Onmyōdō (陰陽道, alsoIn'yōdō,lit. 'The Way of Yin and Yang') is a technique that uses knowledge of astronomy and calendars to divine good fortune in terms of date, time, direction and general personal affairs, originating from the philosophy of theyin-yang and the five elements.[1]
The philosophy of yin and yang andwuxing was introduced to Japan at the beginning of the 6th century, and, influenced byTaoism,Buddhism, andConfucianism, evolved into the earliest system ofOnmyōdō around the late 7th century. In 701, theTaiho Code established the departments and posts ofonmyōji who practicedOnmyōdō in the Imperial Court, andOnmyōdō was institutionalized.[2][1] From around the 9th century during theHeian period,Onmyōdō interacted withShinto andGoryō worship (御霊信仰) in Japan, and developed into a system unique to Japan.[3][4]Abe no Seimei, who was active during the Heian period, is the most famousonmyōji (Onmyōdō practitioner) in Japanese history and has appeared in various Japanese literature in later years.Onmyōdō was under the control of the imperial government, and later its courtiers, theTsuchimikado family, until the middle of the 19th century, at which point it became prohibited assuperstition.[2][1]
In the 5th and 6th centuries, the principles of yin-yang and theFive Elements were transmitted to Japan fromChina andBaekje along with Buddhism andConfucianism, particularly by the obscure Korean monkGwalleuk. Yin-yang and the Five Elements, as well as the divisions of learning to which they were linked –astronomy,calendar-making, the reckoning of time,divination, and studies based on observation of nature – were amalgamated into fortune telling. This process of judging auspicious or harmful signs present in the natural world, was accepted into Japanese society as a technique for predicting good or bad fortune in the human world. Such techniques were known mostly byBuddhist monks andphysicians[5] from mainland Asia, who were knowledgeable in reading and writing Chinese. Over time, demand from members of theImperial Court who believed thatOnmyōdō divination would be helpful in decision-making, made it necessary for the laity to perform the art, andonmyōji began to appear around the middle of the 7th century. Under the Taiho Code enacted in the early 8th century, the departments of the Imperial Court to whichonmyōji belonged were defined by law.[1]
From around the 9th century during theHeian period,Onmyōdō interacted withShinto andGoryō worship in Japan, and developed into a system unique to Japan.[3][1] Until then,Onmyōdō emphasized divination for policy decisions by high government officials, but since the Heian period,Onmyōdō has emphasized magic and religious services such as warding off evil for preventing natural disasters and epidemics and for the productiveness of grain, as well as curses against opponents.[3] Because Shinto places importance onpurity, Shinto priests were required to performmisogi (ritual purification) and fast before performing these religious services, so their activities were restricted. On the other hand, sinceonmyōji did not have to performmisogi or fast, they were able to deal withkegare (uncleanliness) more easily, and they expanded their activities beyond the support of Shinto priests.[3] It gradually spread from the Imperial Court to the general public.[4] In the 10th centuryKamo no Tadayuki (賀茂 忠行) and his sonKamo no Yasunori (賀茂 保典), made great advancements inOnmyōdō, astronomy and calendar science.[1] From among their students emergedAbe no Seimei (安倍清明), who displayed superior skills in the divining arts ofOnmyōdō, by which he gained an uncommon amount of trust from the court society. Tadayuki and Yasunori passed on their skills in astronomy to Seimei while their advances in calendar-making went to Yasunori's son. From the end of the Heian period into the Middle Ages, astronomy and calendar science were completely subsumed intoOnmyōdō, and the Abe and Kamo families came to dominate the art in the Imperial Court.[1]
Onmyōji (陰陽師, alsoIn'yōji) was one of the classifications of civil servants belonging to theBureau of Onmyō [ja] in ancient Japan'sritsuryo system. People with this title were professional practitioners ofOnmyōdō.[2]
Onmyōji were specialists in magic and divination. Their court responsibilities ranged from tasks such as keeping track of thecalendar, to mystical duties such asdivination and protection of the capital from evilspirits. They could divine auspicious or harmful influences in the earth, and were instrumental in the moving of capitals. It is said that anonmyōji could also summon and controlshikigami.[6] During theHeian period the nobility organized their lives around practices recommended byonmyōji. The practice of "lucky and unlucky directions" provides an example. Depending on the season, time of day, and other circumstances, a particular direction might be bad luck for an individual. If one's house was located in that direction, such an individual was advised not to go back directly to his house but had to "change direction" (katatagae), by going in a different direction and lodging there. Such a person would not dare to go in the forbidden direction, but stayed where they were, even if that resulted in absence from the court, or passing up invitations from influential people.[3]
Famousonmyōji includeKamo no Yasunori andAbe no Seimei (921–1005). After Seimei's death, theEmperor Ichijō had ashrine erected at his home inKyoto.[7]
Onmyōji had political clout during the Heian period, but in later times when the imperial court fell into decline, their state patronage was lost completely. In modern-day Japan,onmyōji are defined as a type of priest, and although there are many who claim to be mediums and spiritualists, theonmyōji continues to be a hallmark occult figure.
Onmyōdō was officially abolished in 1870 by theTensha Shinto Prohibition Ordinance [ja], but it was permitted again after the propagation of religious freedom and the abolition ofState Shinto in 1945.[8] A new organization forTensha Tsuchimikado Shinto (天社土御門神道), considered the modern form of Onmyōdō, was established in 1954.[9][10] As of 2023[update], the head was Yoshihito Fujita.[11]
