Cultural Interaction Between the Japanese Myōken Belief and Chinese Zhenwu Worship

摘要

Seen from the perspective of cultural interaction, Myōken was originally therepresentative deity of esoteric Buddhism; however, it is believed that under the infl uence of multiple gods, this deity underwent a change. For example, Zhenwu, as the god Zhenzhai Lingfu, blended and fused with Myōken. Because of this syncretism, a Zhenwu-type Myōken appears in fi gures, such as the Chiba Myōken. In other examples, however, Myōken assumes a form close to the Daishōgun, and a number of diverse images have been preserved. This diversity of the Myōken god suggests that it should beconsidered a composite of multiple gods.