Although the Japanese continue to classify Tanuki as a yōkai 妖怪 (monster, spirit, specter, fantastic/strange being), the creature today is no longer frightening or mysterious. More surprisingly, most of these attributes were created in very modern times (in the last three centuries see Tanuki in Modern Times). Many of these attributes suggest his money was wasted on wine, women, and food (but this is incorrect see below). Ceramic statues of Tanuki are found everywhere in modern Japan, especially outside bars and restaurants, where a pudgy Tanuki effigy typically beckons drinkers and diners to enter and spend generously (a role similar to Maneki Neko, the Beckoning Cat, who stands outside retail establishments.) In his modern form, the fun-loving Tanuki is commonly depicted with a big tummy, a straw hat, a bewildered facial expression (he is easily duped), a giant scrotum, a staff attached to a sake flask, and a promissory note (that he never pays).
For more on Tanuki’s metamorphosis from bad guy to good guy, see Tanuki Origins. Today, the Tanuki are cheerful, lovable, and benevolent rogues who bring prosperity and business success. Many centuries later in Japan, they evolved into irrepressible tricksters, aiming their illusory magic and mystifying belly-drum music at unwary travelers, hunters, woodsmen, and monks. In their earliest malevolent manifestations (transmitted via Chinese fox lore to Japan by at least the 7th century CE), Tanuki assumed human form, haunted and possessed people, and were considered omens of misfortune. The fox-like Tanuki appear often in Japanese folklore as shape-shifters with supernatural powers and mischievous tendencies. Yet the Japanese are equally adept at creating their own lore, as exemplified by their homespun Tanuki legends. The Chinese influence on Japanese folklore, without doubt, is enormous. This endeavor, in my mind, leads to a greater appreciation of Japan’s penchant for creating imaginative, playful, and endearing myths. But by carefully investigating Tanuki’s remote origins from China, we can demarcate original property from borrowed property. In general, the goofy-looking Tanuki we are familiar with today is a recent creation, mostly Japanese. The newer tamer parts, such as the big belly, belly drumming, giant scrotum, and sake bottle can be traced to late Edo-era Japan (18th-19th centuries), while the commercialized benevolent parts ( promissory note, straw hat) emerged in Japanese artwork around the beginning of the 20th century. The original evil parts come from old China and its fox lore (introduced to Japan between the 4th-7th centuries CE). The magical shape-shifting Tanuki is clearly a composite creature. ORIGIN = Chinese Fox Lore + Japanese Accretions Modern-Day Icon of Generosity, Cheer, and Prosperityįound Often Outside Japanese Bars & Restaurants Trickster & Spook, Originally Evil, Now Benevolent Magical Fox-Like Dog with Shape-Shifting Powers Also a wealth-bringing icon adorning gardens.įrom the Kinmōzui 訓蒙圖彙 illustrated Japanese encyclopedia dated to 1666. Welcoming icon found frequently outside Japan’s bars and eateries (“come in, don’t be stingy”). Depicted with big tummy, staff, giant scrotum, straw hat, sake flask, and promissory note. It is intended as a "primer" for students and teachers of art history and folklore.
It also debunks widespread misinformation about Tanuki.
It describes, both chronologically and thematically, the metamorphosis of the spook-beast Tanuki from a bad guy to good guy, from feared to beloved. This annotated narrative is based on extant Tanuki art (175 photos herein). This is my favorite radical of all time! For me, it's fun to write and just bring me some amount of joy for whatever reason, and -though WaniKani doesn't necessarily correlate every radical with an "official" meaning- it's the radical called 'poop'.36 pages.
Opening up Wanikani, I am reminded of this little guy, and my inner, nine-year-old lizard brain is just filled with glee. But things are looking up and I'm excited to get back to studying!. With my mental health taking a serious down turn (I'm okay! I promise!) my ability to focus and actually learn and study has pretty much gone out the window. Here's some backstory to give some context! Not really necessary for my question to you all, so if you don't care: skip past the dotted line! :)
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