Hanya mask tattoo meaning for men. Japanese tattoos and their meaning

Masks for Noh theater and temples rituals and street festivals -鬼面 "Onii-man."

1. 大鬼神 - DAIKIJIN- “Great demon gods”, they are "Zenkishin" 善鬼神 (“Good demons” in their relativity).

Represent one of 8 demon gods of Shugendo (Buddhism + Shintoism + Taoism - the main religion of Japan), capable of changing their appearance (like all “they”), while the essences of heaven and earth are hostile to each other - 4 to 4 or 5 to 3. This devas, nagas, asuras, ohas, garudas, gandharvas, kinnaras and mahoragas, specifically in the person of:

1) 梵天 , 弁才天 - Bonten, Benten.Benten is equal to the Indian/Buddhist Saraswati - the goddess of highest wisdom, also one of the 7 gods of happiness (patronizes music), at the same time, is associated with the Shinto goddess of death - Izanami, who, having been kind and good during life, died and became terrible vengeful. In the angry aspect, she is depicted with eight arms, with her head entwined with a white snake, which brings her closer to the image of a spider-snake (i.e., the image closest to the earth).

It is no coincidence that her peaceful appearance with a lute/biwa can often be found on Yakuza backs, like the Hannya mask般若 . Because Saraswati is again a hypostasis of Prajna Devi(Hannya) - the mother of everything - both heavenly and earthly, the two-faced goddess is yin-yang (as well as the good and evil forms of Shakti). Although Buddhists will swear that this is the enlightened wisdom of the Buddha, they cannot answer why Hannya is a demon.

2) 竜王 - Ryuuou."Dragon King" is Nag(a/a), associated in Shinto with Yamata Orochi, in the form of a snake with a human torso and a human head, covered on top with a fan of snake heads, living in caves and reservoirs, on the ground, in the water or underground, representing the “wisdom of the earth.” This is also a female form - a Shinja mask, or Jia or Maija 舞蛇 (Dancing Snake) with protruding fangs and no ears:

3) 夜叉 - Yasha.He's Indian Me ksha may be harmless forest demon/spirit - “Lord of the forest”, or maybe a cannibal vampire bearing divine punishment. The mask in ancient images is closer to the Shinja with protruding fangs and horns:

In later variations, closer to a dog's face:

4) 乾闥婆 - Kendatsuba. Gandharvas. This is a whole class of male half-devas, half-animals at the same time, serving to carry out the whims and orders of the devas, on which their earthly or heavenly disposition depends. In the first case - enemies-tempters of people who have taken the path of “enlightenment”. These are both air spirits and spirits of forests and waters.

5) 阿修羅 - Ashura (Asyura)- Asuras. Demons of anger, rage and madness. " Having become proud of their power and wisdom, the asuras became filled with evil and were thrown out of heaven by the gods” (this is akin to Susanoo’s divorce from Amaterasu).

6) 迦楼羅 - Karura.Those. Garuda is the “all-consuming sun”, the riding bird of Vishnu (the deva of the heavenly warehouse) - the enemy of the Asuras, and is the enemy of the wisdom of the Nagas, while being called the “enlightened mind” (namely enlightened), i.e. incinerating the unbelievers and those who do not bow to God. The patroness of Buddhism, which displaces Shintoism and all sorts of demons that are contrary to Buddha. True heavenly evil, in short x)

7) 緊那羅 - Kinnara.Kimnara, Kimpurusha - birds and lions with a human face or the whole body.Heavenly servants of Buddha.

8) 摩 - 羅伽 - Magoraka, Makoraka. Mahoragas, creatures related to nagas, i.e. cobra snakes capable of appearing human, but in the service of Vishnu/Buddha.

The last 5 do not have their own mask, and use the common scary “Daikijin” mask:

2. 紅葉鬼 - MOMIJI-ONI- "Daemon maple leaves».

A certain demon of beautiful red maple leaves. There are people who are afraid of sakura, and there are maple leaves, and this is what this fear is. It was once believed that a terrible cannibal lived in maples, thanks to which the leaves acquired their bloody color.

Tanka Takayama Kaoru 高山薫:

鬼怒川の Kinugawa no

川面に写る Kawamo ni utsuru

山々の Yama-yama no

色深みゆく Irofukami yuku

峯の紅葉葉 Mine no momijiba.

