Tsuchigumo　土蜘蛛

KEY WORD :　art history / paintings

Lit. giant ground spider. A demon in popular literature and art known for its battle with the early 11c warrior Minamoto no Raikou 源頼光 (also read Yorimitsu, the hero of the Ooeyama onitaiji 大江山鬼退治 story). The fight between Raikou and the Spider was recounted with illustrations in the 14c handscroll Tsuchigumo no soushi 土蜘蛛草紙 (Tokyo National Museum), but most Edo period paintings of the theme depict popular accounts taken from various other sources such as HEIKE MONOGATARI 平家物語 (The Tale of The Heike) as well as the *nou 能 play TSUCHIGUMO. The basic story begins with the illness of Raikou. A priest is sent to pray for him, but the priest is actually the spider in disguise. It soon reveals itself and entangles Raikou in its web. Raikou slashes his way free but the spider escapes during the struggle. Raikou's four retainers, usually known as the "Four Guardian Kings" *shitennou 四天王, eventually find the spider and kill it with Raiko's famous sword which they rename Kumokirimaru 蜘蛛切丸 (Spider-cutter). The theme was illustrated by several *ukiyo-e 浮世絵 artists. Many of their compositions show the influence of warrior depictions *musha-e 武者絵, perhaps reflecting a diffusion of the popular warrior tale ZENTAIHEIKI 前太平記 which includes related descriptions.

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