A Genius in the City of Yin and Yang: Abe no Seimei and the State's Magical Institutions (Mid-Heian)

A Genius in the City of Yin and Yang: Abe no Seimei and the State's Magical Institutions (Mid-Heian)

Abe no Seimei (c. 921-1005) was an actual yin-yang master of the mid-Heian period. His name is still spoken of today as a symbol of mystery, but he was more than just a legendary figure. His name appears in the official records of the court, in the diaries of the nobility, and in the official documents of the state. He was an actual official who served five emperors, making full use of such arts as astronomy, astrology, and exorcism.

The stage for Seimei's activities was the Onmyoryo, a state institution. The Onmyoryo was a department of the Ministry of Central Affairs established under the Ritsuryo system, and was responsible for a wide range of Onmyou activities, including astronomical observations, calendar creation, feng shui, astrology, exorcism, and even time management. It was a combined office of science and magic that supported the foundation of the state, and Seimei was trusted both inside and outside the Imperial Court as an Onmyoji who played a central role in this office.

The Onmyoryo system was not merely superstitious or religious, but was supported by a rigorous system of positions and education. For example, under the supervision of the "Onmyo-no-Kami," the head of Onmyo, there were several specialized officials, such as a doctor of astronomy, a doctor of calendar, an onmyoji, and a lepidopterist, each of whom was in charge of a specific field of knowledge and practice. The astronomer read the movements of the stars and dragons and warned the court of abnormal weather conditions, while the calendar doctor established the basis for annual events based on the lunar-solar calendar. The Yin-Yang Master was in charge of witchcraft and divination, while the Leaky Doctor measured time with a water clock and was in charge of the court's ceremonial and administrative timekeeping.

In addition, the Onmyoryo was also an academic institution that trained students to study astronomy, calendar making, Onmyoudo, and medicine. The lineage of learning was inherited by the Kamo and Abe clans. Seimei also learned from Kamo Tadayuki and Yasunori at a young age, and later founded his own school, the Abe school, which became a major school.

In fact, whenever natural disasters, epidemics, or grudge rumblings occurred, the officials of the Yin-Yang dormitory held exorcism ceremonies, reading the movements of the stars, divining good and bad fortune, and advising the emperor. Abe no Seimei was especially known for his talent, and his advice and activities are described in "Kou-eki" and "Nippon Kiyo". He was not only a fortune teller, but also an "institutionalized yin-yang leader" who influenced the destiny of the nation.

However, Seimei is remembered even more strongly than his bureaucratic side because of the many legends that surround him. For example, the legend that his mother was "Kuzunoha," an incarnation of a white fox, the anecdote that he conducted his daily business with Shikigami in tow, and the magical battle with his arch-enemy, Roya Michimitsu, have repeatedly appeared in later literature, Noh, Kabuki, novels, and even modern movies.

The Seimei Shrine was built on the site of his residence as the culmination of such mystification, and is still revered as a god of protection against bad luck and healing of illness. The pentagram (Seimei Kikyo) depicted on the shrine pavilion is his symbol, and is still used as a talisman in the Yin-Yang path to ward off evil.

After his death, Haruaki's lineage became the Tsuchimikado family, the head family of Onmyo-do, and continued as an official Onmyoji of the Shogunate until the Edo period (1603-1867). Thus, while leaving his footprints as a real person, Abe no Seimei has lived in the spiritual culture of the Japanese people for more than a thousand years as "a being who lives in the world of faith and imagination.