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Mountain Gods (Chinese: 山神) are Asian tutelary deities associated with mountains.[1] They are related to dizhu shen, tudigongs and City Gods.

They are well-known in Korea and some prominent Chinese mountains have shrines to similar deities in the Daoist traditions, called Shanshen. The Japanese equivalent is the Yama-no-Kami (山の神; also pronounced as yamagami) and the Vietnamese equivalent is Sơn thần (山神).

Houtu is the overlord of all the Tudigongs (“Lord of Local Land”), Sheji (“the State”), Shan Shen (“God of Mountains”), City Gods (“God of Local City”), and dizhu shen worldwide.

China

In China, legends about Shanshen (山神) have a long history. The Classic of Mountains and Seas (山海经), which was written more than 2,000 years ago, has already recorded various legends about Shanshen; specifically the Wuzang Shanjing (五藏山经) part contains a detailed description of the appearance of the mountain gods. The Taiping Guangji (太平广记) also contains the story of Dayu, who imprisoned the Shangzhang clan and the Dulu clan, among other Shanshen.

Ancient Chinese people worshipped mountains by deifying them. From the Shanshen‘s title to see the mountain god worship is extremely complex, all kinds of ghosts and spirits are attached to the mountain. Eventually, the names and differences of the various ghosts and spirits disappeared, or they merged with each other. It evolved into a situation where the main peaks of each region were inhabited by personalised Shanshens. According to the Law of Sacrifices in the Confucian classic Book of Rites, “the mountains, forests, valleys and hills, which can produce clouds, provide wind and rain, and see monsters, are all called gods.”[2] When Emperor Yu and Shun had the sacrificial system of “looking at the mountains and rivers, all over the gods”, legend has it that Shun had a tour of Mount Tai, Mount Heng, Mount Hua and Mount Heng. Successive generations of the Son of Heaven Zen carry out sacrifices to heaven and earth, and also to the gods of the mountains. Most of the mountain sacrifices were made with jade and jade buried in the ground, and there were also the sacrificial methods of “casting” and “hanging”, whereby offerings of chickens, goats, pigs or jade were thrown into the valleys or hung in the treetops.

The deities of the Five Sacred Mountains of China are collectively known as Wuyue Dadi [zh] (五嶽大帝, lit. Great Kings of the Five Sacred Mountains):

Other mountain deities

Korea

“Sansin” redirects here. For the Japanese musical instrument, see Sanshin.

Sansin or sanshin (Korean: 산신; Hanja: 山神) are mountain deities in Korean shamanism. It is thought to grant health, wealth, and eradication of illness. The grandeur, mystery, and shape of mountains are thought to have inspired mountain worship.[3]

As it became one of the Dharmapala when it was accepted in Korean Buddhism,[4] most Korean Buddhist temples have a building called sansingak (산신각; 山神閣) dedicated to the deity.[5] The deity is also often enshrined in samseonggak with Chilseong and Dokseong.[6]

Worship

Sansinje or sanchiseong is a jesa to the local Sansin that protects the village. It is held at a sansindan altar located on the mountain behind the village between January 3rd on the lunisolar calendar and Daeboreum. Expenses are shared by the villagers and people in charge of the ritual (jegwan, chukgwan, and hwaju) observe a period of purification. During the ceremony, the jegwan offers liquor, the chukgwan recites the invocation, and the hwaju prepares the food. The next day, the villagers share the food and have a celebration with music.[7]

Depiction

Depictions of Sansin have Shamanist, Taoist, Buddhist, and Confucian influences. Sansin was originally depicted as a woman but was gradually depicted as an old man due to Confucianism.[8] In Buddhist paintings, it is depicted as a white-bearded old man with a tiger against the background of a pine tree forest.[9] Sansin is often shown holding various objects such as a long wooden staff or a fan made of crane feathers.[10]

Notable sansin

  • Unjesan [ko] Seongmo (운제산 성모) is a goddess believed to have lived in Unjesan during the Silla dynasty. She is responsible for water and abundant harvest as evidenced by records stating that prayers to her during drought were efficacious.[11]
  • Jirisan Seongmo (지리산 성모) was worshipped as the mother of Taejo of Goryeo. There is a story that prayers to the godess brought an end to the rain.[12]
  • Salleonggak of Beomeosa
    Salleonggak of Beomeosa
  • Depiction of Sansin in chilseonggak of Dorimsa
    Depiction of Sansin in chilseonggak of Dorimsa
  • Sanchiseong
    Sanchiseong
  • Statue of Jirisan Seongmo
    Statue of Jirisan Seongmo

Japan

“Yamagami” redirects here. For other uses, see Yamagami (disambiguation).
Shrine in Niigata, Niigata.

