黄泉国的禁忌——日本神话中火的寓意

Taboos in the Kingdom of Yomi:The Symbolic Meaning of Fire in Japanese Mythology

伊邪那美因生火之迦具土而命丧黄泉,“火之迦具土”一名不仅有火神含义,也形象地体现了灶神的概念,火的出现意味着社会步入熟食时代。伊邪那岐斩杀火神后进入黄泉国,“黄泉”一名与食物有关,并且该国的禁忌就体现在禁止用火,黄泉国是生食时代的神话记忆。因此,火改变饮食观念被描述为火之迦具土被斩杀、兄妹诀别的场景。

Izanami met her demise in the underworld due to the birth of Kagutsuchi. The name "Kagutsuchi" not only conveys the meaning of the fire god but also vividly embodies the concept of the hearth deity. The advent of fire signifies society's transition into the era of cooked food. After Izanagi slew the fire god and ventured into the land of Yomi, the name "Yomi" pertains to sustenance, and taboos of this realm are reflected in the prohibition of fire usage. Yomi serves as a mythological remembrance of the age of raw sustenance. Hence, the transformation in dietary perspectives induced by fire is depicted as the event of Kagutsuchi's demise and the siblings' parting.