Chigi (千木, 鎮木, 知木, 知疑),Okichigi (置千木) orHigi (氷木) are forked rooffinials found inJapanese andShinto architecture.Chigi predateBuddhist influence and are an architectural element endemic to Japan.[1] They are an important aesthetic aspect ofShinto shrines, where they are often paired withkatsuogi, another type of roof ornamentation. Today,chigi andkatsuogi are used exclusively on Shinto buildings and distinguish them from other religious structures, such asBuddhist temples in Japan.
Chigi are thought to have been employed on Japanese buildings starting from the 1st century AD.[2] Their existence during theKofun period (250–538 AD) is well documented by numerous artifacts.[3] Measurements forchigi were mentioned in an early document, theTaishinpō Enryaku Gishikichō (太神宝延暦儀式帳), written in 804 AD.
The evolutionary origins of thechigi are not known. One theory is that they were simply interlockingbargeboard planks that were left uncut. Another is that they were part of a support system anchored on the ground to stabilize the roof.[4] Yet another theory proposes that they were used to "pinch" and holdthatch roofing together.[5] Evidence of this can be seen inminka, or common traditional homes, where two interlocking timbers are often found at the roofgables. However, the only certain fact is thatchigi were originally a working part of the structure, but as building techniques improved, their function was lost and they were left as decorations.
Chigi were likely only to have decorated the homes and warehouses of powerful families, and more decorations signified higher rank. This tradition continued until relatively recent times. In the 17th to 19th centuries, the legal code dictated how manychigi were allowed on building roofs in accordance with the owner's social rank. Today,chigi are found only onShinto shrines.
Chigi may be built directly into the roof as part of the structure, or simply attached and crossed over the gable as an ornament. The former method is believed to closer resemble its original design, and is still used in older building methods such asshinmei-zukuri,kasuga-zukuri, andtaisha-zukuri.Chigi that are not built into the building are crossed, and sometimes cut with a slight curve. Whilechigi are predominantly placed only at the ends of the roof, this method allows them to sometimes be placed in the middle as well.
More ornatechigi, such as atIse Shrine, are cut with one or twokaza-ana, or "wind-slots", and a third open cut at the tip, giving it a forked appearance. Gold metal coverings serve both protective and ornamental purposes. Usually, if the tops are cut vertically, the enshrinedkami is a male, otherwise a female.[6]
Thekatsuogi, a short decorative log, is often found behind thechigi. Depending on the building, there may be only onekatsuogi accompanying thechigi, or an entire row along the ridge of the roof.
The angle at which thechigi faces and the number ofkatsuogi the building contains are used to identify the gender of thekami enshrined within. Upward-facing, with an even number ofkatsuogi indicate a femalekami. Outward-facingchigi, with an odd number ofkatsuogi indicate a malekami.[7] This is not a hard and fast rule, as there are exceptions (such as the shrines inIse Grand Shrine.)
Names forchigi can vary from region. InKyoto,Nara Prefecture, andHiroshima, they are calleduma (馬). In parts ofToyama,Osaka,Kōchi,Tokushima andMiyazaki prefectures, they are calledumanori (馬乗); in some areas ofYamagata,Miyagi,Yamanishi,Hiroshima andKōchi prefectures, they are calledkurakake (鞍掛).
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