Jurojin- Japanese GodDeity"God of Longevity"
Also known as: Jurōjin and 寿老人
Description
An ancient sage who carries a scroll inscribed with the lifespans of every living being, and a deer, emblem of immortality, walks at his side. Derived from the Chinese cult of the South Pole Star, Jurōjin is the quiet wisdom of a life that simply refuses to end.
Mythology & Lore
The Old Man of the South Pole
Jurōjin originates in the Chinese cult of the Old Man of the South Pole (Nánjí Lǎoxīān), a stellar deity personifying Canopus. In Chinese astronomical belief, this bright star in the southern sky governed human lifespans: its visibility portended peace and longevity for the realm, while its obscuration signaled misfortune. The deity who personified this star took the form of an aged sage of extraordinary age. He entered Japanese worship during the Muromachi period as one of the Shichifukujin, the Seven Lucky Gods.
The Scroll of Lifespans
Jurōjin appears as a benevolent old man with a long white beard, wearing Chinese scholarly robes and a cloth cap. He carries a walking staff, and a deer walks beside him.
His most distinctive attribute is the scroll he carries, either in his hand or tied to his staff. The scroll contains the record of every living being's allotted lifespan. Worshippers petition Jurōjin to add years to their entries, hoping the keeper of the scroll might amend the record in their favor. The scroll names the length of every life, and the old man holds it lightly, as if it weighed nothing at all.
Relationships
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