Tenjin (kami)
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Tenjin (天神?) is the Shinto kami of scholarship, the deified Sugawara no Michizane. Michizane rose high in the government of Japan in the late ninth century, but at the beginning of the tenth century he fell victim to the plots of a rival, a member of the Fujiwara family, and was demoted and exiled to Kyushu. He died in exile in 903. Immediately afterwards, the capital city was struck by heavy rain and lightning, and many of the leading Fujiwara died, while fires caused by lightning and floods destroyed many of their residences.
The court drew the conclusion that the disturbances were caused by Michizane's angry spirit, and, in order to placate him, the emperor restored all his offices, burned the official order of exile, and ordered that he be worshipped under the name Tenjin, which means 'Sky deity'. A shrine was established at Kitano, and immediately raised to the first rank of official shrines, supported directly by the government.
For the first few centuries, then, Tenjin was a god of natural disasters, worshipped to placate him and avoid his curses. However, Michizane was a famous poet and scholar in his lifetime, one of the greatest of the Heian Period, and in the Edo Period scholars and educators came to regard him as a patron of scholarship. By the present day, this sphere of influence has completely eclipsed natural disasters in popular worship.
Tenjin's influence is now regarded as particularly strong in passing exams, and so many school students, and their parents, pray for success at his shrine before important entrance exams, and return afterwards, if appropriate, to give thanks for success.
Michizane was very fond of ume trees, writing a famous poem from exile in which he lamented the absence of a particular tree he had loved in the capital. Legend states that it flew from Kyoto to Dazaifu in Kyushu to be with him, and the tree is still on show at his shrine there. As a result, shrines to Tenjin often plant many ume trees. By happy coincidence, these trees blossom in February, the same time of year as exam results are announced, and so it is common for Tenjin shrines to hold a festival at around this time. The animal particularly associated with Tenjin is the bull.
The main shrines to this kami are Kitano Tenmangu in Kyoto and Dazaifu Tenmangu in Fukuoka Prefecture, but there are many other shrines dedicated to him across Japan. These shrines are called Tenman-gū (天満宮?).
[edit] References
- Shinto no Iroha (神道のいろは）, Jinjashinpōsha (神社新報社), 2004, (ISBN 4-915265-99-4)
- Mihasi, Ken (三橋健), Wa ga ya no Shūkyō: Shinto (わが家の宗教：神道), Daihōrinkaku (大法輪閣), 2003 (ISBN 4-8046-6018-6)
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