"Along the river of demonic anger,

Mountains of maple leaves are floating,

Sprinkling the reflections in it with its own color"

3. ナマハゲ NAMAHAGE- “The Demon of Harsh Life.” New Year's demon-auditor. A cannibal from the mountains with sawed-off fangs and horns. This is akin to buffoons, a couple of mummers in Namahage, walking through the streets and shouting “Down with the lazy!”, breaking into houses and demanding food and drink, while scaring children and girls. The owner must feed them to prove that he lived all year, working diligently and not being lazy. The demons calmed by this leave until next year. This ritual is considered a guarantee of health and prosperity for the new year.

4. 鬼太鼓面 ONDEKO-MAN- “Drum Demon.” The drum and costume of the blonde demon (or demoness, the mask has horns) depicts the sign of 3 commas - “heaven-earth-man”, or maintaining the yin-yang equality. The "demon" dances a demonic dance to the sound of a demonic drum, periodically hitting the drum. In theory, this is a ritual dance, akin to a shaman’s, designed to promote the fertility of the earth, i.e. abundant harvest and prosperity.

Not so much an official presentation of No, but an original folk one, like the previous one:

5. 鬼怒面 KIDO-MAN- “Demon of Wrath.” I didn’t find any information about him, except for the mask itself, akin to Kurohige and Akudjou. Bald brunette bearded man without horns:

6. 緑鬼面　 RYOKUKI-MAN,鬼面盃 KIMENSAZUKI- “green demon” or “dish demon”. The mask has 2 fangs and a compressed mouth. The ancient legend is unknown, but now it is believed that the image of this face under the bottom of the plate and a happy face at the bottom brings good luck, it’s like “There is happiness from the hands of demons.” Or:「手の内に福を収めて、鬼は外」 (Te no uchi ni fuku o osamete, oni wa soto) - “The demon is outside - luck is in the hands.” Sometimes they eat from it all year, and on February 3, the day of cleansing from demonic evil in oneself and around, it is broken.In this case, the dishes should ideally be green (but this is not always observed), which itself is a guarantee of well-being:

7. 酒呑童子 SHUTEN-DOUJI- "Drinking boy." Appeared somewhere in 794. His story is complicated, some researchers believe he is the son of Susanoo from the girl he saved from Yamata Orochi. Susanoo built them a house on the outskirts of Izumo - the entrance to the land of the dead of his mother Izanami, but he himself went on further campaigns, and from birth his son began to drink sake, drank in liters, and at the same time he was terribly strong and wise. The mother retreated somewhere. By the way, it is curious that the Serpent Yamata Orochi was given sake before this, so who was the son born into...? X)In general, Yamata Orochi is a hypostasis of Susanoo, in fact, but the Japanese themselves do not know the truth of this allegory. In general, by the age of 3 the boy had already become a wonderful young man and a ladies' man, all the local girls hung themselves for him. The monks began to be embarrassed by his behavior and dubbed him a demon, apparently of debauchery.

According to another version, he was the son of Yamata Orochi and some girl, he was distinguished by super strength, he robbed the cities until he was killed Minamoto Yorimitsu from the heavenly forces of Amaterasu.

According to the third, neither one nor the other, but simply the son of a blacksmith, whose parents sent him to a monastery as unnecessary in the province of Echigo - the homeland of Uesugi Kenshin. There are many more versions, but there is little meaning in them, it is only known that he served as a prototype for the mass of legendary strongmen from birth and despised demon children. He is also Shoujou - the red-haired sake demon:

But mostly portrayed as all "them", with closeness to the Shinja -

8. 虎熊童子 TORA-KUMA-DOUJI - "Tiger-Bear Boy"熊童子 KUMA-DOUJI- "Bear Boy"金熊童子 KANE-KUMA-DOUJI - “golden bear boy” (hence Kintaro),大毛童子 DAIMO-DOUJI“Strong-haired boy,” - going back to the previous one, strong children. Or Susanoo probably had more than one son, and they are all considered born demons.

9. 青鬼 AO-ONI And 赤鬼 AKA-THEY(Shakki) - Blue and red demons.

Brothers, almost twins.A collective image from previous ones, in the 20th century they were popularized by certain writers-brothers-cartoonists, known under the same names: Yamane Aoooni and Yamane Akaoni (1934). Having become unique symbols of Japan, they can be buffoons, they can be mischievous, they can be crybabies due to the fact that people don’t want to play with them and they have to live in the mountains.

And sometimes “they” look like this x):

(By the way, it was from this sledgehammer that the gangster idea of ​​driving nails into a bat developed.

