Meishintanyu - Kukatachi

An ancient method of evidence. Mud was boiled in a pot, pebbles were placed in it, and the suspect or party to a lawsuit was asked to remove the pebbles. The method was used to determine the presence or absence of guilt and the truth of the allegations based on whether or not the suspect's hand was blistered. In ancient times, society was ruled by gods, so people tried to have gods testify about the presence or absence of guilt and the truth or absence of the party's allegations, and it was thought that gods would blister the hands of those who were guilty or who gave false testimony. The famous Meishin Tanto took place in the fourth year of the reign of Emperor Ingyō, when the order of clans and surnames was in disarray, a tanto urn was placed at the Kotonomagahenosaki of Amakashi Hill, and people of various clans and surnames were made to bathe and fast in the urn. At that time, the Emperor is said to have said that those who obtain the truth will be completely destroyed if they lie. It is a practice that probably originated in Japan. It disappeared during the Ritsuryo period, but was revived under the name "Yugisho" during the Middle Ages, especially the Muromachi period, when the close relationship between law and religion was again apparent.

[Ryosuke Ishii]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

古代における証拠方法。釜の中に入れた泥を煮沸してその中に小石を置き、被疑者または訴訟当事者にこれを取り出させて、手がただれるかただれないかによって罪の有無や主張の真否を判断する方法。古代は神の支配する社会であるから、罪の有無、当事者の主張の真否を神に証言させようとしたのであり、神は有罪または偽証した者の手をただれさせると考えたのである。有名な盟神探湯は、允恭(いんぎょう)天皇の4年に、そのころ氏姓(うじかばね)の秩序が乱れたので、これを糺(ただ)すために、味橿(あまかし)の丘の辞禍戸(ことのまがへのさき)に探湯瓮(くかへ)を据えて、諸々の氏姓の人に沐浴斎戒(ゆあみものいみ)させて行わせたというそれである。このとき天皇は実(まこと)を得る者は全く、偽らばかならず傷(やぶ)れるであろうといわれたという。おそらく日本で生まれた慣行であろう。律令(りつりょう)時代には行われなくなったが、法と宗教との密接な関係のふたたびみられる中世、ことに室町時代には、「湯起請(ゆぎしょう)」という名前で復活している。

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