Attitudes toward celestial events in Tokugawa Japan

Abstract

This chapter seeks to answer these questions by depicting as concretely as possible the ways in which people confronted celestial events, in particular comets and solar and lunar eclipses. It focuses on events such as comets and eclipses that occurred with comparatively greater frequency. During the medieval period, specialists concerned with celestial events developed skills that allowed them to predict the timing of solar and lunar eclipses. The first instance in which a solar eclipse was predicted was in 691, during the fifth year of the reign of Empress Jito. Later, during the Heian period, almanacs such as the guchu-reki emerged, indicating not only lucky and unlucky days, but the dates of predicted solar and lunar eclipses. Celestial events, beginning with comets, were thought to be one way in which heaven could express its displeasure with instances of misrule. They reflected the rebukes and anger of people oppressed by their governing officials.