Abe no Seimei (February 21, 921 AD – October 31, 1005), also known as Doujimaru, was a Japanese onmyōji, a court official and specialist of Onmyōdō, during the middle of the Heian period. In addition to his prominence in history, he is a legendary figure in Japanese folklore. He has been portrayed in several stories and films. Seimei worked as an onmyōji for emperors and the Heian government, advising on the spiritually correct way to deal with issues. He prayed for the well-being of emperors and the government and advised on various issues. He was also an astrologer and predicted astrological events. He lived a long life of 84 years, free from any major illness, contributing to the popular belief that he had mystical powers. Seimei’s life is well recorded, and there is little to question about his existence. Immediately after his death, however, legends arose much like those surrounding Merlin. Many legends of Seimei were originally written in the Konjaku Monogatarishū, and by the Edo period, many stories in circulation focused on his heroic acts.
First Appearance Historical figure (b. 921 – d. 1005)
First Publisher ○
Appearance List Literature: The Tale of Genji (1021), Konjaku Monogatarishū (Tales of Times Now Past: Sixty-Two Stories from a Medieval Japanese Collection, Translated 1979), Legend in Japanese Art (1908), Stories Behind Noh and Kabuki Plays (1962)
Sample Read Konjaku Monogatarishū (Tales of Times Now Past: Sixty-Two Stories from a Medieval Japanese Collection, Translated 1979) [Web]
Description Abe no Seimei (February 21, 921 AD – October 31, 1005), also known as Doujimaru, was a Japanese onmyōji, a court official and specialist of Onmyōdō, during the middle of the Heian period. In addition to his prominence in history, he is a legendary figure in Japanese folklore. He has been portrayed in several stories and films. Seimei worked as an onmyōji for emperors and the Heian government, advising on the spiritually correct way to deal with issues. He prayed for the well-being of emperors and the government and advised on various issues. He was also an astrologer and predicted astrological events. He lived a long life of 84 years, free from any major illness, contributing to the popular belief that he had mystical powers. Seimei’s life is well recorded, and there is little to question about his existence. Immediately after his death, however, legends arose much like those surrounding Merlin. Many legends of Seimei were originally written in the Konjaku Monogatarishū, and by the Edo period, many stories in circulation focused on his heroic acts.
Thirty-two Aspects of Martial Valor (Buyû sanjûni sô): (clockwise from top) Abe no Seimei, Hôjô Takatoki, Uesugi Kenshin, Higo no kami Kiyomasa, Nyosan no Miya, Mutsu no kami Hidehira, and Saemon no jô Fujitsuna (1868) | Utagawa Yoshifuji
