Teito Monogatari:
The Tale of the Imperial Capital
Part 1: Great Spirit of Tokyo
Author: Hiroshi Aramata
Part 6: Those Who Command Shinigami
Chapter 30: The Sorcerer's Morning
The rain kept falling.
Today was the second day of the fifth month by the lunar calendar. Yasumasa Hirai did not know what month and day that would be in the new calendar, nor did he particularly wish to know. To him, the Gregorian calendar was not something that should have been adopted in Japan. The lunar calendar was the calendar of magic and divination.
Yasumasa intended to finish today's divinations before meeting his visitor. A day of rain in May meant the rice would be afflicted by locusts. If it rained on certain sacred days, the damage would be worse. Today, there was one specific omen to read: "A hundred grasses sprout early, but five grains out of a hundred will never ripen," Yasumasa muttered to himself. "How ominous."
The month of May was the most important one in yin-yang sorcery. Omens that month decided the harvest for the coming year. If an ill wind blew from the first through the fourteenth of May, the yield of beans would be especially poor. If a rainbow appeared in May, the price of grain would rise sharply by autumn. If there was a lunar eclipse, people would starve.
"It's the first day of summer," Yasumasa muttered to himself. He needed to set up a pole about three meters high and measure its shadow when the sun was at its zenith. If the shadow exceeded one foot in length, the world would suffer from epidemics and drought. If the shadow exceeded two feet in length, the land would be scorched red for a thousand miles. If it exceeded three feet in length, there would be a great drought. If it exceeded four feet in length, there would be only a moderate drought that year. The omens so far predicted a rather cold summer.
He examined the wind. A light breeze was blowing now from the northwest. If this continued, there would be a bad harvest and people would starve. Frost would come early and the wheat could not be harvested. Conversely, a northeast wind meant floods and earthquakes would occur, and people would sicken from disease.
Both rain and wind foretold ill fortune ahead.
After entering "ill fortune" on his record sheet, Yasumasa set down his brush and rose from his writing desk.
The art of astronomy via calendar reading was deeply connected to everyday life and agricultural production. From antiquity to the early modern period, the post of reading omens in the weather had been an important one. It was the science of antiquity, distilled into a variety of precepts.
The Tsuchimikado family kept the divination manuals needed when casting such fortunes secret. There were books of numerical divination that modeled the movements of the stars, miscellanies of agricultural divination, and collections of prophecies collectively known as apocryphal texts.
The single greatest secret book that the Tsuchimikado family owned was said to be compiled by Abe no Seimei himself.
Yasumasa had never seen it. According to legend, around the Bunroku era (1603–1868), the Tsuchimikado family had been stripped of their posts entirely. Toyotomi Hideyoshi was in power then, and his adopted son, Lord Hidetsugu, rebelled against him. The Tsuchimikado family had sided with the lord and lost. They'd been exiled to Owari Province. Sorcery was declared impractical and unnecessary. The secret book had gone missing in the turmoil that followed.
Yasumasa always thought he would like to read it someday. He believed that its loss was partially responsible for the decline in knowledge of the sorcerous arts as a whole.
The book was called Kinchō Shirousagi, the Book of the Sun and Moon. Kinchō meant golden raven, and shirousagi meant white rabbit—symbols of the sun and the moon, respectively. Those symbols stirred his imagination.
He recalled a time about twenty years earlier, in 1899 (Meiji 20), when he had accompanied the leader of the Tsuchimikado family, Tokie, to Tōkyō. They had gone to commemorate the opening of an institute that would teach yin-yang sorcery and divination.
Such institutes had been present in Japan since the seventh century. They had been established originally to correct the harmful effects of fraudulent sorcerers and sorcerous methods. They also added to the authority and prestige of the Tsuchimikado family.
That year, a temporary institute was set up at 17 Tatami-chō, Kyōbashi Ward, Tōkyō. There they intended to establish a school, research many sorcerous practices, examine the various forms of yin-yang sorcery, and conduct examinations for new yin-yang sorcerers. Those who passed would pay institute dues. In Tōkyō, those dues were between five sen and twenty sen per month based on income. The prefectures could charge between twenty and fifty sen. Paying dues meant a sorcerer was legally permitted to practice his craft within city limits.
Things did not proceed as the Tsuchimikado family had wished that year. Suspicious sorcerers were running rampant, bilking people for money. The reputation of sorcerers in the area was on the decline.
"Ah, if only I had The Book of the Sun and Moon..." Yasumasa sighed, gave the knees of his hakama a light pat, and then opened the sliding door. He stepped out into the hallway.
The rain fell softly now, so softly that it was nearly silent. The grass in the courtyard was damp, and it grew lush and green. The rain of the second day of the fifth month was strangely gentle, for all that it predicted the destruction of crops by insects.
Yasumasa went down the hallway to the guest room, cleared his throat with an, "Ahem," and opened the door. "Sorry to have kept you waiting. I'm Hirai Yasumasa." He gave a small bow.
Kōda Shigeyuki looked up as the middle-aged man came in. "Please excuse this sudden visit. I am a man of letters named Kōda Shigeyuki. I would like to consult you about a certain matter, if you would indulge me."
