선녀용왕

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Description

선녀용왕(일본어: 善 (ぜん)女 (にょ)竜 (りゅう)王 (おう) 젠뇨류오[*])은 일본에서 기우의 대상인 용왕 중 일존이다. 『법화경』 제5권 「제바달타품」에 나오는, 8세 때 불도를 깨우쳐 남자로 변해 부처가 된 사가라용왕의 셋째딸이 그 원형이다.

The Legend

Zennyo Ryūō (善女龍王) is a dragon known as the god of rainy days in Japanese mythology. According to Japanese Buddhist tradition, the monk Kūkai (空海) is said to have summoned Zennyo Ryūō during a famous rainy day-making contest held at the Kyoto Imperial Palace in 824. Zennyo is generally depicted as a small dragon but sometimes appears in human form, either male or female, and possesses a dragon's tail. This feminine representation can be explained by Zennyo's transformed character as 女 (female). Zennyo is a common theme in Japanese art, and the Buddhist term for 'female,' nyo (女), can be confused with the character 如 (like). Zennyo is also known as a monk of Jōdo Shinshū, active between 1333 and 1389.

In Popular Culture

Zennyo is best known for appearing in the 824 Buddhist rainy day-making contest held at Shinsen-en (神泉苑) in Kyoto. Kūkai recited scriptures to summon rain during this contest, and this event is recorded in various early Japanese texts. Zennyo is worshipped at the Zennyo Ryūō-sha (善女竜王社) shrine in Shinsen-en, which is located on an island accessible by crossing Hōsei-bashi (法成橋). In modern times, Zennyo is created in an abstract dragon form during Japan's autumn festivals, but it is no longer associated with rituals for rain prayers.

This article is based on the Wikipedia article "Zennyo Ryūō" (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Wikipedia