Assassin Creed: Rising
Logging in makes life a lot easier!

Join the forum, it's quick and easy

Assassin Creed: Rising
Logging in makes life a lot easier!
Assassin Creed: Rising
Would you like to react to this message? Create an account in a few clicks or log in to continue.

The secret of the Imperial Regalia

2 posters

Go down

The secret of the Imperial Regalia Empty The secret of the Imperial Regalia

Post  Thiago Lopes Thu Apr 05, 2012 8:59 pm

The Imperial Regalia of Japan are considered to be the marks of the Emperor and are all sacred relics of the Shinto faith.
Ever wonder why?

Yata no Kagami, the Mirror
It represents wisdom. Probably an Apple of Eden. The maps from AC1 and AC2 verify that there is an Apple in Nara, Japan. Nara was the capital of Japan and the location of the Imperial Palace from 710ad to 798ad.

Kusanagi, the Sword
It represents valor. No further explanation is necessary.

Yasakani no Magatama, the Jewel
It represents benevolence. It would possibly grant one protection of some sort.

Here's where it gets interesting: the Imperial Regalia have not been together since 1190, when Emperor Antoku chose to drown himself with Kusanagi and the Jewel rather than see them fall into the hands of his enemies. Only the Mirror remained. It is said that the Sword and Jewel have been recovered, but this remains to be proven.
Thiago Lopes
Thiago Lopes
Lead Writer

Posts : 189
Join date : 2012-04-01
Age : 33
Location : Nagasaki, for now

Back to top Go down

The secret of the Imperial Regalia Empty Re: The secret of the Imperial Regalia

Post  Masumi Sun Apr 08, 2012 7:30 am

Japanese Creation Myth

Long ago all the elements were mixed together with one germ of life. This germ began to mix things around and around until the heavier part sank and the lighter part rose. A muddy sea that covered the entire earth was created. From this ocean grew a green shoot. It grew and grew until it reached the clouds and there it was tranformed into a god. Soon this god grew lonely and it began to create other gods. The last two gods it made, Izanagi anf Izanami, were the most remarkable.

One day as they were walking along they looked down on the ocean and wondered what was beneath it. Izanagi thrust his staff into the waters and as he pulled it back up some clumps of mud fell back into the sea. They began to harden and grow until they became the islands of Japan.

The two descended to these islands and began to explore, each going in different directions. They created all kinds of plants. When they met again they decided to marry and have children to inhabit the land. The first child Izanami bore was a girl of radiant beauty. The gods decided she was too beautiful to live in Japan, so they put her up in the sky and she became the sun. Their second daughter, Tsuki-yami, became the moon and their third and unruly son, Sosano-wo, was sentenced to the sea, where he creates storms.

Later, their first child, Amaterasu, bore a son who became the emperor of Japan and all the emperors since then have claimed descent from him.

(A/N: Source is from http://www.cs.williams.edu/~lindsey/myths/myths_17.html.)

I don't know about where these things are now, but they have a story they tell in the temples.

Susa-no-o-sama, a fierce and cruel god of storm, is sent to live in the underworld. Before he leaves, he decides to visit his sister, Amaterasu-sama, who lives in the high plains. During his visit, the brother and sister quarrel, after which Susa-no-o-sama did terrible things. This includes removing the skin of a colt to toss into the hall where Amaterasu-sama is weaving.

In response, our sun goddess withdrew into a cave, which meant the world was cast in darkness. In order to get her to come out again, scores of her peers gathered in front of the cave offering the Yasakani no Magatama (Magatama is comma-shaped jewelry) and a large bronze mirror which she could use to see herself. One of them even performs a dance outside her cave. Finally, when Amaterasu-sama finally leaves her cave, the gods restrain her to keep her from withdrawing again, so that the world would never be again cast into darkness.

Meanwhile, Susa-no-o-sama is punished by having his hair and nails plucked, fined, and exiled to the Nether World. The Storm God takes a detour on the way to the Nether World, during which he kills Yamata-no-Orochi (an eight headed man-eating snake) in the Izumo province, discovering the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi (grass cutting sword, also known as the Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi which means Sword of the Gathering Clouds of Heaven) inside the monster's body. He gives the sword to his sister in order to atone.

Amaterasu-sama had many children, including Ninigi-sama, whom his mother sends to rule Japan. She sends with him, as proof of his heritage, the jewels and bronze mirror that were used to lure her out of the cave, and the sword from her brother.

Maybe Susa-no-o-sama took back one or more of the relics when they fell into the sea?


A/N The source of this story is The Japanese Experience: A Short History of Japan by W.G. Beasley, pages 3-5.


Last edited by Masumi on Thu Apr 26, 2012 2:35 pm; edited 1 time in total
Masumi
Masumi
Initiate

Posts : 106
Join date : 2012-04-08
Location : In or near Nagasaki

Back to top Go down

The secret of the Imperial Regalia Empty Re: The secret of the Imperial Regalia

Post  Thiago Lopes Sun Apr 08, 2012 7:57 am

That's actually a great analogy.
Thiago Lopes
Thiago Lopes
Lead Writer

Posts : 189
Join date : 2012-04-01
Age : 33
Location : Nagasaki, for now

Back to top Go down

The secret of the Imperial Regalia Empty Re: The secret of the Imperial Regalia

Post  Sponsored content


Sponsored content


Back to top Go down

Back to top

- Similar topics

 
Permissions in this forum:
You cannot reply to topics in this forum