Tenjin (kami)

Tenjin (Japanese天神) is the Shinto kami of scholarship, calligraphy, penmanship and the patron god of scribes and scholars. The associated belief system is referred to as Tenjin Shinko (天神 信仰).

Overview

Tenjin is the deification of Sugawara no Michizane and in this form partially identical with Raijin, the god of thunder. The poet, calligrapher and Hofadlige Michizane reached in the Japanese government in the late 9th century of great importance, but fell at the beginning of the 10th century conspiracies of his rival Fujiwara no Tokihira victim. He was deposed and sent into exile to Kyushu. He died there in the year 903 at the age of 59 years. Immediately thereafter, the capital was hit by heavy rain and thunderstorms, many of the leading Fujiwara died and caused by lightning fires and floods destroyed many of their residences.

The Court concluded that the problems were caused by Michizanes angry spirit and the emperor put him - to pacify him - in all his offices again, burned the order to send him into exile and ordered that he, under the name " Tenjin " ( which means ' sky god ' means ) is to worship. A shrine was built in Kitano, instantly won the first rank among the official shrines of Japan and was supported directly by the government.

For the next few centuries Tenjin was a god of natural disasters, revered to peacefully persuade him and avoid his curses. However michizane was also one of the most famous poets and scholars of the Heian period. In the Edo period, scholars and educators, therefore, began to look at him as a patron of learning. Today, this role has completely replaced his position as the god of natural disasters in popular belief.

Tenjins influence is today considered to be particularly important for passing exams. So many students and their parents ask before important entrance exams before his shrine success and return in case of success, to thank him for success.

Michizane loved Ume trees very much, he wrote a famous poem in exile, in which he complained about the absence of a particular Ume - tree, which he had loved in the capital. The legend says that this flew from Kyoto to Dazaifu in Kyushu to be with him and that still stands today, this tree at his shrine.

Shrines of the Tenjin are therefore often planted with many Ume trees. By happy coincidence, these trees bloom in February, the year when the exam results are announced. To organize many shrines at this time a party.

The bull is an animal, which one brings in special connection with Tenjin.

The main shrines of this Kami are the Kitano Tenman- gū in Kyoto, Dazaifu Tenman- gū in Kyushu and Osaka Tenman- gū in Osaka. With over 14,000 other Tenjin shrines (called Tenman- gū (天 満 宫) ), this category of Shinto shrines, the third most common in Japan.

Swell

• Shinto no Iroha (神道 の いろは). Jinja Shinpōsha (神社 新 报社), 2004, ISBN 4-915-26599-4
• Ken Mihashi: (三桥 健), Waga Ya no Shūkyō: Shinto (わが家 の 宗教:神道). Daihōrinkaku (大 法轮 阁), 2003, ISBN 4-804-66018-6