Zegai

善界 Zegai

1 Source and/or Related Material

Illustrated handscrolls of Zegai-bō

2 Author

Takeda Sadamori, a late-medieval physician

3 Repertoire

Kanze, Hōshō, Komparu, Kongō, Kita

4 Synopsis

The Chinese tengu Zegai-bō (Ch. unknown, maeshite) visits Japan in order to spread delusion and fight against Buddhism. He visits the Japanese tengu Tarō-bō (tsure) at his base on Mt. Atago. Tarōbō explains that Mt. Hiei is the center of Buddhism in Japan, so the two devils decide to focus their attack there. They fear the might of the dharma protector Acala (J. Fudō Myōō), but nevertheless they set out for the sacred mountain. The flapping of their wings raises such great gusts of wind that a servant (ai) of the Abbot of the Iimuro temple on Mt. Hiei, who was taking a message to the imperial court, is blown off the path. Nevertheless, the Abbot of Iimuro (waki) has been commissioned to give a prayer ceremony in the Palace, so he sets off for the capital by oxcart. Just then, Zegai-bō (nochishite) comes sweeping down from the sky in his true form. The Abbot prays furiously, and the dharma protector Acala appears with twelve heavenly beings, and a troupe of thirty gods, including the avatar of the Mountain King Sannō and the God of War Iwashimizu Hachiman, summon a gale-force wind to blow Zegai-bō’s wings clean off. Zegai-bō swears that he will never come to Japan again, then disappears into the clouds.