The origins of Dojoji Temple

Japanese: 道成寺縁起 - どうじょうじえんぎ

This is a Muromachi period picture scroll depicting the legend of the giant snake of the Hidaka River that flows through Wakayama Prefecture. In addition to the two volumes of the Dojoji version in Wakayama Prefecture, many other versions with almost the same content are in circulation among the public. During the reign of Emperor Daigo, a young monk who came from Oshu on a pilgrimage to Kumano stayed at the home of Kiyotsugu Shoji in Masago, Muro County, Kii Province, and was loved by the bride, but he told her he would leave after the pilgrimage and did not stop by her house on his way home. The woman, consumed with jealousy, chased after the monk, gradually transforming into a flame-breathing snake that pushed across the Hidaka River, and wrapped itself around the bell of the Dojoji Temple where the monk had fled and taken refuge, burning him to death.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

和歌山県を流れる日高川の大蛇伝説を描いた室町時代の絵巻。和歌山県道成寺本2巻のほか，ほぼ同内容の諸本が民間に流布している。醍醐天皇の時，奥州から熊野詣に来た若僧が紀伊国室(牟婁（むろ）)郡真砂の清次庄司の家に宿り，その嫁に懸想（けそう）されるが参詣後にと言い逃れ，帰途は女の家に寄らずに過ぎる。嫉妬に狂う女は追いかけ，しだいに炎を吐く蛇体となって日高川を押し渡り，僧が逃げ隠れた道成寺の鐘に巻きついて焼き殺してしまう。

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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