Swing

Japanese: ぶらんこ

A type of rocking playground equipment. A typical type is one in which a crossbar is suspended from both ends by two ropes, and people sit on the crossbar and rock back and forth. There are many types, including box-shaped ones, ones suspended from four ropes and where people sit facing each other, log swings that can accommodate several or even 12 or 13 children at the same time, hammock swings, chair swings, park swings, climbing swings, rocker-by swings, and lawn swings.

[Toshiko Yamagai]

Folklore

In ancient times, it was called "Yusahari" or "Yusaburi", and later "Furakoko". It is a word that expresses a swaying state, and is said to be derived from the Portuguese word balanco. In ancient Greece and other places, there was a custom of women riding on it when spring arrived, for sexual production and as a spell for a good harvest. In China, in the spring season, on Kanshoku (the 105th day after the winter solstice), there was an event in which a long rope was hung from a tall tree, and both ends of a horizontal beam were hung from the two ropes, and women sat on it and swung it around to play. During the Tang Dynasty, Emperor Xuanzong gave it the name "Hansengi" (Hansen-gi) because it meant experiencing the feeling of growing wings and becoming a hermit and ascending to the heavens. In Korea, it is called Kun-e, and is performed on Boy's Day as a coming-of-age ceremony for women. It was also introduced to Japan, and was actively performed at the Imperial Court in the early Heian period. In the Shohei era (931-938) Minamoto no Shitago's Wamyō Ruijūshō (Japanese Myo Ruijūshō), it is written that "The Japanese name is Yusahari, it is hung in the air with a crayon rope, and it is a game." It is also written as Shusen or Akisen, and Emperor Saga's poem Shusen shows how popular it was among the aristocratic class at the time. In the Edo period, it came to be commonly called "Buranko" and became popular as a children's toy. It is also used as a seasonal word in haiku, and in the 1829 (Bunsei 12) Issa Kushū (Issa Kushū) it is written, "While holding a swing and cherry blossoms." After the Meiji period, Western-style swings were introduced as sports equipment and were installed in schools, amusement parks, etc. There are also various types, such as indoor swings for small children.

[Ryosuke Saito]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

揺動式遊戯器具の一つ。横木の両端を2本の綱で吊(つ)り、その横木に腰掛けて前後に揺り動かす形式が代表的である。箱型のもの、4本吊りで向かい合って座るもの、ロッグ・スイングとよばれる、子供たちが同時に数人から12、3人も乗って遊べるもの、ハンモック・スイング、チェア・スイング、パーク・スイング、クライミング・スイング、ロッカー・バイ・スイング、ローン・スイングなど種類がきわめて多い。

［山崖俊子］

民俗

古くは「ゆさはり」「ゆさぶり」、のちに「ふらここ」ともよばれた。揺れ動く状態を表したことばで、ポルトガル語のバランソbalancoが語源ともいう。古代ギリシアなどでは春が訪れると性的な生産の意味や豊作のまじないに、女性がこれに乗って動かす習俗があった。中国では春の季節、寒食(かんしょく)（冬至後105日目の日）に長い縄を高い木にかけ、横木の両端をその2本の縄で吊り、女子がこれに座し揺り動かして遊ぶ行事があり、唐時代には玄宗(げんそう)皇帝が羽化登仙(うかとうせん)（人間に羽が生えて仙人となり天に登ること）の感を味わうとの意味から「半仙戯」の名を与えた。朝鮮ではクネとよばれ、端午の日に女子の成年儀礼として行われる。日本にも渡来し、平安初期には宮中でも盛んに行われた。承平(じょうへい)年間（931～938）源順(したごう)の著『倭名類聚抄(わみょうるいじゅしょう)』には「和名由佐波利(ゆさはり)、以綵縄(さいじょう)懸空中、以為戯也」とある。鞦韆(しゅうせん)、秋千とも書き、嵯峨(さが)天皇の『鞦韆』の詩にも当時の貴族階級の間での流行ぶりが示されている。江戸時代には一般に「ぶらんこ」とよばれるようになり、子供の遊び道具として普及した。俳句の季語としても扱われ、1829年（文政12）の『一茶句集』に「ぶらんこや桜の花を持ちながら」とある。明治期以後は体育具として西洋式のものが移入され、学校、遊園地などに設置された。さらに幼児向きの室内用のものなど各種がある。

［斎藤良輔］

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