6. Immortality and mermaid

6. Immortality and mermaid

       From olden times many people have aspired after eternal life and searched for a method by which to realize their wish. There are a lot of legends and books about eternal life all over the world. Many people in power such as the first Qin Emperor in China tried to get the method for eternal life and the elixir of life.

       In Japan there is a strong connection between immortality and mermaid. Yao Bikuni (八百比丘尼) legend is famous story about an eternal life. Yao-bikuni was a Japanese nun in middle age. As it happens, she ate one bite of meat of a mermaid which had been washed up on the beach and her father went back with. Ever since, she became ageless. Finally she became a nun to fly the face of man. She is said to live about 800 years and in Fukui prefecture there is a cave that she died in.

 

The cave that Yao Bikuni died in

       In the west mermaid is said to be marine animals like sea pigs and seals. But the origin of Japanese mermaid is said to be giant oarfish. Giant oarfish, also called the king of herrings, is a deep-sea fishes that is the world's longest bony fish. There are some reasons why giant oar is said to be Japanese mermaid's true identity or self. The oldest historical document about mermaid in japan is "Nihonshoki"(Chronicles of Japan) written in 720. Even apart from this, there are many documents about mermaid in Japan. These books say the features of Japanese mermaid are those mermaids have white head and skin, they have some red long hair on the top of their head, their body is like fish and long, and mermaids were often found on the coast of the Sea of Japan. These features are really close to that of giant oarfish. In addition to these, the taste of mermaid’s meat is said that is flabby and unique texture like a lump of fat and water. This is also close to the taste of Giant oarfish.

A taxidermied specimen of Regalecus glesne in Naturhistorisches Museum Wien.

Members of a BUD/S class display a 23-foot (7 m) giant oarfish discovered by their instructor on the beach of Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in 1996.

       People seek eternal life. But when it has come true, I wonder if people feel happy? I hear that Yao Bikuni suffered a great deal not to become old and to continue to attend her acquaintance on their deathbed. Yao Bikuni legend may suggest us not to be afraid of getting old and not to waste time. We should make an effort because of period of life span.

reference:

  http://indoor-mama.cocolog-nifty.com/turedure/2009/03/post-3382.html
http://www.marine-world.co.jp/er/topics/1990_05.html
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%AA%E3%83%A5%E3%82%A6%E3%82%B0%E3%82%A6%E3%83%8E%E3%83%84%E3%82%AB%E3%82%A4#.E4.BA.BA.E9.96.93.E3.81.A8.E3.81.AE.E9.96.A2.E3.82.8F.E3.82.8A
http://narimichi.jp/entry/1386
http://desktop2ch.tv/wild/1182666699/
http://www.geocities.jp/fujimoto_yasuhisa/bunsho/ningyononikunokouyou.htm
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BA%BA%E9%AD%9A