Turtle Divination - Kiboku

It is a method of divining fortune by burning a turtle shell and looking at the cracks that appear. In Japan, the Futomani method of divination, which involves burning a deer's shoulder bone, has been practiced since ancient times, but the method of divination by tortoise divination was introduced from China and became practiced in Tsushima, Iki, Izu, and other places. In the Imperial Court, the divination section of the Jingikan (shrine officials) was involved in this. It is said that the wood of the hahaka tree was used to burn the tortoise shell, and those who performed this had to undergo a seven-day abstinence period before welcoming the Uranai-no-kami (divination garden god) to ask for his divination. It is said that the tortoise shell was one that had floated out of the sea. The method is described in detail in Ban Nobutomo's Seiboku-ko.

[Oto Tokihiko]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

カメ（亀）の甲を焼いて、現れた割れ目をみて吉凶を占うのをいう。わが国では、古くからシカの肩骨を焼いて占う太占(ふとまに)の法が行われていたが、中国から亀卜の占法が伝えられ、対馬(つしま)、壱岐(いき)、伊豆などで行われるようになった。宮廷では神祇官(じんぎかん)の卜部(うらべ)がこれに携わっていた。亀甲(きっこう)を焼くには波々迦(ははか)の木を用いたとあり、これを行う者は卜庭神(うらにわのかみ)を迎えて卜問(うらど)いするので、その前に7日間の斎忌(さいき)に服さねばならなかった。亀甲は海に浮かんできたものを用いたとある。その方法は伴信友(ばんのぶとも)の『正卜考(せいぼくこう)』に詳記されている。

［大藤時彦］

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