Onmyodo - Onmyodo

Japanese: 陰陽道 - おんようどう

A popular belief based on the ancient Chinese theory of Yin and Yang and the five elements. It applies the principle of mutual generation and mutual inhibition to the combination of the five elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water, the sun, moon, and the ten heavenly stems and twelve earthly branches to determine good or bad fortune, and dictates the good or bad of actions and fortunes in all aspects of human affairs, including date, direction, and direction. The first documented introduction of Onmyodo is recorded in the Nihon Shoki, in which the monk Kanroku from Baekje came to Japan in October of the 10th year of the reign of Empress Suiko (602) and presented a calendar, a book on astronomy and geography, and a book on Tonko horoscopes. He selected three or four students to study these books. The Taiho Code established a system in which technical personnel such as a doctor of Yin and Yang, a doctor of calendars, a doctor of astronomy, and a doctor of water clock were placed under the jurisdiction of the Onmyoryo. In the mid-Heian period, during the time of Kamo Tadayuki and his son Yasunori, and their disciple Abe no Seimei, Onmyodo flourished. Yasunori imparted the art of calendars to his son Ienari and the art of astronomy to Seimei, and after that, the Kamo and Abe families passed on their respective Onmyodo skills to each other and made them their family business. Seimei is known for his outstanding Onmyodo. Calendars remaining from the Heian period (→Gujureki Calendars) contain an extremely complicated list of bad days and directions. To ward off these misfortunes and bring good fortune, Onmyoji perform purification rituals and festivals. These include the incantation Henpai, which is performed when going out on a journey; Migatame, which is a ritual to strengthen the body; the prayer of Nabumone, which transfers misfortune by stroking the body; and the Taishan Fukun Festival, which worships the mountain god who governs human lifespan and good fortune. In this way, Onmyodo gradually spread among the general public and became a popular belief. Remnants of this belief can be seen today in the selection of dates for weddings and funerals, auspicious days for construction, and horoscopes.

Onmyodo

Please see the "Onmyodo" page.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

中国古代の陰陽五行説に基づいて形成された俗信。木火土金水の五行と，日月，十干十二支の組合せに，相生相克の理をあてはめて吉凶を判断するもので，日時，方角をはじめ，人事全般に行為，運勢の良否を規定した。推古 10 (602) 年 10月百済 (くだら) 僧観勒が来朝し，暦本，天文地理書および遁甲方術の書を献上したので，学生3～4人を選んでこれを学ばせたと『日本書紀』にあるのが，陰陽道伝来の文献にみえる初めである。大宝令では，陰陽寮の管掌するところで，陰陽博士，暦博士，天文博士，漏刻博士などの技術者がおかれ，制度として整備された。平安時代中期，賀茂忠行，保憲父子，その門人安倍晴明の頃，陰陽道は隆盛をきわめた。保憲はその子家栄に暦道を，晴明に天文道を分け授けたので，以後朝廷では，賀茂，安倍両家がそれぞれの陰陽道を相伝し，家業とした。晴明は傑出した陰陽家として伝説が多い。平安時代以後残存する暦 (→具注暦 ) には，繁雑なまでに多くの悪日，悪方角などが記されている。これら禍を除き福を招くため，陰陽師は祓 (はらい) や祭りを行う。出行のとき行う呪法である反閉 (へんぱい) ，身体が強くなるよう加持する身固 (みがため) ，身体をなでて穢 (けが) れ災いを移した撫物の祈祷，人の寿命や福寿を司る山神を祭る泰山府君祭などはそれである。こうして陰陽道は次第に民間への流布と俗信化を強めていった。その信仰の名残りは，今日，結婚，葬式などの日選び，建築の方忌 (かたいみ) ，星占いなどにみられる。