I became Hokage in Tokyo

Chapters 332 and 333: The Trinity of the Lord of Mount Tai

Inside the National Diet Building in Chiyoda Ward, the lights were on and people were bustling about.

After the crisis of the Asakusa Incident was resolved, the cabinet members and other important figures who had been preparing to flee at any time in the suburbs of Tokyo moved to Chiyoda.

At this critical juncture in the nation's destiny, these elderly men have no choice but to grit their teeth, work late into the night, and deal with the ensuing mess.

"The open flames in Taitung District have all been extinguished."

"Besides Asakusa, Sumida Ward and Koto Ward also suffered varying degrees of damage, but thanks to timely evacuation, there were no civilian casualties."

"A crisis declaration has been issued, but such a major incident has caused widespread panic. Today and tomorrow are both workdays; should they be designated as holidays to reduce the risk?"

One by one, the officers and secretaries went back and forth, summarizing all sorts of information.

However, the group of bigwigs present seemed listless, yawning, perhaps due to staying up late.

Just then, a secretary in a black suit ran in from outside and whispered a few words in the prime minister's ear.

The prime minister, who was still dozing off, suddenly perked up and nodded excitedly.

"You can handle these trivial matters for now."

He led the way, getting up and walking outside, followed closely by a group of cabinet ministers and members of parliament, who swarmed out.

The lower-ranking officials present all turned their heads in disapproval.

What major event could possibly warrant such serious attention from a small group of powerful figures at the top of Japan's political pyramid?

The Prime Minister, accompanied by a dozen of the most powerful and influential figures, entered a small meeting room on the side of the Parliament House.

Inside stood a large, fat monk, two men dressed as Shinto priests, and a group of scholars and experts.

"These two are the head priest of Seimei Shrine and the retainer of Tsuchimikado Shinto."

"We have also invited the current abbot of the Tiantai sect."

"These are Dr. Kato and Professor Natsume from the Department of History at the University of Tokyo, who specialize in Japanese and East Asian religious mythology, and Professor Nagayama, an authority in the field of folklore!"

After the Prime Minister and the others were seated, the secretary immediately and attentively distributed the files.

After opening it, the Prime Minister looked at it carefully several times and nodded to his secretary.

"Several masters and experts, while we were on the way, we revealed to you top-secret information about the eruption of Mount Fuji and the Asakusa Incident."

The secretary announced methodically:

"The reason we have invited you here is to clarify the identity of the Lord of Mount Tai and how to better perform sacrifices to please him."

In gratitude for the great deeds of the Lord of Mount Tai in turning the tide and severing the connection between heaven and earth, the Japanese government immediately decided to hold a ceremony to worship this deity.

And it should be a grand affair.

They even prioritized this matter over the work of rebuilding Asakusa and calming people's hearts.

However, the identity of the Lord of Mount Tai remains shrouded in mystery to this day.

After those witnesses who had fainted from staring at the black sun regained consciousness, they all claimed to have glimpsed a dark emperor wearing a white bone crown and a black robe.

This aligns with the claim by the Toad Immortal that he was the Lord of Mount Tai.

However, the Holy Monk of the Land and Earth claimed that He was Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, while the Hell Messenger Cat Demon kept calling him Yama King.

The Lord of Mount Tai, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, and Yama, the King of Hell, each hold their own version of events.

While the most likely candidate is the Lord of Mount Tai, some clues from before, such as the Di Ting and the stone bowl in front of the Buddha, point to two other deities.

This left the Japanese government in a rather awkward position, like carrying a pig's head but not being able to find the temple gate.

If you worship the wrong deity and incur divine retribution, it's no laughing matter.

Therefore, it is of utmost importance to clarify the true names of the deities in the Black Sun.

The priest of Seimei Shrine and the man from Tsuchimikado Shinto exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with undisguised elation.

Although there has been no official announcement of the existence of supernatural beings, since the Sapporo Supernatural Battle, various rumors and speculations have already caused a great stir and uproar throughout Japan.

But those with a slightly sharper mind know that what follows is an unprecedented change.

Seimei Shrine and Tsuchimikado Shinto are insignificant groups in the Japanese religious world, merely making a living by relying on the popularity of Abe no Seimei.

After reading the official top-secret documents, I realized that the power of Abe no Seimei and Taizan Fukun was truly real.

If we can seize this opportunity and take the lead in this official grand ceremony, then we will truly soar to new heights!

"Tai, the Lord of Mount Tai is the head deity of the Abe family, and he was brought from Tang China by Abe no Nakamaro..."

As the head priest of the small shrine, it was the first time he had spoken in front of so many important figures, and he couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

He stammered and recited the text halfway through when the fat monk sneered and interrupted him mercilessly.

