Tennin

{{Italic title}} {{Short description|Angel-like beings from Japanese Buddhism}} {{Refimprove|date=November 2011}} thumb|right|A depiction of a Tennin. [[File:Horimono deidad japonesa portanto peonía.jpg|thumb|A man with an irezumi tattoo of a Tennyo.]]

{{Nihongo|'''''Tennin'''''|天人||lit. "Heaven(ly) Person"}}, which may include {{Nihongo|'''''Tenshi'''''|天使||lit. "Heaven(ly) Messenger"}}, {{Nihongo|'''''Tennotsukai'''''|天の使い||lit. "Messenger(s) of Heaven"}}, {{Nihongo|'''''Hiten'''''|飛天||lit. "Flying Heaven"}} and the specifically female version, the {{Nihongo|'''''Tennyo'''''|天女||lit. "Heaven(ly) Woman/Women"}}, are a divine kind of spiritual beings found in Japanese Buddhism, the equivalent of angels. They were seemingly imported from Chinese Buddhism, which was itself influenced by the concepts of heavenly beings found in Indian Buddhism and Chinese Taoism.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Devas |url=https://www.learnreligions.com/devas-hindu-buddhist-deities-123905 |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=Learn Religions |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |script-title=zh:对"天人合一、道法自然"的洞天福地 |url=https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail_forward_2570356 |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=澎湃新闻-The Paper}}</ref>

They originated in Hinduism as "Apsara" ({{langx|sa|अप्सरा}}, romanized: {{tlit|sa|apsaras}} or {{tlit|sa|apsarā}}); a member of a class of celestial beings in Hindu and Buddhist culture. They are originally a type of female spirit of the clouds and waters, who later plays the role of a "nymph" or "fairy". They figure prominently in the sculpture, dance, literature and painting of many Indian and Southeast Asian cultures. See also {{tlit|sa|Devi}}, Deva (Hinduism) (a divine being or god in Hinduism), Deva (Buddhism) (a higher being in Buddhism) and Deva (Jainism) (a term used for heavenly beings in Jainism).

{{tlit|sa|Apsara}} are known as {{CJKV |p=Tiānshǐ|c=天使|j=天使|r=Tenshi}} or {{CJKV |p=Tiānrén|r=Tennin|c=天人|j=天人}}. Female Tennin are {{CJKV |p=Tiānnǚ|c=天女|j=天女|r=Tennyo}} and male Tiānnán are {{CJKV |p=Tiānnán|c=天男|j=天男|r=Tennan}}.

==History== ''Tennin'' are mentioned in Buddhist sutras,{{fact|date=January 2012}} and these descriptions form the basis for depictions of the beings in Japanese art, sculpture, and theater. They are usually pictured as unnaturally beautiful women either topless or dressed in ornate, colourful kimono (traditionally in five colours), exquisite jewelry, and stole-like, feathered, flowing scarves – called both ''Chányī'' / ''Tenne'' ({{lang|ja|衣}}, lit. a "Wrapping Raiment" or "Heavenly Raiment") and ''Yǔyī'' / ''Hagoromo'' ({{lang|ja|羽衣}}, lit. 'Feather{{bracket|ed}} Raiment') – that wrap loosely around their bodies (a parallel to the Christian Halo), as-well-as ''Gokō'' ({{lang|ja|後光}}, lit. 'back{{bracket|ground}} light' or 'aureole'; an actual halo) – the ''Húntiānlíng/Adaitenayao'' ({{zh|s=浑天绫|t=渾天綾}}, lit. "Armillary Sash"), worn by Nezha, from Chinese mythology, is also a kind of ''Chányī'' / ''Yǔyī''. They usually carry lotus blossoms as a symbol of enlightenment or play musical instruments such as the biwa, or flute.<ref name=c>{{cite web |title=Tennin |website=onmarkproductions.com |department=Gods of Japan, Buddhism |series=A-to-Z Photo Dictionary of Japanese Buddhism |quote=Both Buddhist & Shinto deities |url=http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/karyoubinga.html#tennin }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Hearn |first=Lafcadio |author-link=Koizumi Yakumo |year=1894 |title=Glimpses of an Unfamiliar Japan |isbn=978-1-4047-3071-7 |via=Project Gutenberg (Gutenberg.org) |url=https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/8130 |series=online book catalog }}</ref>

==Religion== ''Tennin'' ({{tlit|sa|Devatās}} in Buddhist mythology) are believed to live in the Buddhist heaven as the companions to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Devatās, or spirit beings, often have homes in nature, like trees, river bends, or stones. People believe their power can be captured in amulets, such as clothing or jewelry, to bring good luck and well-being. From the start, local Buddhist practices welcomed the worship of these spirits, which helped Buddhism spread throughout Asia.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Devatās, Nats, And Phii In South and Southeast Asia |url=https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/document/obo-9780195393521/obo-9780195393521-0229.xml |access-date=2024-11-06 |website=obo |language=en}}</ref>

==Powers== ''Tennin'' can fly, a fact generally indicated in art by their coloured or feathered kimono, called both {{tlit|ja|Tenne}} ({{lang|ja|纏衣}}, lit. a "Wrapping Raiment" or "Heavenly Raiment") and {{tlit|ja|Hagoromo}} ({{lang|ja|羽衣}}, lit. 'Feather[ed] Raiment').{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}} In some legends, ''tennin'' are unable to fly without these kimono (and thus cannot return to heaven).<ref name = "Noh">Waley, Arthur (1921), [http://www.sacred-texts.com/shi/npj/npj30.htm ''The Noh Plays of Japan'', Chapter V], p. 177, "A Note on Hagoromo"</ref> More rarely, they are shown with feathered wings.<ref name="c"/> In a Noh play ''Hagoromo'', which bears a number of similarities to the Western swan maiden legends,<ref>[http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/places/the_burren/connor_oquin.htm The Legend of Connor O'Quin and the Swan Maiden] at [http://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/places/the_burren/burren_folklore.htm Folklore of the Burren]</ref> ''tennyo'' come to the earth and take off their ''hagoromo''. A fisherman spies them and hides their clothes in order to force one to marry him. After some years he tells his wife what he did, and she finds her clothes and returns to heaven.<ref name="Noh" /> The legend says it occurred on the beach of Miho no Matsubara, now a part of the city of Shizuoka.

==References== {{reflist|2}}

== External links == * {{Wiktionary inline|tennin}} * {{Wiktionary inline|tennyo}} * {{Wiktionary inline|tenshi}}

Category:Buddhism in Japan Category:Buddhism in China Category:Fairies Category:Japanese legendary creatures Category:Chinese legendary creatures Category:Female legendary creatures Category:Supernatural legends Category:Buddhist gods Category:Swan maidens Category:Angels Category:Japanese Buddhist deities