Seven Herbs Paper - Nanakusa Soushi

Japanese: 七草草紙 - ななくさそうし

A fairy tale from the Muromachi period. One of the Shibukawa versions. A story that explains the origin of picking the seven herbs and encourages filial piety. A man named Oshiu from the Chu state of Tang Dynasty was saddened by the sight of his aged parents and prayed day and night. Then Taishakuten descended from heaven and told him that the white geese that live south of Mount Sumeru eat the seven herbs at the start of spring, which is why they can live for 8,000 years. Oshiu gave the seven herbs to his parents, rejuvenating them. When the emperor heard the rumor, he was moved by the filial piety and abdicated the throne. Source unknown. The Nara picture book includes "The Seven Herbs," with some slight variations in the text. [Miyata Kazumi]

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

室町時代の御伽草子。渋川版の一つ。七草摘みの由来を説き，親孝行を勧める物語。唐の楚国の大しうという者が老いた父母を見て悲しみ，明け暮れ祈誓する。すると帝釈天が天下り，須弥山（しゆみせん）の南にすむ白鵞鳥が春の初めごとに七草を服すがゆえに八千年の寿命を保つと教える。大しうは七草を父母に与え若返らせる。噂を聞いた帝は親孝行に感動し，位を譲る。典拠未詳。奈良絵本に《七草》があり，本文に少異をもつ。【宮田和美】

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

<<: Fish roe - Nanako

>>: Seven herbs - Nanakusa