"What nonsense! Lord Taishan was clearly brought back to Japan by our Tiantai sect's Grand Master Ennin, and has absolutely no connection with Abe no Nakamaro. It's you Yin-Yang Daoists who are trying to glorify yourselves."

"How dare you slander our innocence out of thin air? What evidence do you have!" The deity was taken aback and said guiltily.

"Taishan Fujun is one of the guardian deities of our sect. The fourth abbot of our sect, the monk Anhui, built Chishan Zen Temple, which is the first temple in Japan to enshrine Taishan Fujun. Abe no Seimei was merely parroting what he said."

The portly monk quoted scriptures and spoke eloquently.

"Before the Taishan Fujun Festival, our sect's Flame Demon Heaven Offering Ceremony has a scripture that says: 'When you go to a house with an epidemic, recite the Taishan Fujun mantra more often,' and 'If the epidemic, illness, or malaria is cured, you can make offerings to the Taishan Fujun.'"

It must be said that the monks' ability to debate scriptures is truly remarkable, far surpassing the eclectic approach of Yin-Yang Taoism.

Moreover, the Tendai sect is a major sect in Japanese Buddhism, and the imposing aura of the fat monk as the head monk made Seimei Shrine and Tsuchimikado Shinto unable to raise their heads.

He single-handedly defeated the two Yin-Yang Daoists, leaving them utterly humiliated and red-faced.

"Ahem, everyone, please stop arguing for now."

The Prime Minister coughed and spoke slowly.

With his words, the fat monk did not press his advantage, but instead lowered his head and silently chanted Buddhist mantras.

"Master, you just said that the scriptures say reciting the Taishan Fujun mantra can cure illnesses without medicine. Is that true?"

The Prime Minister glanced at the documents in his hand and asked thoughtfully.

"Amitabha Buddha, monks do not lie."

It turns out that in addition to holding the power over life, death, and reincarnation, the Lord of Mount Tai also has the power to cure diseases.

The overlap between the two is becoming increasingly apparent.

Dr. Satomi's extraordinary healing abilities originated from this.

The prime minister touched his balding head, feeling that he had discovered the truth, and patted his thigh in satisfaction.

"I wonder what Professor Changshan and the other experts think? Is this the Lord of Mount Tai, or some other deity?"

The experts exchanged glances, and finally Professor Changshan stepped forward.

"We believe that He is Yama, the King of Hell, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, and the Lord of Mount Tai! A trinity!"

Professor Changshan carefully chose his words, speaking slowly and deliberately.

"Oh? What do you mean?" The Prime Minister's eyes lit up, and he asked with great interest.

"The 'Ten Kings Sutra on the Causes and Conditions of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's Aspiration' existed during the Kamakura period, claiming that Yama, the Great King of Hell, was an incarnation of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva. Now it seems that this claim was not unfounded."

Professor Changshan pondered for a moment, then analyzed with an air of seriousness: "Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva and Yama may both be incarnations of the Lord of Mount Tai."

The Prime Minister and the others sat upright, listening intently.

"In some ancient books from the Han Dynasty in China, the Buddhist Yama and the Lord of Mount Tai are equated with one god."

Professor Changshan explained in a methodical manner.

"Further considering that during the Asakusa Incident, the Toad Sage directly addressed the Hell Messenger as Lord Taishan, and the Train did not object, it is clear that he tacitly acknowledged that King Enma was Lord Taishan."

Yama, the King of Hell, and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva are incarnations of each other; Yama, the King of Hell, and the Lord of Mount Tai are one and the same.

Therefore, the Lord of Mount Tai is equivalent to Yama, the King of Hell, and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.

The bigwigs present suddenly realized what was going on and nodded repeatedly.

"I see."

"No wonder their powers are so similar; they are both lords of hell."

"The Trinity! Truly extraordinary!"

In fact, they were already inclined towards this possibility.

With the endorsement of Professor Changshan and other experts, it becomes even more convincing.

"..."

The other historians and mythologists exchanged glances, their lips twitching, their expressions slightly unnatural.

Professor Changshan's conclusions are not entirely fabricated.

Whether it's the "Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva's Aspiration and the Ten Kings Sutra" or equating Yama with the Lord of Mount Tai, both are historical fact.

However, from a mythological perspective, this was simply a missionary necessity.

When Buddhism was introduced to China, in order to cater to believers, it set its sights on the then-popular belief in the Lord of Mount Tai, who was believed to exorcise ghosts in the underworld.

The monks at that time took the initiative to translate "hell" as "Mount Tai," intentionally or unintentionally confusing Yama, the King of Hell, with the Lord of Mount Tai, in order to undermine the faith of the Lord of Mount Tai.

Once Buddhism gained a foothold, it immediately abandoned this view and demoted the Lord of Mount Tai to a position below Yama, the King of Hell.