The sorcerer looked him over. "I appreciate that you took the trouble to come here, but if you want matchmaking advice or you've lost something, I can't help you. The street diviners can help you with things like that. I am, however unworthy, connected to the Tsuchimikado family. I cannot perform divination for private individuals. Please go home."
"Please wait," Kōda Shigeyuki said. "I did not come to make that sort of vulgar request. I came to consult you about a far more serious matter, one that is of grave concern even for sorcerers."
"A serious matter, you say?"
"Yes. A young woman is about to be abducted by a sorcerer."
Yasumasa stood up straight, taking in Kōda Shigeyuki's grim expression. "You are Mr. Kōda, correct? Let me hear the details of your request."
"Thank you, sir."
Shigeyuki wasted no time explaining the situation. "There is a young woman in Tōkyō being targeted by a demon. At least, I believe he is a demonic sorcerer. He's an army lieutenant named Lieutenant Katō. He is versed in Eastern secret arts, including Qimen Dunjia, and he uses shikigami."
"Shikigami is common sorcery, so that doesn't tell me much. What are the fellow's origins and background?"
"I do not know. I checked his military registration. His home province is Kii--he comes from Kishū domain specifically. His name is Katō Yasunori. I couldn't find out anything else about him from records. He is fluent in Korean, Chinese, and German, but these do not appear to be skills he acquired after enlistment. Indeed, he is so fluent that it is believed that he mastered those languages in childhood."
"Katō Yasunori..." Yasumasa's expression shifted slightly. "I feel like I've heard that name somewhere. Anything else?"
"Yes. A talisman he calls the Dōman Seiman. He always carries it. He treats it like a family crest."
Shigeyuki took a handkerchief from his breast pocket, spread it open, and held it out. A black star stood out vividly against the white cloth.
Yasumasa's eyebrows twitched. "That is the seal crest of Abe no Seimei. It is a highly effective ward against evil. I have also heard the name Dōman Seiman. It is a combination of the names of two great sorcerers. Seiman refers to Abe no Seimei. Doman is probably Ashiya Dōman."
"Ashiya Dōman?" Kōda muttered the name and gave his knee a slap. Ashiya Dōman was a famous sorcerer who was featured in jōruri and kabuki plays.
A particularly famous play about him was written by Takeda Izumo. It was called Ashiya Dōman's Internal Mirror. The play was about the Kamo family's distant past. The leader of the family was dying and needed to choose a successor. One potential heir was Ashiya Dōman; the other was Abe Yasuna. But Yasuna was deceived and exiled, leaving Ashiya Dōman to inherit. He took a fox spirit of Shinoda Forest as his wife, and they had one child, Abe no Seimei. After he grew up, Abe no Seimei took back The Book of the Sun and Moon from Ashiya Dōman.
"In other words, Ashiya Dōman is a black sorcerer, also called Dōma Hōshi, who appears in the Konjaku Monogatari. Is that right?" Shigeyuki asked.1
"Exactly. The fact that this Lieutenant Katō is from Kishū also concerns me. Which part of Kishū is he from?"
"I think Ryūjin Village."
"Ryūjin Village?"
Kōda Shigeyuki nodded. "How bizarre. Isn't Ryūjin Village said to be the birthplace of Abe no Seimei? The Dōmain Seiman is widely used throughout the Kishū area as a talisman against evil."
"I think that it originally came from the ancient customs of seafaring folk—simply a transformation of earlier symbols," Yasumasa said. He drew an x-mark on his forehead with his finger.
"What is that gesture's meaning?" Shigeyuki asked.
"It is Japan's oldest talisman against evil, though its origin is probably Chinese. In China, they call it wen, meaning "vivid." The word originally referred to tattoos placed on the forehead or chest. These people were marked with sacred signs. When this x-mark came to Japan, it was expanded upon and made into the Dōman Seiman. But the seal has another, less common form."
"What is it?" Kōda leaned forward.
"The dog. The kanji character for dog, that is. You sound like you come from Tōkyō. When a baby is born, Tōkyō natives have a custom of writing the dog kanji on the child's forehead in vermilion ink, as a charm against evil. And when a baby fusses, some people soothe it by saying, "puppy, puppy." A puppy is a dog's child, of course. In the Kansai region, when a baby is born they set out an inubako; in Kantō they display a papier-mâché dog.2 The kanji character for 'dog' closely resembles an x-mark, the earliest of Japan's talismans against evil.
"In any case," Yasumasa continued, "this Lieutenant Katō is definitely versed in ancient sorcery. He can probably command shikigami. I will check the institute's roster as a formality, but his name is unlikely to be on it. Any technique that endangers people is considered heretical."
"What if Lieutenant Katō brazenly abducts the girl?"
"He announced that he would do so advance?"
"Yes."
"Did he say when?"
"The day of the Heavenly Thief, the hour of Heavenly Years, he said."
"Hm. Once again, this shows he's familiar with ancient sorcery. Please wait a moment."
