Tengu [天狗] are legendary creatures said to be a god or a monster according to popular Japanese beliefs. In this article, we will talk a little about these peculiar creatures from Japanese folklore that are often seen in movies, games, and anime.
According to reports, Tengu is seen dressed as a Yamabushi, has a red face, a high nose, and has wings to fly. It is commonly considered a monster that guides people to the wizard, and it is also called Gaiho-sama.
Yamabushi are monks of the Suugendo religion who inhabit mountains.
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The origin of Tengu
Originally, the word Tiangu meant a meteor that signaled an evil event in China. A fireball that enters the atmosphere and falls near the earth’s surface often explodes in the air and makes a loud noise.
This celestial phenomenon was compared to a dog that roars and runs to the heavens. The Chinese Shiji, as well as the Han and Jin books, contain articles about the Tiangu. The Tiangu were feared as the star of evil that brought disaster from the sky to the earth.
In Buddhism, the word “tiangu” is not originally mentioned in the Three Zangles of the Sutra. However, in the Shobho Nenjojo-Jing, volume 19 says: “At all times, it is said that ‘At all times, the spectral gas is high.’
In February 637, in the 9th year of Emperor Seumei’s reign, a huge star made a thunderous sound and ran from east to west in the sky of the capital. People said it was the sound of a meteor or a landmine.
Then the wise monk, Min Min Min, who returned from the Tang Dynasty in China to Japan, said: “It is not a meteor. He said: “It is not a meteor, but a tengu.” It was repeated several times saying that its bark is like thunder.
They were called Tengu no Nihonshoki (Chronicles of Japan) in the Asuka Period, but after that, there was no record of them being called by that name, and the Chinese vision of the creature did not take root in Japan.
From the time of Emperor Seumei until the middle of the Heian period, its character did not appear in any written document. In the Heian period (794-1192), Tengu reappeared in Japan and were transformed into yokai (monsters).
The creation of Tengu
It all began when esoteric Buddhism was introduced to Japan by Kukai and Enchin. The Yamabushi were reincarnated after their deaths as arrogant and selfish beings who wanted to profit, and the Tengu religion was taken by some as a type of magical world.
On the other hand, the people of the plains feared the mountains as a different world and called the strange phenomena that occurred there the work of the Tengu. From this, people tend to consider it as the god of the mountain.
There are still some areas where people still call it “Gubin,” “man of the mountain,” or “god of the mountain,” referring to various types of Tengu. Today the word [天狗] literally means dog of paradise.
The characteristics of Tengu
The common characteristics of them today are a high and long nose, a red face, dressed like mountain priests, wearing a geta with a tooth and flying freely and disorderly, have been interpreted since the Middle Ages.
In fact, the form of Tengu in those days was not constant, mainly in the form of monks, but occasionally in the form of children or demons. They were also often depicted as a steeplejack while flying through the air.
Tengu is considered the authority of pride, and the high nose is considered a symbol of it. If you say “I will become a Tengu,” it means you are proud of yourself. In general, they are eager to teach.
In the Middle Ages, besides the six paths of Buddhism, there was also the Tengu path, which was supposed to be the hell of Mugen, where they could not fall into hell because they studied the Buddhist path and could not go to paradise because they dealt with the Law of Evil.
Types of Tengu
As mentioned, there are various types and forms of Tengu. The overall appearance is a red face and a large nose, and they are said to have wings and fly in the air. There are also types that appear to be humanoid or crow-like.
More obscure regional tengu variants include the Guhin (Invited Dog), which has aspects of trees or canines, the Kawatengu that lives underwater and can create False Flame, and the Shibatengu, which is essentially a Kappa by another name.
Throughout history, it has gained different names and characteristics, there is Kara, Kotobo, and Hatengo. There is even a female version called Onnatengu or Mutengu. Below we will see the main ones:
Ootengo or Daitengu
There are several theories, but it is said to be a monster or god that has good and bad sides, a Buddhist priest and an intern with excellent power who becomes a tengu after his death. Therefore, it is said to have greater power than other Tengu.
These are the types of tengu that we are used to seeing in the masks of Japanese festivals. They used to kidnap people and torment them but also taught their skills. Many humans sought them to gain powers.
Karasutengo or Kotengo
The karasu tengu (烏天狗) has a humanoid body but a crow’s head. He is dressed like a mountain monk and is capable of flying at will, also called small [小天狗] or blue [青天狗].
It has the name of a crow, but many of them are covered in feathers similar to those of birds of prey. They excelled in swordsmanship, and it is said that the Karasu Tengu of Mount Kurama taught a young Ushiwakamaru how to use a sword.
They also excelled in divine power, and it is said that they used to descend to the capital and became furious with each other. Over time, tengu in the form of a crow fell into oblivion, becoming more popular those with a high red nose.
Konoha Tengu
The konoha tengu (木の葉天狗) has human features but is endowed with wings and long noses. They were sometimes depicted carrying a feather. It was common to see masks representing their face at festivals.
Their name has been found in various literatures, including essays and ghost stories from the Edo period. He is also called Sakai-tori. There is little information about this type of tengu, but it has been described in various ancient writings.
In the book “Kokusatojindan” from the Kanpo Period [1741-1744] describes it as a large bird, its wings resemble a Tobi, about 6 meters long, and when it senses a person’s signal, it immediately flees.
Tengu as a god
Tengu is generally seen as a semi-human or monster, but we mentioned in the article that it can also be considered a God. The famous Ootengo is worshipped as a mountain god, he is reported in many mountains of Japan.
The Tengu were often represented as bright birds, and they were also called Matsumyo-maru and Ma-yen. This is the reason why Emperor Sutokujo, who became an evil spirit, is depicted as the king of Tengu.
The relationship with the mountain gods is also very close, and it is said that there are always Tengu in the sacred mountains (therefore they are Yamabushi), and there are many areas where the mountain gods are them, but nicknamed as Daiba.
Even today, he is seen in the folklore of Mogami-gun, Yamagata Prefecture, as an old man with white hair. In different regions of Japan, people have different perspectives on a Tengu, some consider them a God.
The god Sarutahiko mentioned in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki is often conflated as a Tengu because of his long nose. Even in festivals, Sarutahiko is represented with the face of a tengu.
It is also said that tengu is a transformation of one of the eight members who protect the Buddhist law, Karo Raten. A giant bird that appears in Indian mythology and is said to have golden wings spitting flames and feeding on dragons.
Legends and tricks of the Tengu
Seen as mountain demons, the Tengu were also tricksters, doing things like the yokai, deceiving people by making them enter the mountains with music, throwing stones at houses, and frightening people in ghostly form.
Everything that happened mysteriously and inexplicably was attributed to the Tengu. Some even possessed people making them manifest abilities like writing kanjis. Many legends throughout history have emerged telling the tricks of the Tengu.
In some legends, the Tengu caused blindness using their wings, kidnapped children, threw people from the sky, but there are also legends of them being kind, protectors, and helpers of people. They are also associated with martial arts, cited as creators of the Secret Arts like Ninja art.
The Tengu are seen in different ways, today they are often reported in anime, manga, and games. If you want to know more about the appearance of these creatures in popular works, you can consult websites like TV Troops.
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