Dear list members,
I have a question regarding the cultural associations of Sumiyoshi. In the Nara and Heian periods, Sumiyoshi had strong associations with travel to and from the continent and military expansion on the Korean peninsula (Jingū’s biography in the Kojiki). From texts such as Ennin’s diary, it would seem that, in the ninth century at least, Sumiyoshi was the deity to pray to for a safe journey to, and return from, Morokoshi. My question is whether these associations persisted in the medieval and late-medieval periods, particularly at the time Hideyoshi’s invasions of Korea. Did Hideyoshi or any of his affiliates pray or make offerings at Sumiyoshi before their expeditions? Does Sumiyoshi appear at all in the writings of Zen monks traveling to and from China? Given the strength of these associations in the early period, I would have assumed that they survived in some form in later times, but I have been unable to find evidence. Many thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Gian-Piero Persiani
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----- Original Message -----
From: Gian-Piero <gper...@gmail.com>
To: PMJS: Listserv <pm...@googlegroups.com>
Date: 2021/8/5, Thu 01:01
Subject: [PMJS] Cultural associations of Sumiyoshi
Dear list members,I have a question regarding the cultural associations of Sumiyoshi. In the Nara and Heian periods, Sumiyoshi had strong associations with travel to and from the continent and military expansion on the Korean peninsula (Jingū’s biography in the Kojiki). From texts such as Ennin’s diary, it would seem that, in the ninth century at least, Sumiyoshi was the deity to pray to for a safe journey to, and return from, Morokoshi. My question is whether these associations persisted in the medieval and late-medieval periods, particularly at the time Hideyoshi’s invasions of Korea. Did Hideyoshi or any of his affiliates pray or make offerings at Sumiyoshi before their expeditions? Does Sumiyoshi appear at all in the writings of Zen monks traveling to and from China? Given the strength of these associations in the early period, I would have assumed that they survived in some form in later times, but I have been unable to find evidence. Many thanks in advance for any suggestions.Gian-Piero Persiani
Dear list members,
I have a question regarding the cultural associations of Sumiyoshi. In the Nara and Heian periods, Sumiyoshi had strong associations with travel to and from the continent and military expansion on the Korean peninsula (Jingū’s biography in the Kojiki). From texts such as Ennin’s diary, it would seem that, in the ninth century at least, Sumiyoshi was the deity to pray to for a safe journey to, and return from, Morokoshi. My question is whether these associations persisted in the medieval and late-medieval periods, particularly at the time Hideyoshi’s invasions of Korea. Did Hideyoshi or any of his affiliates pray or make offerings at Sumiyoshi before their expeditions? Does Sumiyoshi appear at all in the writings of Zen monks traveling to and from China? Given the strength of these associations in the early period, I would have assumed that they survived in some form in later times, but I have been unable to find evidence. Many thanks in advance for any suggestions.
Gian-Piero Persiani
Hello all,
The tributary trade voyages to Ming China invested heavily in religious protection. This included requesting the aid of Sumiyoshi. In the Boshi nyūminki 『戊子入明記』, a collection of documents assembled by Tenryūji Zen monks as precedents and history related to embassies to Ming China that took place between the 1430s and 1460s, there is a ledger entry for 10 kanmon to pay for long swords to be presented to and kagura performances to be sponsored at Kushida Shrine in Hakata, Hakozaki shrine, Sumiyoshi shrine, Akamagaseki Hachimangū, Moji Haito Shrine, Shikaumi Shrine, Hirado Shichirō shrine, and Jingū Kōgō shrine.
Peter
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Peter D. Shapinsky, Ph.D.
Professor of History
University of Illinois, Springfield
One University Plaza, MS UHB 3050
Springfield, IL 62703-5407
He/him/his
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Thank you to all who have responded to my query both on and off list. Your erudite responses have confirmed my hunch that these associations do not simply disappear after the Heian period. I was particularly intrigued to find out that the Jingū legend, of which the Sumiyoshi deity is such an integral part, played a role in the attempted invasions of Korea so many centuries after it first emerged. In his article “Lands and People Drifting Ashore” (trans. Emily Simpson, in Rambelli ed. The Sea and the Sacred in Japan, p. 136), Itō Satoshi writes:
“Many of the generals arriving at the Korean peninsula considered their own actions as a revival of Jingū’s legend as we can see from contemporary records of their statements.”
I will pursue the references that I was directed to and see if I can find something specific about Sumiyoshi’s role, but this is evidence enough of a connection. Other members off list pointed out to me that one of Hideyoshi’s generals, Konishi Yukinaga, seems to have built a Sumiyoshi shrine at Imari in Hizen (today’s Saga prefecture) near Hideyoshi’s headquarters at Nagoya castle prior to leaving for Korea. Yet others mentioned the Sumiyoshi pilgrimage (Sumiyoshi no mōde) undertaken by Ashikaga Yoshiakira in 1364.
As for Zen monks, they did indeed continue to pray and present offerings to the deity before traveling to Song and Ming China.
What a great resource this list is.
Gian-Piero Persiani