Hirai opened the sliding door and disappeared into the next room. After a short while, he returned carrying a Japanese-style bound book.3
"Look at this, Mr. Kōda. This is what the fellow meant." Yasumasa spread the book open. "In sorcery, there is a method of divining the auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of the date and time when something is to be done. To decide the day, one uses a diagram called the Calendar of Days, and to decide the time, two diagrams called Kiichi Hōgen's Selection of Hours.4
"Look here: the inauspicious days are the 3rd, 11th, 19th, and 27th occurring in the 2nd, 5th, 8th, and 11th months. As for the time, according to Kiichi Hōgen's Selection of Hours, the 3rd, 11th, 19th, or 27th will do; whichever day is chosen, both the Hours of the Horse and the Dog are auspicious. Lieutenant Katō has deliberately designated an inauspicious day to abduct the girl, and he will do so at an auspicious time to ensure his own success."
Shigeyuki stared intently at the diagrams. Then he raised his head. "So if he means to kidnap her in May, it will be on the 3rd, 11th, 19th, or 27th. And he would do it at the very middle of the day, the Hour of the Horse, or at 8 p.m., the Hour of the Dog."
"That's how it is. We can't predict what month he's chosen, but the days will be the same even if he decides to abduct her in August."
"Damn. The third day of the fifth month in the old calendar is tomorrow! I serve as a lecturer at Kyōtō University, so it's not so easy for me to return to Tōkyō..."
"Indeed," Yasumasa said quietly. "This is an interesting matter. You have brought this outrageous villain to my attention. I suspect he will be a formidable enemy. If he intends to use shikigami, then we too must oppose him with shikigami. Fortunately, several capable sorcerers have been dispatched to the Tōkyō branch of our Institute. I will write a letter at once. Please tell me the young lady's address."
A writing desk was brought in at speed, and Yasumasa composed an urgent letter addressed to the Sorcery Institute in Tōkyō. When he had sealed it, he faced Shigeyuki and lowered his voice.
"By the way, Mr. Kōda—I want to ask one important thing. Why is this man Katō trying to abduct the girl?"
Kōda Shigeyuki folded his arms and said nothing for a short while. Then he said, "I don't know. However, I have faced that man several times. He is burdened with some utterly extraordinary ambition. I heard this from the girl's older brother. Katō has taken a strange interest in Taira no Masakado's burial mound, which is in the courtyard of the Ministry of Finance. I feel like he is inspired by Taira no Masakado's rebellion in some way."
"Taira no Masakado, you say?"
"Yes."
Hirai folded his arms and closed his eyes. He had heard the name before, but he couldn't remember where or when.
Just then, the door slammed shut with a bang. A groom from the stables had gone to deliver Yasumasa's letter. His footsteps splashed as he walked away.
1 Some
literary traditions have Ashiya Dōman and Dōma Hōshi as one and the same,
but historically they were probably different people.↩
2 Inubako
(dog boxes) are traditional Japanese, dog-shaped, papier-mâché containers,
often sold in pairs (male and female) as amulets to ensure safe childbirth
and protect infants. Originating from the Heian period, they represent a
wish for easy childbirth and serve as protective charms, frequently
displayed during Japan's Doll Festival. ↩
3 On Selecting Dates: The auspicious/inauspicious judgment of dates used by the Kyōtō sorcerer Hirai Yasumasa is one of the secret traditions recorded in The Book of the Sun and Moon. Many later forgeries of the same name circulated widely among the public and were used by sorcerers. Their contents carry far too strong an esoteric Buddhist flavor to be called a true sorcerous secret tradition, but they are genuinely interesting to read through. Chapters 22 and 23 explain how to choose dates using a divination board.
The board, titled "Calendar of Days," is divided into three categories: First (for the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th months), Middle (2nd, 5th, 8th, and 11th), and Last (3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th). For example, for something undertaken on May 3, you would use the Middle category of the board. For judging auspiciousness, Heavenly Path, Heavenly Thief, Heavenly Storehouse, and Heavenly Misfortune are inauspicious; Heavenly Yang, Heavenly Gate, Heavenly Wealth, and Heavenly Due are auspicious. The board's markers divine the auspiciousness of time: regardless of the month, the diviner would read the term assigned to the 3rd, which is "Heavenly Years," and determine the day's auspicious hours. In the case of May 3, a date that falls on the greatly inauspicious day of Heavenly Storehouse, the Hour of the Horse (noon, plus two hours on either side) and the Hour of the Dog (8 p.m., plus two hours on either side) are auspicious.
Diviners could use this information to decide the day on which to carry out inauspicious affairs like crimes. There is something of the same kind of divination board in the West: Pythagoras is said to have devised the Pythagoras board. In that case, the year, month, and day when you want to do something are required information, as well as the name of the place. The letters are converted into numbers by an occult art called gematria and are then added together. The auspiciousness or inauspiciousness of that number is judged based on a pre-made table of values. ↩
4
Kiichi Hōgen is a legendary Japanese monk and warrior from the 1100s who
appeared in Gikeiki, a military epic about the life of Minamoto no
Yoshitsune, written in the early Muromachi period. Hōgen is a honorific
title for a monk, not a name, with Kiichi Hōgen literally meaning "First
Demon Priest." ↩
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