Gozu Tennou　牛頭天王

KEY WORD :　art history / iconography

Also called Butou 武塔, Gion Tenjin 祇園天神, or simply Tennou 天王. The deity of Yasaka Jinja 八坂神社 in Gion 祇園, Kyoto, also called Kangyouji 観慶寺 or Kanshin-in 感心院. Gozu Tennou is said to have originally been the protective deity of the Jetavana Grove (Jp: Gion shouja 祇園精舎) where the first Buddhist monastery was established. Gozu Tennou appears in a variety of forms: in paintings usually as an angry figure with an ox head mounted on his own head. In this guise he may be identified with *Daiitoku Myouou 大威徳明王 who is seen seated on an ox. In sculpture he appears as a Chinese general or as a typical Shinto deity *shinzou 神像 wearing Chinese robes. He may have one, three or more faces, one or many arms and may be holding one or many attributes. Sculptures of him in military dress often have a jewel on a lotus instead of an ox head. He may hold a jewel in a lotus in one hand while the other hand may form a mudra with the first two fingers extended and the others folded (the sword mudra ken-in 剣印 ). His beginnings in Japan are obscure, but his name suggests a connection with the ox-head gozu 牛頭 sandalwood which was prized in Buddhist texts and stories as the finest for incense. This red sandalwood, which came from a mountain called Ox-head, was also used for making images and for cremations. A further, medicinal use of this sandalwood may have led to Gozu Tennou being connected with illness and considered a protective deity, as from early Heian period, his function in Japan was as a deity of the transmission of epidemics yakubyougami 疫病神 and he was both feared and propitiated for protection. Gozu Tennou is considered an emanation (keshin 化身 or *suijaku 垂迹) of *Yakushi 薬師 and is also often identical to or appears as the Buddhist manifestation *honjibutsu 本地仏 of Susanoo 素戔嗚, brother of Amaterasu Oomikami 天照大神. He was understood as a shinto god as well as a Buddhist deity. However he was specifically mentioned in the documents of the separation of shinto and Buddhism, shinbutsu bunri 神仏分離 in the Meiji period as an example of a Buddhist intrusion which was to be abolished from shinto shrines, and unlike *Fudou Myouou 不動明王, *Benzaiten 弁財天, and *Kichijouten 吉祥天(also believed to be of non-Buddhist origin) he is not popular today. The continuing grandeur of the Gion festival *Gionmatsuri 祇園祭 which still offers talismans against disease is a reminder of the importance of the cult in earlier times. There are several stories about Gozu Tennou and his name appears in Buddhist, Shinto and Chinese Yinyang (Jp: On'you 陰陽) documents where he is identified as a deity from north India. Several stories mention his marriage with the daughter of Shakara Ryuuou 沙渇羅龍王, one of the Dragon Kings ryuuou 龍王 (see *ryuu 龍） who protect the Dharma. The daughter is identified as Barinyo 婆利女 and/or as the star Tenkei 天刑 , a word connected with leprosy. The pair had children: the Hachiouji 八王子 (Eight Princes). Gozu Tennou, Tenkei and the Hachiouji were enshrined at Gion. In other texts Gozu Tennou is also said to be an emanation of the star Tenkei. Especially revered at Gion, Gozu Tennou was also honored at Tsushima Jinja 津島神社 in Aichi prefecture (which also holds an impressive festival) and at many other places, including Kasuga Taisha 春日大社, in Nara. It is unclear how he came to be enshrined at Gion; however, some stories speak of his having been called to the area of the present shrine from Hiromine 広峰 in Harima 播磨 (presentday Hyougo prefecture) and the others speak of his having originally come from an Ox-Head Mountain in Korea.

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