It is said that human sacrifice was once practiced throughout this region.
Rather than returning people to the water upon death, the ritual involved placing so-called "pillars" in special reliquaries and sending them to the water while still alive.
It was the role of shrine maidens to become such Pillars. They would take on the memories of the dying, and thereafter return to water themselves.
In doing so, it was believed the subjects would continue living on as Pillars.
In Japan, there was once a sect of Buddhist monks who would inter themselves in boxes buried underground for the sake of enlightenment. These monks were said to show they were still alive by ringing bells and chanting.
This practice may be related.
But what did the maidens who became Pillars fear, or hope to appease?
There are various teachings in Japan about where the afterlife, also known as the Netherworld or the hereafter, is located.
Some teachings say it is above the mountains or across the sea, where others claim it lies underground, within the very earth itself.
Here on the mountain, it is said to lie within the water, implying a close link between water and death.
The Pillars within the reliquaries would be in a place close to death, but would go on living.
Perhaps it was the special reliquaries that allowed them to evade death and continue living, frozen in time.
It is thought that perpetuating these Pillars allowed those close to death to live longer lives.
In a sense, it was believed that proximity to death helped develop a resistance to it.
Folklorist's Notes 5
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Folklorist's Notes 5 | |
| |
| Kanji | 民俗学者の手記 五 みんぞく がくしゃ の しゅき ご |
| Game | Fatal Frame: Maiden of Black Water |
| Author | Keiji Watarai |
| Chapter | Fifth Drop: The Veiled House |
| Located at | Watarai Residence, Study |
| Obtained | On the desk |
| Description | A notebook found in the folklorist's house. It seems to be about human sacrifices. |
| Additional Description | The notebook on this desk has no dust on it. It's as if someone was just writing in it. |
| Related Notes | Folklorist's Notes 1, Folklorist's Notes 2, Folklorist's Notes 3, Folklorist's Notes 4, Folklorist's Notes 6, Folklorist's Notes 7, Folklorist's Notes 8 |
この地方一帯には、人柱の風習があった
と言われている。
それは通常の水へと帰す儀式とは違い、
人を特別な匪に入れ、死なぬまま水へ
と帰すのだという。
その柱となるのも、巫女の役割だった。
彼女たちは死へ向かう人々の記憶を引き
受けたあと、自らも水へと帰るのだ。
ただし、柱として生き続けるために。
日本には、箱に入って地中に埋まり、
仏となって衆生を救済する、即身仏
という風習がある。即身仏となる僧は、
地中で経を読み、鐘を叩くことにより、
生きていることを伝えたという。
この儀式はそれに近いものなのかも
しれない。
柱となった巫女たちは、なにを畏れ、
鎮めていたのだろうか。
日本では、他界、つまり常世や隠世と
呼ばれる死後の世界がある場所について、
様々な教えがある。
山の上や海の向こう、という教えもあれば、
地中、つまり地面の下にある、というような
概念的な教えもある。
この山は水を御神体として祭ると共に、
水の中に隠世がある、つまり、水は死
と繋がっている、と考えていたのでは
ないだろうか。
匪に入れられた柱は、死に近い場所に
ありながら生き続けることで、死後の世界が
御神体である、聖なる水に入ることを
防いでいたのだ。
特別な匪に入れるのは、水の中で柱を
生き永らえさせるためなのだろう。
柱を永らえさせることについて、死に
近い者ほど長く生きる、という考えが
あり、日上山は柱となる巫女を別の山
からも集めていたという。
一度死に近づいた者は、死に耐性が
できるとでもいうのだろうか。