Spirit of the Inkstone

sue-ZOO-ree no tah-mah-SHEE

Spirit of the Inkstone

sue-ZOO-ree no tah-mah-SHEE

Basic Description

A spirit dwelling in an inkstone, illustrated by Toriyama Sekien in Konjaku Hyakki Shūi. It tells of a person who cherished an inkstone made from Akamagaseki stone; dozing while reading The Tale of the Heike, they saw the inkstone’s surface turn to sea and the Genpei War unfold upon it. The Chinese anecdote of Xu Xianzhi, who witnessed tiny armored figures upon his inkstone, is often cited in parallel. Later generations also interpreted it as a tsukumogami—an implement that gains a spirit with age.

Folklore & Legends

Sekien’s caption explains that waves rose upon the desk’s inkstone, revealing a scene like the Genpei battles. Commentators link this to the Heike clan’s fall at Dan-no-ura and the inkstone stone quarried at Akamagaseki, inviting associations with vengeful spirits. The tale of the Chinese scholar Xu Xianzhi, who during night reading saw minute armored warriors appear upon his desk and inkstone, is recorded in works such as Ihon Jitsuroku and is often cited as a counterpart to the Japanese account.

Detailed Analysis

For more detailed information and diagnosis results about 伝統図像・文房霊, please click here.

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