Japanese people to go out in July and return home in September. It is also unlucky to return home on the seventh day after being away or after three months. There are also many taboos during the day. You cannot do needlework when the sun goes down, you cannot cut your fingernails and toenails at night, you cannot whistle at night, etc.
It is said in Japan that a woman born in the year Bingwu will lose her husband. Therefore, it is difficult for girls born in this year to find their husband's family. Many people use methods of abortion or secret killing to bury girls born in the year Bingwu. The saying that the Bingwu year is a bad year with frequent disasters was introduced to Japan from China. In addition to the Bingwu year, girls born in the Yan year also have the characteristic of "traveling for a thousand years and returning for a thousand years". Legend has it that they don’t stay long at the husband’s house.
The taboo ages in Japan are 25, 42, and 61 for men and 19, 33, and 37 for women. People entering these ages should avoid marriage and pregnancy. It is difficult to feed children born to parents in bad years. Once abandoned, they can be adopted and returned to normal.
◆Traditional health care methods and treatments
Japan is known as the longevity country in the world, and you can often see news organizations interviewing centenarians. In terms of health laws, some people answered "eat half full" and "get enough sleep", but most people answered "no different from ordinary people". Health and longevity are almost all good wishes, and many spells and popular beliefs from uncivilized times still remain with the Japanese today.
The first section of Kaihara Yoshiken's famous book "Health Preservation Training" published in the third year of Masantoku Japan (1713) reads: "The art of health preservation must first get rid of the things in oneself, and the things in oneself are internal desires and desires. External evils. Internal desires include the desire for food, lust, greed, sleep, joy, anger, worry, sadness, fear, and the seven emotions. Treat internal desires and guard against external evils to preserve your longevity forever."
The following is a brief introduction to the traditional methods of Japanese people praying for health and healing effects.
Hanging thick ropes: There is a common custom in the Nara area of ??Japan called "hanging thick ropes". Villagers hang very eye-catching thick ropes at Cunkou and the entrance to the forest. Tie some pieces of paper and mustard leaves on the rope. Villagers said this was done to prevent infectious diseases from entering the village. In fact, this is a large-scale connecting rope (a straw rope hung at the door when the Japanese worship gods or during the New Year). The Japanese believe that it can prevent disasters and cure diseases.
In Asuka Village in Nara, Japan, a big snake is woven from straw, and people hold the big snake around to worship.
Kitaiishimi Village, near Asuka Village, weaves centipedes out of wormwood and lets the children hold them up for sacrifice. The Gowan Shrine held at Sugo Ishibe Shrine in Kaga City, Ishikawa Prefecture involves pulling a giant snake out of the shrine and throwing it into the river. These folk sacrifices can be said to be movable manifestations of "suspended ropes".
Including the net-opening ceremony held by the festival on the Ghost Festival and the first lunar month, the sacrifices using ropes and nets are all a type of continuous ropes that represent the sacred area to prevent disasters and epidemics.
Gatekeeper: On December 28th every year, people in the Kanto region hang large-eyed cages outside their houses. This custom has been recorded as early as "Shuzhen Manuscript". Legend has it that the devil is a little monk with only one eye, and the big-eyed cage can deal with it. In the Hokuriku region, December 28th is designated as the day of "needle worship". People hang a fish with many spines in front of the eaves. This fish is called "needle root" and is said to be able to ward off evil spirits. On the first day of spring, people all over Japan have the custom of hanging salamander heads on the doorsteps of homes and inserting osmanthus leaves. It is said that the thorns of the Tong tree and the stench of the salamander are used to drive away evil spirits.
In addition to the various types of "gatekeepers" mentioned above, the Japanese also paste pieces of paper and charms on the doors to serve as "gatekeepers." It is said that pasting a piece of paper on the door with the words "Jensai Hachiro is a morning stay", "Sasara Sanhachi stay", "Shinagawa Rinemon stay", "This Kintaro Wakasa Juhama grandson Zaemon" can prevent Herpes and other diseases enter the room. In addition, the children are dipped in ink on their hands and put their fingerprints on paper. This paper is said to be able to drive away the whooping cough disease when it is pasted on the door.