Yama-no-Kami (山の神) is the name given to a kami of the mountains of the Shinto religion of Japan.[13] These can be of two different types.[13] The first type is a god of the mountains who is worshipped by hunters, woodcutters, and charcoal burners.[13] The second is a god of agriculture who comes down from the mountains and is worshipped by farmers.[13] This kami is generally considered as a goddess, or a female deity.[14]

A Kannabi is often associated with Mountain Gods. It is a natural area including a mountain which acts as a Shintai for a Kami.[15]

List of Japanese mountain gods

Yama-no-Kami appearing in Japanese mythology include:

Vietnam

Bà Chúa Xứ Temple in Sam Mountain, Châu Đốc, An Giang

Some of the most popularly worshiped mountain deities in Vietnam

See also

References

  1. ^ “THE MOUNTAIN GOD AND THE MONASTERY – THE PECULIAR CASE OF THE SHANSHEN SHRINE”. Taiwan Insight. 2020-02-28. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
  2. ^ 《礼记·祭法》：“山林川谷丘陵，能出云，为风雨，见怪物，皆曰神。
  3. ^ Kim, Yeol-gyu (1995). “산신신앙”. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean).
  4. ^ Park, Bu-yeong (2004-03-09). “한국불교신앙의 뿌리를 찾아서 12-산신 신앙”. Bulgyo Sinmun.
  5. ^ Park, Sang-guk (1995). “산신각”. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture.
  6. ^ Park, Sang-guk (1995). “삼성각” [Samseonggak]. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture (in Korean).
  7. ^ Lim, Dong-gwon (1995). “산신제”. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture.
  8. ^ Oh, Chool-se (2002). “불교와 민속신앙” [Buddhism and Folk Religion]. Korea Journal of Buddhist Studies (in Korean). 5: 47–52.
  9. ^ Kim, Sooyoun (2020). 조선후기 삼성각의 형성과정과 봉안불화 [A study on the formation process of late Joseon period Samseonggak shrine and in the buddhist paintings] (Master thesis) (in Korean). Wonkwang University. pp. 54–57.
  10. ^ Mason, David (1999). Spirit of the Mountains: Korea’s San-Shin and Traditions of Mountain-worship. Hollym. pp. 58–69. ISBN 1565911075.
  11. ^ Kim, Heon-seon (1995). “운제산성모”. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture.
  12. ^ Choi, Gilseong (1995). “지리산 성모”. Encyclopedia of Korean Culture.
  13. ^ a b c d e f “Yama-no-kami | Japanese religion | Britannica”. www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
  14. ^ D, John (2014-08-20). “Mountain kami”. Green Shinto. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
  15. ^ “Kannabi |” 國學院大學デジタルミュージアム.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  16. ^ Shirayama Hime Shrine history compilation committee edition “Hakusan Faith illustration” (Shirayama Hime Shrine, 2003)
  17. ^ Emperor Keishinkai Digital Collection, National Diet Library “Kokuzai Chusha Hakusanjo Shrine” “National Famous Shrine Photographs,” Imperial Keishinkai, December 1922 .
  18. ^ Morokami Divine Festival Deity Dictionary pp. 446-447 “Shirayama Hime Shrine”
  19. ^ # Yama no reiryoku (Mountain spirit power) pp. 177-178 “Hakusan that Jomon people also danced to”
  20. ^ Shinto Encyclopedia Volume One piece 264 (original 455 pages) [ Kukurihimenomomikoto　Kikurihime]
  21. ^ Yamabushi, Kiwi (2022-12-15). “The Creepy Legend of Japan’s Chokai-san (Mt. Chokai)”. Japonica Publication. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
  22. ^ Nihongi: Chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to A.D. 697. Society. 1896. ISBN 978-0-524-05347-8. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
  23. ^ “Sanpai Japan – Hiejinja(Shrine)”. Sanpai Japan. 2016-05-27. Retrieved 2023-04-23.