Hello there Readers!!!!
I hope you are doing great. I thought why not work on one of my long-term idea....... Folklore Friday......It will be a blog post that will be published each Friday featuring mythology and folklore.
Folklore has always intrigued me since I was a little kid. I grew up listening to stories and legends of my land. My grandmother used to tell me a lot of stories. I was a sucker for them. I used to wait for my grandma to visit us all year long to have cozy nights in bed with magical whimsical stories.
Folklore is kind of a mosaic embedded with myths, legends, and cultural heritage. Some creatures I read about in the world of folklore that I fell in love with just by reading about them. One such creature is the Kitsune of Japanese Mythology.
The Origin of the Kitsune
The term "Kitsune" means "fox" in Japanese. In Japan, foxes are not just animals; they are seen as magical beings with significant symbolism. The origins of Kitsune are linked to Japan’s spiritual and religious past, especially Shintoism, which is the native belief system of Japan, along with later impacts from Chinese stories and Buddhism.
Shintoism and the Fox Spirit
In Shinto beliefs, Kitsune are seen as messengers for Inari, the god of rice, fertility, and wealth. Shrines for Inari, called Inari shrines, usually have fox statues, thought to safeguard the area and the god. The fox's position as a divine messenger raises its status from just an animal to a holy entity, creating a strong respect for Kitsune in Japanese culture.
The link of Kitsune to Inari probably comes from Japan's old farming community. Foxes were viewed as guardians of rice crops, because they were skilled at catching tiny animals thus helping to protect food for the people. As time passed, this useful connection changed into a spiritual one, with the fox turning into a sign of wealth and divine support.
Chinese Folklore and the Fox Spirit
The concept of the Kitsune was also influenced by Chinese folklore, where the fox spirit, known as Huli Jing, was believed to possess transformative abilities and great wisdom. These fox spirits could live for hundreds of years, gaining supernatural powers and, often, the ability to shape-shift into human form. When these stories made their way to Japan, they merged with local beliefs, enriching the mythology of the Kitsune.
Buddhist Stories and the Kitsune
Buddhism arrived in Japan around the 6th century and also had an impact on the mythology of the Kitsune. Buddhist stories often featured foxes as tricksters or wise beings, capable of both benevolent and malevolent acts. This duality is a hallmark of Kitsune folklore: they can be protectors and friends or mischievous and even dangerous beings.
Kitsune’s Powers and Characteristics
Kitsune are renowned for their shape-shifting abilities, often transforming into beautiful women to deceive or seduce humans. This transformation is not just physical but also includes adopting human behavior and manners. The ability to shape-shift is usually attributed to older and more powerful Kitsune, with the number of their tails indicating their age and power. A nine-tailed fox, or Kyūbi no Kitsune, is the most powerful and wise of all. There is more amazing facts regarding Kitsune......they are said to possess more magical abilities, like creating illusions, temporarily possessing humans, a phenomenon known as Kitsune-tsuki and creating fox-fire or kitsunebi, mysterious lights similar to will-o'-the-wisps.
The Kitsune in Books
Here is the list of books featuring the Mythology of Kitsune.
1. The god and the gumiho by Sophie Kim
2. Shadow of the Fox by Julie Kagawa
3. Kitsune by Nicolette Andrews
4. A tale of Woah (The Fox and the Hounds series) by
5. Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff
Happy Reading!!
.png)
