Neck Examination - Neck Examination

Japanese: 首実検 - くびじっけん

〘noun〙① The act of confirming whether a slain head is the head of the person in question. Also, the ceremony for the same. ※Hogen (around 1220) Vol. 1: "After inspecting the head, Yoshitomo ordered that it be presented to him and treated as a filial piety." ② To actually meet or see the head to confirm whether it is the person in question. ※Miscellaneous Haiku, Yanagi Taru Shui (1801), Vol. 19: "The head clerk went around inspecting the head." [Eloquence] (1) Displaying the heads of enemies of the court or rebels had already been done in the Heian period, and in the "Mutsu Waki" there is an article that says that when the heads of Sadato and others entered Kyoto, a former attendant washed and combed their topknots.
(2) In fact, the name "head inspection" was formulated in the Kamakura period. This was usually performed by a general, but if the head belonged to an enemy general or a nobleman, it was called a "meeting". Before the inspection, the head was given makeup, which was apparently considered a woman's job, and the method is described in detail in "Oamu Monogatari" and "Gunyoki".

Source: The Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary About the Selected Edition of the Japanese Language Dictionary Information

Japanese:

〘名〙① 討ち取った首がその者の首であるかどうかを確かめること。また、その儀式。※保元（1220頃か）上「首実検の後、義朝に給はって孝養すべきよし、仰せ下されければ」② 実際に会ったり見たりして、その者かどうかを確かめること。※雑俳・柳多留拾遺（1801）巻一九「番頭は首じっけんをしてまはり」[語誌](1)朝敵や反逆者の首級がさらされることは、すでに平安時代に行なわれており、「陸奥話記」には貞任らの首の入洛に際し、かつての従者が髻(もとどり)を洗い梳(くしけず)ったとの記事も見える。
(2)実際に、「首実検」の名目が定式化されたのは鎌倉期からである。これは通常大将が行なうが、特に首が敵方の大将、貴人の場合には対面と称した。首は実検に先立ち、首化粧が施されたが、これは女性の仕事とされたらしく、「おあむ物語」や「軍用記」には、その方法が詳しく記されている。

出典　精選版日本国語大辞典精選版日本国語大辞典について　情報

<<: Poppy - Gubijin

>>: Neck-cutting cricket - Neck-cutting cricket