Gozan No Okuribi, “Daimonji” Five Mountain Send-off Bonfires

In Kyoto, five beautiful bonfires in the shape of Chinese characters, “Kanji”, which are used in Japan, are lit on the mountainsides surrounding the city to send the ancestral spirits that had returned to this world back to the “Other side”. This is an ancient folk festival that marks the end of Obon, and is believed to be a time for the dead to return to the spirit world. The name of the festival is Okuribi (送り火), the Buddhist Festival of the Dead. This festival has been continued for more than 300 years in Kyoto. Here is the list of five mountains and the characters of each of the fires.

1. Daimonji (大文字), the character meaning "large" or "great:"
    on Daimonji-Yama/Higashi-Yama, Nyoigatake at 8:00PM
2. My?/H? (妙・法), the characters meaning "excellent law"
    on Matsugasaki, Nishi-Yama/Higashi-Yama at 8:10PM
3. Funagata (舟形), the shape of a boat:
    on Nishigamo, Funa-Yama at 8:15PM
4. Hidari Daimonji (左大文字), again, the character meaning "large:"
    on Daihoku-San, Hidaridaimonji-San at 8:15PM
5. Toriigata (鳥居形), the shape of a torii or shrine gate:
    on Toriimoto, Mandara-San at 8:20PM

I had a chance to see the Daimonji Festival for the first time from our university, Doshisha in Kyoto. We could see four of all five of the fires from the roof of one of the buildings of the university with three Chinese students and two of them were exchange students from the MBA course of Xi’an JiaoTong University in China.

First of all, the “大” (Dai) fire was started, which is the largest character at 8:00PM. It was so large and clear to see. Ten minutes later, two characters “妙・法” (Myo/Ho) were lit at the same time in the same direction. Then the “舟形” (Funagata) fire was started, but we wondered why the boat was in the mountain. I think it will send the spirits to the spirit world by boat. Finally, the other “大” (Left Dai) was lit. This is the same kanji character as the first Dai, but the shape is a little different from the other and it is located on the other mountain further away from us. According to the news paper of the following day this, one of the four major festivals in Kyoto, had around 100,000 people visit from many places in Japan. Fortunately, we could really enjoy watching the five fires in the four mountains from the hidden place which had very few people in the extremely hot summer in Kyoto.

 

 

 

I would like to introduce about two articles written by the exchange students, after they participated in this festival as follows:

 

A Beautiful Poem of Summer Night　(written by Jennifer)
I stand for the China Xi'an JiaoTong University international exchange students arrived at the Kyoto almost 3 months. In this period of time ,I except felt cross- culture, the most unforgettable experience was caught up with the Gozan no Okuribi (五山送り火), more commonly known as Daimonji (大文字), is one of the iconic festivals of Kyoto. It is the culmination of the O-Bon festival on August 16th.
      I and my friend set out at 6 PM on August 16th evening , left for the DOSHISHA  Business School where have arranged with Mr. YASU. On the way to DBS, we saw above the bank of Kamo River crowded with people who expect to the Gozan no Okuribi would start at 8 PM. It is completely different from the usual peaceful atmosphere.
     We mounted the steps of the highest building of DOSHISHA University, standing the roof, was waiting for the Gozan no Okuribi starting. Starting at 8PM, the giant bonfires were lit, each with a distinctive shape. Three of the fires form giant Chinese characters, and two form familiar shapes. Its represented for Daimonji (大文字), My?/H? (妙・法), Funagata (舟形), Hidari Daimonji (左大文字) and Toriigata (鳥居形), respectively. When the fire was taken turn to light, the entire night sky was illumined by the firing form giant Chinese characters. We surprise for the magnificence of the Daimonji, just taken many photographs, wanted to record this beautiful scene.
We gone through the process of Gozan no Okuribi, at the meantime felt the Japanese attach importance to the tradition. From numerous local populaces on the way, to the local mass media reported on regarding the Gozan no Okuribi, I was aware of respect for the traditional festival by Japanese. Although the Japanese economy is very developed, the Japanese actually want to develop the state economy with retaining themselves culture! Therefore, compare with their economy, Japanese take proud of own country culture. My Japanese classmate told me when I just arrived at Japan: KYOTO will happen to the Gozan no Okuribi after 2 months. Please remember to look! Whenever my Japanese friends mention to the Japanese culture, they easy to break through his primness, becomes exciting. The Japanese respect the tradition, inherit the tradition, and willing to discuss and propagandize their country tradition.
To be honest, when we saw the beautiful scene of Gozan no Okuribi, It is remarkable that not only lit several piles of fires. I hear of the Kyoto Government was framed the strict bill to control the urban district building (The highest construction not to be allowed to surpass ten floors), in order to the field of Gozan no Okuribi vision would not be disturb by the modern construction. And the human were responsible for lighting on the hilltop who kept the kindling and firewood piles already two days and nights. These laborious works is the service personals. They were volunteers, do not gain the rewards. Therefore such one holiday's inheritances, from the government apparatus to the populace, have made much effort together. Thence more and more people could able to see the Gozan no Okuribi. This is precise performance that the Japanese inherit historical. 
       I would remember forever: On the August 16th 2008 night, the Gozan no Okuribi cut through the night sky of KYOTO, the flaming firelight looked like a beautiful poem of summer night.
I should thanks to Mr. YASU and other Japanese friends provided us for arrangement. Thanks a lot!

