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THE WORLD OF YABUUCHI SatoshiEsculptor
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| With the start of the new year, I thought I would write a few words on the Chinese calendar that was used in Japan from 604 until 1872. When Japan adopted the Tang Dynasty system of government from China in the seventh century it became necessary to be able to select auspicious days on which the ceremonies of state should be carried out and this was task was put in the hands of a special government bureau that was a cross between the present-day Prime Minister's Office and Meteorological Department. This department was under the control of officials possessing an understanding of In-yo (yin-yang), the "five elements" (Wu-hsing) and the movements of the stars, whose job it was to produce a calendar every year. It is interesting to note that the Japanese word for sage originally meant "understanding dates" and from this we can see that calendar-making used to be considered the highest form of intellectual pursuit. Later, when the central system of government collapsed, knowledge of calendar making passed into private hands and through contact with Buddhism, Shinto and other forms of asceticism, a new branch of learning was developed that was known as Onmyodo (the way of yin-yang, two complimentary forces that were thought to make up all aspects and phenomena of life, yin the passive and yang the positive. The interplay between these two forces was considered to be a description of the actual process of heaven). This school of thought was to form the base for all contemporary forms of Japanese fortune-telling such as palmistry, physiognomy, house physiognomy, onomatology and fengshui. In the Chinese calendar, years are divided into a sixty-year cycle consisting of a decimal cycle of ten "trunks" and a duodecimal cycle of twelve "branches", the combination of these two producing the names of the sixty years. The "trunks" are named after the five elements mentioned above, these being: wood, fire, earth, metal and water, which are further divided into ying and yang, to produce a total of ten. The Chinese divided the thirty days between each moon into three weeks of ten days and these days were also named after these "trunks". The twelve "branches" were named after animals, these being: rat, ox, tiger, hare, dragon, serpent, horse, goat, monkey, cock, dog and boar; the rat, tiger, dragon, horse, monkey and dog being considered yang while the ox, hare, serpent, goat, cock and boar were thought to be yin. For those who are interested, 2001 is represented by the yin facet of metal for the year of the serpent. Before the spread of the decimal system many countries used the duodecimal system that was most probably based on the number of months in the year. Before the adoption of the solar calendar in Japan there were either twenty-nine or thirty days in each month but this resulted in a certain discrepancy with the solar cycle that was overcome by the addition of an extra month when necessary, so instead of the leap year that we know today, there were "leap months". This all appears very complicated to those unfamiliar with the system, but it is often said that the old calendar with its direct relationship to the seasons and moons presented a much better guide to the farmers of East Asia than the Western solar calendar. If we think about Buddhist figures who are connected with the number twelve, the one that springs immediately to mind is Yakushi Nyorai (Bhaisajyaguru). This particular deity is worshipped as the Buddha of healing and during the Nara period (710-784), shortly after Buddhism was introduced into Japan, large numbers of temples dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai were constructed in an effort to free the people from their greatest fear -- that of disease. The construction of these temples was given exactly the same importance as is given today to the establishment of medicinal facilities. The marvelous buildings of the Yakushi-ji temple or Shin Yakushi-ji temples and the superb statuary they contain, indicate the strength of the people's beliefs at this time. According to Buddhist scriptures, many of the deities were born as human beings who were able to elevate themselves through personal effor. This was true of Buddha and likewise for Yakushi Nyorai who was born an Indian prince but turned to asceticism in an effort to save all living beings. He made twelve great vows and upon succeeding in carrying them out, he was set to rule over the Eastern Paradise. When Buddhism was first introduced into Japan, it was a peaceful and complete religion but in India, where it was first preached, it had a history of subjugating and incorporating local deities into its own pantheon. This is why Buddhist scriptures will often depict powerful warriors whose job it is to subdue the demons and other evil creatures who would try to hinder Buddha from achieving His goals. It is said that twelve generals (yaksa), each of whom led seven thousand men, heard Yakushi Nyorai preach Buddhism and upon becoming converted they dedicated themselves to assisting him in achieving his goals. These became incarnations of Yakushi Nyorai himself, appearing in armor to protect all living beings during the twelve hours of the night the twelve hours of the day and the twelve months of the year. The twelve animals that form the branches of the sixty-year cycle had their roots in the ancient Indian view of the universe. We are able to read in the Taiju Sutra that the Indians believed in a mountain of Lapis Lazuli that rose out of the southern seas of this transient world (Jambu dvipa) and that in this mountain were three caves where lived a snake, a horse and a goat. In the eastern sea there was a mountain of gold with three caves where lived a lion, a hare and a dragon. The other six creatures who form the zodiac also appear in their respective direction, each of them taking turns to exert their influence over the world. The transient world where these twelve creatures are active is same one in which we live and if you look carefully at the people around you, I am sure you will see that in many cases their behavior reflects the characteristics of the animal under whose sign they were born. |
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