And male femininity, widespread since ancient times, began with the fact that everything horned “they” come from the female gender. Warriors deliberately approached the erasure of the edges of sex in order to achieve higher wisdom and strength. Hence all these fans, umbrellas, pipes, long hair, chic kimonos, manners, etc., which can be seen both in theater performances and in any at least somewhat historical anime)

Also, Red and Blue demons are used in Buddhist and Shinto rites of exorcism, masks close to Shinja:

10. KOKKI (KURO-ONI) 黒鬼 - “Black Demon”, sometimes 3rd to 2nd previous. With a small hammer, some say, he uses it to knock the stupidity out of people's heads x)

According to another version, the demon of battles, in samurai armor, holds a sword and rope - lassoes her into hell. Sometimes paired with a shakki (red demon) they dance the dance of mortal combat:

11. 生成 NAMANARI- “Reborn”. This is a state that precedes the formation of Hannya or Shinja; the mask grows fangs and horns. This is the ghost of an unfortunate woman who died or committed suicide. Feeling unavenged, she does not rest in peace, but from yurei turns into a great demoness of Yin nature, and punishes the guilty, then the innocent, until someone calms her down.

12. 山姥 YAMANBA- “Mountain Witch.” Known since the Heian era. Another hypostasis of a wild woman, akin to our Baba Yaga, who went to live as a hermit in a hut in the forest mountains. It eats lost travelers, whom it lures by turning into a beauty. Sometimes, calling himself a guide, he leads them into steep rocks and pushes them into the abyss. Capable of turning her hair into poisonous snakes, stinging the victim. Stealing children, in general, since ancient times, all human disappearances have been blamed on her. There are cases when a witch shares her secret knowledge with any person if he delivers another person to her to be devoured, or is capable of some other exchange. In other myths, she is simply an eternally lonely hermit living in harmony with nature.

In one of the dramas of the Noh theater, its founder Zeami Motokiyo, presented Yamanba as a nanny who raised the great hero (which is tantamount to the demon of war) - Sakata-no-Kietaki (aka the prototype of Sakata Gintoki from Gintama), and his prototype is also Kintaro, also Shuten Douji, i.e. child of Susanoo or Yamata Orochi.

13. 黒髭 KUROHIGE- “Blackbeard.” Something like our Chernomor. The hermit sorcerer or demon god of the earth also has connections with snakes, the mask has no ears. Could be a dragon living in the sea. He is sometimes called the patron god of Noh theater itself.

14 鬼武悪 ONI-BUAKU- “Demon of the Evil Warrior.”

Goes back to the evil old man Akudjou, his next stage of transition from the ghost of an evil male warrior into a demon who haunts his sons after the death so that they avenge him, like the shadow of Hamlet's father.

15. 烏天狗 KARASU-TENGU- “Tengu Raven” is the patron of dark ninjas.

Modern young Japanese, apparently under the influence of Western European tradition, often prefer tattoos of a somewhat negative and provocative nature. But if in the subcultures of Western youth there is an element of Satanism and necromancy in its Christian meaning, then the Japanese adhere to their traditional beliefs in demonic creatures, which are widely represented in Buddhism, Shinto and in folk tales and superstitions.

They- V Japanese mythology This is the name given to evil humanoid monsters similar to Christian devils and demons. They have red, blue, green or black skin, are crowned with horns, and huge fangs protrude from their mouths. They feed on human flesh and are difficult to kill in battle because severed body parts grow back into place.
There is a belief that a bad person can turn into a demon - They. Especially often in fairy tales, jealous and grumpy wives with horns growing on their heads turn into such monsters.
In Japan, on February 3, a ceremony to exorcise demons is held - They to Jigoku (to Hell). On the Setsubun holiday, the Japanese throw soybeans over the threshold of their houses (it is believed that They hate soy) and shout: “ They leaving! Blessings are coming! They symbolize illnesses and failures that should be gotten rid of. Actors take part in the festive festivities scary masks demons - They. In theatrical productions They are defeated by heroes, or, like servants of the god of death, drag sinners to hell.
If we talk about tattoos, then here They have a protective function. In some legends, these demons serve as protectors of worthy people and punish bad ones. So, for example, if we talk about the yakuza, such tattoos are made by those who kill people the yakuza dislikes, or are engaged in collecting debts.