Shou: According to Japan's "Shijichao" records, the talisman for eradicating the plague has seven words written on it: "The future descendants of the people of Sumin". This piece of paper can be attached to the body. "Bingo Fudoki" tells a story: a long time ago, the god Wuta visited the goddess of the South China Sea. It got dark on the way. Two brothers lived nearby. His younger brother Juhuan would be a rich man in the future, but he did not keep Wuta God as his guest. The younger brother Sumin will be poor in the future, but he warmly receives the God of Wuta. At this time, Wuta God told his brother that he was Susanoo God. When the plague is epidemic, if you say that you are "the future descendants of the Sum people" and wear a thatch ring around your waist, you will not get sick. According to this legend, the Japanese made a charm that read "The future descendants of the Sum people". No matter which Japanese shrine you go to today, you can get a variety of amulets called "shou".
Ink forehead: When newborns in Aomori Prefecture, Japan go out for the first time after 40 days, they must use pot black to draw "big", "left", "ten" and other marks on the baby's forehead. It is said that this can eliminate evil spirits. When people from the Toyohara area of ??Yamabeta County in Nara Prefecture smeared the baby's forehead with pot black, he kept calling "dog" and "dog". When the people of Jisheng, Gaosheng County, ink the foreheads of children who go out at night, they sing "Son of Yin, Son of Yin". If a child of the same age dies, the family will also paint a mark on the forehead of their own child. It is said that this is also the mark of the "Son of Yin".
People in the Tohoku region of Japan like to see the number "ten" painted on their children's foreheads. Some say this is the result of the influence of Christianity. In fact, in the eyes of the Japanese, Guokei has a deep relationship with the God of Fire and the Kitchen God. The ink forehead is for the protection of the God of Fire.
Naming; Japanese people believe that the life of a newborn is extremely unstable, so naming the baby is particularly important. Takizawa Maqin's "Xuantong Fangyan" lists some wonderful names. For example, Oshizaka Shimoshi, Nishikori Shoukyusou, Kuramai Jushi, Abe Courtier Oshiko, Shimobe Oshiko, Oshishi Courtier Shiko, Shimono Shiko, etc. "Southern Essays" believes that such names are chosen entirely to ward off evil spirits. In modern times, many children of samurai families had nicknames such as Tsurugan Shimaru and Torakamaru. "Pill" means being discharged like a feces pill (feces ball) to divert the attention of the devil. Most Japanese ships are ** pills, which have exactly the same meaning as above.
There is a saying in Japan that if you wear a hanging sleeve belt to go to the toilet, your child will be born with the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck. The Japanese in the Beppu area of ??Oita Prefecture believe that children with umbilical cords wrapped around their necks will have good luck. If he is a boy, he will be named Kasunci and Kasunshi. If it is a girl, she will be named Kasaya. The East Village of many counties in Gunma County named such children Kasaya Man, Good Luck for the Present Day, etc., in order to seek the blessing of the Buddha. In the Iida area of ??Nagano Prefecture, this kind of child is called a "curly boy".
Japanese people in the Kabuto area of ??Nagano Prefecture believe that naming their children Lu will help them thrive, so there are many children named Xiongyoshi and Toranosuke in this area. People in Saitama Prefecture are also accustomed to naming their children who are difficult to feed after beasts such as Kumatarou for good luck.
Bathroom: Japan has loved bathing since ancient times. Bathing is regarded as a kind of wedge.
The "Ding Zi Bath" in the New Year and the "Peach Bath" in the third lunar month are both to get rid of the plague. The most famous one is the calamus bath on the fifth day of May, and the other is the glaze bath on the winter solstice.