Today's Tao
Japan stories
When you visit a Buddhist temple or a Shintoist shrine, you will surely see it.
It is a piece of paper called "Omikuji".
You will find a bunch of them tied on the braches of the trees in its precincts.
Japanese men and women pay a few dollars or euros to a young lady working in vermilion and white traditional costume if it is at a Shinto shrine. In exchange, they receive this piece of paper.
As all the good students of Japanese know very well, the prefix "O" expresses politeness.
Though only advanced students of Japanese know it, the prefix "Mi" is an old way to express politeness.
The word "kuji" has plenty of respect, it seems.
It means "lottery".
Although it does not win you money or anything, it will tell you about your future.
Each piece of paper has detailed descriptions concerning your money, love, family, education, job, and others.
If you like what it is written, you keep it.
If you don't like it, you tie it on the branch. Then, divinity will take care of the purification of your bad luck.
To read the text of Today's Tao, please visit Tao Te Ching Chapter 22-1 Twisted. You will find a little article about Shohei Imamura's films, too.
Tao answers your question!
-They are based on a true story. In 1950 Kinkaku-ji / Golden Pavilion was burnt down. A young monk set fire. Yukio Mishima thought the temple was too beautiful for the monk to face. Another Japanese writer Tsutomu Minakami made up a totally different story. The young monk was having affair with a girl from the same village, who was now working in the quarter Gobancho, a district of pleasure.
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