Changes

The Hachiman legend of course has seen considerable change and expansion over the centuries. At some point, Hachiman was retroactively associated with [[Emperor Ojin|Emperor Ôjin]], and thus as the son of [[Empress Jingu|Empress Jingû]]; various Hachiman-related texts relate that it was the as-yet-unborn Ôjin/Hachiman in Jingû's womb that aided her in succeeding in her mythical invasions of Korea. Hachiman is also sometimes associated with a golden hawk, with the Ama family which merged with the Usa family in ancient times and which worshipped a [[dragon king]]; with the Karajima family who brought shamanic practices with them from Korea, and with maritime activity. Hachiman was historically often also a blacksmith deity, and came to be associated with both war and agriculture. Some have suggested that Hachiman further grew out of a pair of [[dragon]] deities from [[Jeju]] and southern coastal Korea, known in Korean as Yeongdeung and Halmang.<ref name=smits43/>

The Hachiman legend of course has seen considerable change and expansion over the centuries. At some point, Hachiman was retroactively associated with [[Emperor Ojin|Emperor Ôjin]], and thus as the son of [[Empress Jingu|Empress Jingû]]; various Hachiman-related texts relate that it was the as-yet-unborn Ôjin/Hachiman in Jingû's womb that aided her in succeeding in her mythical invasions of Korea. Hachiman is also sometimes associated with a golden hawk, with the Ama family which merged with the Usa family in ancient times and which worshipped a [[dragon king]]; with the Karajima family who brought shamanic practices with them from Korea, and with maritime activity. Hachiman was historically often also a blacksmith deity, and came to be associated with both war and agriculture. Some have suggested that Hachiman further grew out of a pair of [[dragon]] deities from [[Jeju]] and southern coastal Korea, known in Korean as Yeongdeung and Halmang.<ref name=smits43/>

By the mid-16th century, many ''[[wako|wakô]]'' and other pirate groups took Hachiman as their patron deity, and flew banners featuring a ''mitsudomoe'' design associated with the deity; this served both as a religious talisman and as a means of communicating with other vessels. The swirling symbol likely has its origins in ancient dragon worship, and reflects Hachiman's associations with dragons, wind, and water. Ships associated with the [[Seiseifu]] in Kyushu also adopted their own version of a Hachiman banner.<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 42-44.</ref> Meanwhile, in [[1466]], King [[Sho Toku|Shô Toku]] of the Ryûkyû Kingdom similarly adopted Hachiman as a patron deity of the dynasty, and the ''mitsudomoe'' as the royal crest.<ref>"[http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-41753-storytopic-121.html Shô Toku]." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Dictionary"). Ryukyu Shimpo. 1 March 2003. Accessed 19 December 2009.</ref> [[Azato Hachiman-gu|Azato Hachiman Shrine]] in [[Naha]] was built at that time, and later came to be recognized as one of the [[Ryukyu Eight Shrines|eight most significant Shinto shrines in Ryûkyû]].<ref>Plaques on-site at Azato Hachiman Shrine, Naha, Okinawa.</ref>

By the mid-16th century, many ''[[wako|wakô]]'' and other pirate groups took Hachiman as their patron deity, and flew banners featuring a ''mitsudomoe'' design associated with the deity; this served both as a religious talisman and as a means of communicating with other vessels. The swirling symbol likely has its origins in ancient dragon worship, and reflects Hachiman's associations with dragons, wind, and water. Ships associated with the [[Seiseifu]] in Kyushu also adopted their own version of a Hachiman banner.<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 42-44.</ref> Meanwhile, in [[1466]], King [[Sho Toku|Shô Toku]] of the Ryûkyû Kingdom similarly adopted Hachiman as a patron deity of the dynasty, and the ''[[hidari gomon|mitsudomoe]]'' as the royal crest.<ref>"[http://ryukyushimpo.jp/news/storyid-41753-storytopic-121.html Shô Toku]." ''Okinawa konpakuto jiten'' (沖縄コンパクト事典, "Okinawa Compact Dictionary"). Ryukyu Shimpo. 1 March 2003. Accessed 19 December 2009.</ref> [[Azato Hachiman-gu|Azato Hachiman Shrine]] in [[Naha]] was built at that time, and later came to be recognized as one of the [[Ryukyu Eight Shrines|eight most significant Shinto shrines in Ryûkyû]].<ref>Plaques on-site at Azato Hachiman Shrine, Naha, Okinawa.</ref>

A particularly famous and lifelike wooden sculpture of Hachiman in the guise of a Buddhist monk is held at the [[Todai-ji|Tôdai-ji]] in [[Nara]]. Carved by the great Buddhist sculptor [[Kaikei]], the seated sculpture, in usually good condition with its painting intact, is 34 1/2 inches tall, and dates to [[1201]].<ref>Mason, Penelope. ''History of Japanese Art''. Second Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005, 191-192.</ref>

A particularly famous and lifelike wooden sculpture of Hachiman in the guise of a Buddhist monk is held at the [[Todai-ji|Tôdai-ji]] in [[Nara]]. Carved by the great Buddhist sculptor [[Kaikei]], the seated sculpture, in usually good condition with its painting intact, is 34 1/2 inches tall, and dates to [[1201]].<ref>Mason, Penelope. ''History of Japanese Art''. Second Edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005, 191-192.</ref>