Raiden

雷電 Thunder and Lightning

1 Source and/or Related Material

aiheiki “Kitano Tenjin Engi”, and others.

2 Author

Unknown

3 Repertoire

Kanze, Kongō, Kita

4 Synopsis

The Most Reverend Bishop Hosshō (waki), Abbot of the temple of Enryakuji on Mt. Hiei, is performing a week-long series of homa burnt offerings and recitations and sermons on the Humane King Sutra before an audience of a hundred dignitaries of the Imperial court. On the last night of the series, the ghost of Sugawara no Michizane (maeshite) appears and tells Hosshō how grateful he is to the Bishop for bringing him up since he was an orphan boy. As he speaks, however, Michizane remembers his resentment at being demoted in the prime of his career and exiled to Kyūshū, where he died in despair. Now in a rage, he grabs a pomegranate from the altar, bites into it savagely, and hurls it against the doors of the sanctuary, which burst into flame. Hosshō chants a spell to put out the fire, and Michizane disappears into the billowing smoke. A commoner (ai) comes to retell the story in plain speech. Just then, the ghost of Michizane reappears in his final form, the vengeful demon Tenma Tenjin (nochishite). However, he is no longer angry, as the court have decided to grant him the posthumous title of Taifu (“Great Bounty”) Tenjin, so he dances a dance of blessing for a peaceful Spring.