The shrine of the exile avenged
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Kitano Tenmangu enshrines Michizane Sugawara, who because of his great learning during his lifetime is worshiped as the patron of learning. He was at first especially favoured by Emperor Uda, who bestowed great trust in governmental affairs upon him. But later, because of slander, he was exiled to Kyushu died there in 903. After his death severe earth-quakes and thunderstorms did constant damage in the home provinces, and it was thought commonly that these were the result of his wrath. Because of the increasingly large number of his slanderers and their families who met with unexpected disaster, Michizane's power was more and more feared by the Court and the common people. In an attempt to appease the angry spirit, the Imperial Court granted him the post-humous title of Karai Tenjin, or God of Fire and Thunder.
The process of divinization of Michizane was greatly assisted by sympathy with his misfortune of having died in exile, by admiration for his unchanging spirit of loyal service, by the mute judgment of the masses against their rulers, and by the social unrest caused by the ever-continuing disasters. Because of the prophecies spoken in 942 by Tajihi-no-Ayako, who lived in Nishi-no-kyo Shichijo, and in 947 by Taro-maru, a child of Hirano Yoshitane of Omi, a shrine was built in the present location and was known as Tenman Tenjin. In 959, the Udaijin (Minister of the Right) Fujiwara-no-Morosuke enlarged the buildings. On the fifth day of the eighth month of 987, the Kitano Matsuri was celebrated for the first time; this festival continues to the present day. In 1004, Emperor Ichijo paid the shrine its first Imperial visit, and later the shrine was included, with the other great shrines such as Kamo and lwa-shimizu, in the numberof the great 22 shrines. The shrine was often the object of Imperial visits, and the regents, shoguns, and common people of all ages since have paid it extraordinary reverence. The many plum trees in the shrine precincts are due to the fact that Michizane was fond of plum trees in his lifetime *The information about Kitano Tenmangu can be found on the official website. |
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