 

 

Some experience and feelings of Japanese Daimonji festival  (written by ZhaoWeiJia)

I was invited by Mr. Yasu to visiting Japanese traditional festival?Daimonji, I‘ve no idea about this festival at first, just for curious I went to watch this ceremony.
From their introduction, I knew that Daimonji festival is one of the famous ceremonies in Kyoto of Japan, and we watch the whole process of ceremony in a very special place, where is an excellent view for watch the fires, so that we can see all of the five giant bonfires are lit on mountains surrounding the city. It signifies the moment when the spirits of deceased family members, who are said to visit this world during O-Bon, are believed to be returning to the spirit world. The most famous?and the first to be lit?is the character dai (大), on Kyoto's Daimonji mountain. The other four fires are lit at five to ten-minute intervals, and by 8:30, all the characters can be seen. Each bonfire lasts for 30 minutes.
When I knew the fire lit just for ancestors, I feel a little shock, not only because Japanese pay much attention on this festival, but there are so many Japanese whom came from different area for joined in the ceremony. In china, we have some ceremony for memory ancestor, but few of the citizens participate in it, what a sharp contrast
From these kinds of Japanese ceremony, I feel the conformity culture again, because most of the Japanese attach close importance to the traditional culture, and some of them wear Japanese traditional clothes to watching the festival. In my opinion, Japanese government and citizen dedicate themselves to keep traditional culture, they keep the old shrin so well and they keep so many traditional festival and ceremony. Japanese is the developed country which the world’s second largest GDP and famous for high-tech technology, but they keep their traditional cultural so well and deeply impression generation by generation, I think it is a really interesting and thought-provoking phenomenon, of course, this point should be learned by Chinese.
At present, china in a rapid development stage, especially after 1980’s economic reform, for strengthen Chinese economic, government and citizen introduced a lot of western management way, these new western thinking and behavior way, its really lashed Chinese mind. Of course, after economic reform, Chinese gain a outstanding achievement, not only in economic area, but also in political area, which promote Chinese status in the worldwide. Meanwhile, Chinese throw away lot of traditional culture, more and more Chinese young generation like the western festival but not Chinese traditional festival, they also don’t like traditional cloth such as cheongsam, more of young people prefer to jeans or sexy T-shirt.
Maybe Chinese government realized something wrong, so changed some modern festival days, try to keep traditional festival day, which for keep traditional culture and educate young generation, let them learn more Chinese history and culture.
So, for me, we should learn the high-tech technology and advanced management way from Japan, we still should learn more how to management a country’s culture and how to keep the features.

Comments

[Tory Burch Outlet]

They asked many questions besides those. They said most of them have never thought about their occupation because they don’t yet know what they can do. I was the same in my high school days, but it's important to start to think about it even if it changes later.