Takao (English spelling)

Japanese: 高禖 - こうばい（英語表記）Gāo méi

A god worshipped in the ancient Chinese ritual of seeking sons. The Monthly Orders of the Book of Rites describes a ritual in which, in the mid-spring month, when the swallow arrives, Gao He is worshiped with offerings of cattle, sheep, and pigs, and the emperor and his concubine exchange bows and arrows in front of him. Its origins can be found in the legend of the founder of the Yin dynasty, in which Jian Di drank the egg of a swallow, became pregnant, and gave birth to Setsu, so he worshiped it. There is also a legend about Emperor Kansheng, who became pregnant after stepping on a giant's footprint, the mother of Zhou's Hou Ji.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

中国古代の求子儀礼に祀（まつ）られる神。《礼記（らいき）》月令（がつりよう）に，仲春の月，玄鳥(燕)が至るとき，大牢(牛，羊，豕)を供えて高禖を祀り，天子と後宮夫人とがその前で弓矢を授受する儀礼をしるす。その起源は殷の始祖説話に，簡狄（かんてき）が玄鳥の卵を飲んで妊（はら）み，契（せつ）を生んだのでこれを祀ったという。周の后稷（こうしよく）の母姜嫄（きようげん）にも，巨人の足あとを践（ふ）んで妊んだという感生帝説話がある。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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