Heavenly drum - Tenko

Japanese: 天鼓 - てんこ

[1] [Noun] ① A drum ringing in the heavens. Thunder. Kaminari. ※Honsho Bunsui (c. 1060) 1. Koho sashi no kyuu dokou ka (The Song of the Noble and the Lowly)〈Minamoto no Jun〉「The mouth is mute, the sound of the heavenly drum rings out repeatedly.」〔Han Wudi Naiden〕② ⇒ Tenku (Heavenly drum) [2][1] The name of a Noh piece. Fourth piece. Various schools. Author unknown. A young Chinese musician named Tenku refused to accept the drum (tsuzumi) bestowed by the heavens from the emperor, and was drowned in the Ryōsui River. When the drum was brought to the palace, no one could play it, so an imperial messenger was sent to have the boy's father, Wang Bo, play it, and the drum produced a beautiful sound. The emperor, grieving over this, held a memorial concert, and the spirit of Tenku appeared, beat the drum, and danced. [2] Jōruri. Historical piece. Five stages. Written by Chikamatsu Monzaemon. First performed at the Osaka Takemotoza Theatre around 1701. The prince falls in love with the musician Fujimaru's surviving daughter, Ozekihime, and commands her to serve at the palace, taking up the family heirloom, the Tenko drum. Futomi no Agatanushi Tokikage and his wife become jealous and try to offer up their own daughter, Yuhime, in her place, but a fox from Tanshu, who has lived for a thousand years, rescues the princess and destroys Tokikage.

Ten-ku [Heavenly drum]

〘Noun〙 ("ku" is the Go-on pronunciation of "drum") A drum held by heavenly beings that produces a wonderful sound even without being struck. It is likened to the sermon of Buddha. ※Hobutsushu (around 1179) "The heavenly drum beats by itself" [Lotus Sutra - Johon]

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

Japanese:

[1] 〘名〙① 天上に鳴るつづみ。雷鳴。かみなり。※本朝文粋（1060頃）一・高鳳刺貴賤同交歌〈源順〉「口是木訥、天鼓之声頻鳴」〔漢武帝内伝〕② ⇒てんく（天鼓）[2][一] 能楽の曲名。四番目物。各流。作者不詳。中国の天鼓という少年楽人は、天から授けられた鼓(つづみ)を帝に召し上げられるのを拒み、呂水の江に沈められる。宮廷に運ばれた鼓は誰が打っても鳴らないので勅使がつかわされ少年の父王伯に打たせると、鼓は妙音を発する。これを哀んだ帝が追善の管弦講を催すと、天鼓の霊が現われて鼓を打って舞をまう。[二] 浄瑠璃。時代物。五段。近松門左衛門作。元祿一四年（一七〇一）頃大坂竹本座初演。楽人富士丸の遺児沢瀉姫に心ひかれた親王は、姫に家宝の天鼓を持って宮仕えせよと命じるので、太見県主時景(ふとみのあがたぬしときかげ)夫婦がこれをねたんで自分の娘夕映を代わりに差し出そうとするが、千年を経た丹州の狐が姫を助け、時景を滅ぼす筋。