FukurokujuThree-Stars-in-One Long-Headed Deity, Fukurokuju

Fukurokuju is the anthropomorphic deity that integrates the three Daoist stars of China (the Gods of Fortune, Wealth, and Longevity) into a single body^[1]. Among the three, the Star of Longevity (the Old Man of the South Pole = Canopus^[2]) is an ancient astronomical deity recorded in the astronomical chapters of the "Records of the Grand Historian" and the "Book of Jin," and a year in which it could be seen was said to augur world peace. The Star of Fortune was associated with Jupiter, and the Star of Wealth with the Wenchang star of the Big Dipper. Although each initially had its own independent following, the "Sanxingtu" (Three Stars Image), depicting them together, was established in the Song dynasty and popularized as New Year decorations for the masses throughout the Ming and Qing dynasties. The singular deity Fukurokuju is the anthropomorphized amalgamation of these three stars. Multiple origin tales coexist, including the theory that he is the incarnation of the Song Daoist Tiannanxing^[3], and the theory that he is the incarnation of the Old Man of the South Pole himself. His iconography depicts him as short in stature with an unusually elongated head, bearing a long white beard, attaching a scroll to the head of his staff, and accompanied by a crane or turtle. This is the epitome of Daoist iconography: the "short body and long head" are physical auspices of long life, the scroll signifies the mastery of the Dao, and the crane and turtle represent auspicious beasts of longevity. Introduced to Japan in the late Muromachi period (15th century) likely through Zen monks' travels to China and imported Daoist-Buddhist paintings, the Zen and painter-monk circles of the Higashiyama culture period^[4] reorganized him into the "Seven Gods of Fortune and Virtue." By combining the already indigenized Ebisu, Daikokuten, Bishamonten, and Benzaiten with the fellow imported deities Hotei and Jurojin, they grouped them as the seven fortune deities styled after the Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove—the prototype of the current Seven Lucky Gods. Fukurokuju's inherent dilemma lies in the problem of being the same entity under a different name as Jurojin; since both are incarnations of the Old Man of the South Pole, theories considering them the same deity have existed since ancient times. Although early modern popular encyclopedias like Kaibara Ekken's "Yamato Koto Hajime" list them as distinct entities, irregular Seven Lucky Gods variations replacing Jurojin with Kisshoten, Fukusuke, or Inari also circulated in Edo period Takarabune paintings. Because Fukurokuju simultaneously presides over three virtues (descendants, wealth, and longevity), he was favored for family celebrations by merchants and samurai. For longevity prayers by the clergy, however, Jurojin was often chosen. Their division of roles loosely converged in the late early-modern period as "the comprehensive fortune deity of the secular world (Fukurokuju)" and "the ascetic deity of longevity (Jurojin)."

Yokai with similar personality and characteristics to Three-Stars-in-One Long-Headed Deity, Fukurokuju

Inari

Inari, King of Faiths for Bountiful Harvests and Prosperous Business

91%

Compatibility

Juroujin

Juroujin, the Pure Sage of Longevity Accompanied by a Black Stag

90%

Compatibility

Sumiyoshi Sanjin

Guardian of the Sea & Waka Kami (Default)

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Compatibility

Yokai with opposite personality and characteristics to Three-Stars-in-One Long-Headed Deity, Fukurokuju

Iso-onna

The Embracing Woman of Kakara Island (Daki)

45%

Compatibility

Iso-onna

Nagashima Shore Princess (Isobime)

46%

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Ushi-no-koku Mairi (Cursing Rite at the Hour of the Ox)

Ritual Icon of the Cursing Hour

48%

Compatibility