The belief in the Lord of Mount Tai, which existed as early as the Qin and Han dynasties, was divided and absorbed by Taoism and Buddhism, and gradually disappeared.

Professor Changshan's conclusion, from an academic point of view, is far-fetched and would certainly be met with a storm of criticism if published as a paper.

But times have changed. The Lord of Mount Tai himself has taken action. Is there any stronger evidence than this?!

Facts speak louder than words; scholarship is not just theoretical discussion, and it cannot change reality.

Based on the existing evidence, the possibility that the three beings—the Lord of Mount Tai, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, and Yama—are one and the highest is that they are one.

"Alright, it's decided that it will be Lord Taishan!"

The Prime Minister and other high-ranking officials whispered among themselves and discussed the matter enthusiastically for a long time before finally deciding on the plan to offer sacrifices to the Lord of Mount Tai.

"Since it is the Lord of Mount Tai, then a ceremony to honor the Lord of Mount Tai must be held."

"The Taishan Prefecture Lord's Sacrifice alone is not enough to express our gratitude and sincerity. Shall we go a step further and hold a Heavenly Court and Underworld Sacrifice?"

"The Heavenly Court and the Underworld Festival, wasn't that held only after the Emperor ascended the throne? His Majesty has only been on the throne for a few years, and you... are truly committing treason."

"Reissue, I mean reissue! Don't misunderstand me."

The Prime Minister and his entourage were much more enthusiastic and energetic than when they were in the Parliament building earlier.

Compared to handling national affairs, worshipping the Lord of Mount Tai was more important.

"The shrine priest, and the representative of Tsuchimikado."

The Prime Minister's eyes flashed, and he asked meaningfully.

"I wonder if you still possess the methods for holding the Taishan Fujun Festival?"

The shrine priest and the representative of Tsuchimikado looked at each other in silence.

The Taishan Fujun Festival was abolished during the Meiji era and hasn't been held for over a hundred years. It's only natural that a small family like theirs would have lost the tradition long ago.

"Of course... we have preserved the ceremony of holding the Taishan Fujun Festival intact."

The deity gritted his teeth and, with audacity, lied.

The official opportunity to re-enact the Taishan Fujun Festival is a once-in-a-millennium event, and we must seize it. At worst, we can just cobble together a set of rituals from ancient texts to fool people.

"I'm not talking about that kind of Taishan Fujun Festival, but another kind of 'Taishan Fujun Festival'."

The Prime Minister's words immediately made the eyes of the other bigwigs gleam with a wolf-like green light.

It wasn't just the Uchiha Immortal Sect that had heard of another kind of Mount Tai Lord Festival.

The Prime Minister was not referring to the ritualistic Taishan Fujun Ceremony for praying for blessings and warding off disasters, but rather to the legendary supreme secret art of Yin-Yang Taoism, which is said to be able to prolong life and even bring people back to life.

"this……"

After realizing what had happened, the head priest of Seimei Shrine stammered, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

If it were to ordinary believers, the deity would certainly dare to exaggerate.

However, anyone in the conference room could crush him with a flick of their finger, and if he made a boast but couldn't deliver, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Ugh."

Seeing that the shrine maiden and Tsuchimikado were pale and trembling like leaves, the prime minister's face showed obvious disappointment.

"Send these masters and experts down to rest, and then consult with them on the preparations for the Taishan Fujun Festival."

The Prime Minister waved his hand, and several men in black suits stepped forward and led everyone away.

A minister with graying hair, looking somewhat anxious, approached the prime minister and said:

"Is there really no way to perform the Taishan Fujun ritual to prolong life?"

"It's something you can only encounter by chance, not something you can seek out."

The Prime Minister shook his head.

"However, I have already sent people to search the Seimei Shrine, hoping to find valuable clues, not just the magic of the Taizan Fujun Festival, but it would be even better if there were any traces of Abe no Seimei."

Abe no Seimei was not only the inventor of the Taishan Fujun Festival, but also the most powerful Onmyoji in history.

A thousand years ago, during the Heian period, the one who sealed Princess Kaguya within Mount Fuji was Abe no Seimei.

The love-hate entanglement between Abe no Seimei and Princess Kaguya is a fascinating and intriguing story that leaves one wanting more.

"What tasks remain to be completed?"

The Prime Minister turned to his secretary and asked.

"Your Excellency, the press conference to announce this extraordinary event to the world has already invited the BBC, Kyodo News..."

The secretary rattled off a list of world-renowned television stations.

"That's enough, that's enough."

The Prime Minister interrupted his secretary's speech with a lack of interest, which seemed to indicate a "what's the use" attitude.

"It's such a small matter..."

(End of this chapter)