The Crow in East Asian Mythology

The Crow In East Asian Mythology JAPAN crow historically cleaned up after great battles symbolising renaissance after tragedy [Information from Wikipedia, unless otherwise marked] Three-legged crow various mythologies East Asia inhabit and represent the sun three-legged crow originated in China earliest bird-sun motif or totemic:   5000 BC China, severa versions of crows and crow-sun tales Yangwu or Jinwu  = the 'golden crow'   Sanzuwu Chinese mythology 3-legged crow earliest depiction of 3-legged crow:  Neolithic pottery, Yangshao culture Sanzuwu on 'Twelve Medallions decoration of formal imperail garments ancient China Most popular depiction:  'Yangwu' depiction of a sanzuwu ie. SUN CROW commonly called:  Jīnwū (golden crow) colour red rather than black Chinese myth: originally 10 Sun Crows settled in 10 separate suns perched on red mulberry tree - called FUSANG (leaning mulberry tree) mulberry tree had many mouths open on branches Sun Crows would travel around the world on a carriage driven by Xihe - mother of the suns the Sun Crows would take it in turns to travel one would set forth when the other returned SHANHAIJING:  the sun crows ate mythical grasses of immortality (diri - 'ground sun') Sun Crows would descend to feed on immortal grasses Xihe did not like this & covered their eyes 2170 BC - all 10 Sun Crows came out on the same day causing the world to burn Houyi, celestial archer, shot them down all but one Shanhaijing Shan-hai Ching - classic Chinese text (classic of mountains & seas) written by sorcerers + Fangshi based on the experiences they gained from their trips [so it's like an early encyclopaedia] fang-shi = 'method master' a Chinese technical specialist from 3rd Century BC to 5th Century AD incl:  alchemist, astrologer, diviner, exorcist, doctor, magician, mystic monk, occulist, etc 'fang' = place, region, formula, prescription, recipe & 'the way' 'shi' = scholar, intelligentsia, gentleman, officer, yeoman, soldier, technician recorded over 100 diplomatically related realms compilation of mythic geography & myth versions since 4th century BC present form not reached to:  Han dynasty (centuries later) geographical & cultural account of pre-Qin China collection of Chinese mythology ______________________________________________________ yeoman Chinese nobility social system:  Zhou dynasty = Chinese proto-feudalism ordered by combination of: 1.  honours & awards ('Fengjian') 2.  clan law ('Zongfa') ranks: nobles – Zhuhou (zhū hóu), gentlemen ministers (of the royal court) – Qing (qīng), gentlemen bureaucrats – Daifu (大夫 dà fū) - incl. physicians yeomen – Shi (士 shì) commoners – Shumin (shù mín) Zongfa (宗法, clan law) - applied to all social classes order of birth & succession was of importance eldest son of consort = inherits title & rank other sons of consort, concubines & mistresses = titles one rank lower than father Traditional Chinese political theory held that: "All lands under Heaven belong to the emperor, all people under Heaven belong, are subjects of the emperor." title of nobility, Ba Wang, hegemon also used as courtesy title for extended Chinese royal family Therefore:  foreign monarch subject to Chinese Emperor referred to as Wang, implying that one was inferior in rank modern Chinese king:  Wang emperor:  Huangdi Queen Victoria styled: 1.  Nü-Wang (Queen) - Britain' 2.  Nü-Huang (Empress) of India ______________________________________________________ Shanhaijing Shan-hai Ching - classic Chinese text (classic of mountains & seas) written by sorcerers + Fangshi [so it's like an early encyclopaedia] 18 sections over 550 mountains 300 channels descriptions of locations in the cardinal directions descriptions: medicines, animals, and geological features includes:   famous ancient Chinese myth:  Yu the Great who spent years trying to control the deluge ______________________________________________________ Japan raven or 'jungle crow' is represented in mythology called:  YATAGARASU (ie eight-span crow') evidence of will of Heaven or divine intervention mentioned in Shinto depictions on Edo wood art Japan crow historically cleaned up after great battles symbolising renaissance after tragedy Yatagarasu crow-god symbol of guidance in travels of Emperor Jimmu Yatagarasu is incarnation of 'Taketsunimi no mikoto' "Kamo Taketsunimi no Mikoto, the founder of the Kamo-Agatanushi clan, saved the people by turning into a great crow and thus ending the war. The Kamo Ataganushi, which still exist today in Japan, were called the descendants of that kami. Yatagarasu is still worshipped today in many Japanese shrines."  source | narutoforums Otherwise, Yatagarasu appears as 3-legged crow ______________________________________________________ Samjok-o 3-legged crow, Korean mythology symbol of sun 3-legged crow lived in sun turtle lived in moon Samjok-o, highly regarded symbol of power superior to dragon & to bonghwang Bonghwang - aka Fenghuang (known as:  the Chinese Phoenix in west) in ancient China over 8000 years earliest:  on jade & pottery good luck totem, possibly symbol of virtue & grace symbolises union of yin & yang (opposite forces) mythological birds of East Asia rule over all other birds 'Feng' were the male & 'Huang' was the female gender eventually blurred into single feminine entity paired with Chinese dragon (male) known as Adarna in Malay Philippines China and Japan - Fenghuang a symbol of imperial house represented "fire, the sun, justice, obedience, and fidelity" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-legged_crow https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenghuang https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_nobility#Fengjian_and_Zongfa_of_the_Zhou_Dynasty ______________________________________________________ 3-legged crow Yatagarasu adopted from mythology of China Japan was heavily influenced by Chinese culture in its early period In China 3-legged crow is red and associated with sun The crow was the soul of the sun (mythology first developed southern China to 5000 BC) Some other Chinese mythology associations that are not clear to me ('child-sun'). Crow Tengu play tricks on evil-doers http://thejapanchronicles.blogspot.com/2012/02/crows-in-japan-menace-or-guide-of-gods.html *something is either wrong with the online dictionary, or there's two ways to spell 'occultist'.  I'm going with 'occultist'. COMMENT I wanted to know where the Japanese were re the crow (re my recent video editing fun). Found some cool stuff I didn't know about.   I've only just sort of skimmed all of this, so I probably don't know a whole lot more.  ;)