Japanese Onmyodo and its Influences over Time-Qin

Onmyodo and Onmyoji

What is Onmyodo?

Onmyodo, 陰陽道 in Japanese, also known as “the way of yin-yang”, is a field of divination based on Chinese philosophy of Yin-yang and Wu Xing, also known as five phases. Onmyodo originated from China and was further developed in Japan to predict future, to sacrifice, and to perform other rituals. The history of Onmyodo can be traced back to 1500 years ago when the philosophy of Yin-Yang was brought to Japan. However, it did not really prosper until the 11th century which is about early Heian period in Japan.

Although Onmyodo was derived from Taoism, which is a school of philosophy originated in China that was derived from Yin-yang, there is no sign of actual Onmyodo in China since it was actual developed, systemized, and institutionalized later in Japan. Back in 6th century, Taoism was practiced by Chinese to heal, enlighten, and cultivate its followers and it was brought to Japan by war refugee from China. At the time, Japan had already ended the stone age and had rapid advancements in agriculture, ironmaking, and hunting. Such material prosperity also facilitated Japan’s cultural and social progress. Also, the establishment of Sui dynasty assured China’s surging power and dominance in Asia. Japan employed Taoism in order to ally itself to China as well as assuring its independence. Also, Taoism was used to improve Japan’s social structure and bureaucracy to affirm a sustainable growth. Such positive opinion about Taoism and Yin-yang philosophy in general deeply rooted in government officials and the public’s minds, which leaded to future prosperity of Onmyodo (Yujie 2010; Huiying 2018).

During Heian period, the prevalence of natural disasters, the widespread presence of uncanny supernatural stories, and the lack of knowledge in natural sciences forced the officials of the government to employ Onmyodo as an explanation and an alternative to science to appease the public. Presumably, the most famous Onmyodo practitioner, Abe no Seimei, was from the middle of the Heian period. With rapid progress in science, Onmyodo was eventually considered to be contrary to science and opposed; and it is only popular among fewer people.

What is Onmyoji?

Onmyoji, 陰陽師, means the “master of Yin-yang” in Japanese and it is used to refer to the practitioners of Onmyodo. Since they perform Onmyodo, they became much more influential and powerful during the Heian period. At the time, Onmyoryo, 陰陽寮, meaning the Bureau of Yin-yang, was well established in the government. Onmyoji, besides being able to predict future, to cast spells, and to summon shikigami, 式神 meaning the god-like spirits summoned from onmyodo, they were also involved in the national government. They performed rituals on behave of the government; they performed fortune-telling for government officials and special events; studying and observing cosmologies was also a part of their job (Yujie 2010).

Nara Period

Nara period (from 710 to 794) was a particularly short period of time. It was set between the Asuka period and Heian period; it was a time of transition and a time of Japanese culture showing its initial form. In addition, ancient China was exceptionally powerful and had massive influence on the early development of Japanese culture, including Buddhism and Onmyodo. Although not many records of Onmyodo stories are found, it can still be deduced that Nara period played an important role of making Onmyodo into the mainstream (Xiao 2017).

According to Yoro Code 養老律令, released in Nara period, the size of Onmyoryo was increased and the number of faculties also increased compared to the Onmyoryo described in Taiho Code which was released in Asuka period (Xiao 2017).

Moreover, Onmyoji started to have stronger connections with royal power. Yoro Code stated that individuals who studied cosmologies but were not involved in any Onmyoryo should be punished without mercy. This implies that the only way of one becoming an official Onmyoji was to join an Onmyoryo which established and reassured the monopoly of Onmyoryo (Xiao 2017).

The idea of Yin-yang in Japan was also first recorded in a texts in Nara period. Both Kojiki 古事記 and Nihonshoki 日本書紀, two greatly influential books of Japanese history, released in Nara period, mentioned Yin-yang. Kojiki in particularly used the theory of Yin-yang to describe the beginning and the formation of the universe; Yin and Yang are the basic elements of all matters (Xiao 2017).

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