Radzin - god of thunder

There are many types of demons in Japanese folklore, and sometimes it is quite difficult to tell which demon a particular tattoo represents. However, some are identifiable.
Radzin- god of thunder. Very often mentioned with the wind god Fujin. Depicted as a ferocious horned demon, often tearing a scroll with its teeth. However, he is a positive deity, the protector of the Buddhist faith.

Ondeko-man

Ondeko-man. He is also called Oni-daiko ("demon dancing to the drum"). He is depicted dancing a demonic dance while accompanying himself on drums. You can recognize this demon by its round mons (signs) with the image of three commas, symbolizing “heaven - earth - man” or maintaining the equality of yin and yang. Dancers-drummers in costumes and masks depicting this demon often perform at various Japanese festivals. The ritual dance is intended to promote soil fertility, harvests and prosperity. There appears to be a connection between this demon and Radzin, and Ondeko-men may be one of the forms of this thunder deity.

Meaning of the Chania Mask tattoo

Hanya or Hannya is an ugly horned and fanged demon in Japanese folklore, into which a vengeful and jealous woman has turned. This character is used in some Japanese Noh plays. The Hanya mask is also used in festivals and Shinto rituals, symbolizing vice. Very often depicted on tattoos, but clearly not in a negative way. There is a version that the image of this demon was borrowed from Tibetan culture, where the origins of many Japanese mythological creatures come from. In Tibet, it was the guardian of Buddhism, and “hannya” means the same thing as “prana” - “wisdom”. Often, cherry blossoms, a snake and a bell are depicted along with the Chanya mask.

Japanese demon Yaksha

In these tattoos, Yakshas are shown as bloodthirsty spirits carrying severed heads.

Yaksha - this demon was borrowed by the Japanese from Hindu mythology. There they were beautiful semi-divine creatures, born from the feet of Brahma along with demons - rickshasas, but, unlike the first, they were servants of the gods. However, they were often dangerous for people. Yakshini, the female variety of Yaksha, drank the blood of children and ate human flesh. Among the Japanese, the yaksha became a vampire - a cannibal into whom people who deserve the punishment of the gods turn. On the other hand, a yaksha can be a harmless “goblin” - “Master of the Forest.”

Rokurokubi

Rokurokubi Demon Tattoo

Japanese fox demons - Kitsune

Kitsune. The image of a fox-werewolf penetrated into Japanese folklore from China, where it developed in ancient times. In China, these creatures are called huli-jing, and in Korea - kumiho. In Japanese folklore, a kitsune is a type of yokai (demonic creature). Kitsune are intelligent and knowledgeable, and can live for a very long time. The tail of this werewolf is a necessary attribute for creating illusions, and the older and stronger the fox, the more tails it has. Their number can reach up to nine.
According to legends, these animals have magical powers and are able to transform into humans - they usually take the form of seductive beauties, but can take the form of old people. They most often use these abilities to deceive people, and like vampires, they feed on human vitality and spiritual force. They are also capable of inhabiting other people's bodies and creating illusions that are indistinguishable from reality. However, kitsune often perform good deeds, and, unlike Chinese and Korean traditions, they are not evil demons - cannibals.
In the Shinto religion, kitsune are messengers of the god of rice fields and entrepreneurship, Inari, who himself is depicted as a fox. When Shinto mythology was mixed with Buddhism, the fox received, in accordance with Chinese ideas, demonic functions, but in general, in the Buddhist tradition, the werewolf fox has a positive function, as an attribute of the god Dakini.
In tattoos it can mean dexterity, mental acuity, the ability to find a way out in seemingly hopeless situations. In addition, a tattoo makes it possible to charm people and inspire love, just like the kitsune does in fairy tales.
In the photograph, the kitsune is shown in the guise of an evil demon - a cannibal, which is more consistent with the Korean tradition. However, here he acts as a Buddhist guardian, and holds in his teeth a rosary with the skulls of apostates, so the tattoo should not be considered as an indication of the aggressiveness of its owner - it is more an indication of the strength of religious beliefs and a request to protect from troubles and enemies .

Bakeneko - “monster cat”

Japanese Bakeneko Tattoo

Bakeneko (Japanese: “monster cat”).
In addition to kitsune (fox-werewolves) and tanuki (werewolves in the form of raccoon dogs), in Japanese folklore there is another type of werewolf - cats that can turn into people. An ordinary cat needed to reach a certain age or size to turn into a werewolf. The strongest bekeneko have a forked tail and are called nekomata. Like other representatives of evil spirits, there is an ambivalent attitude towards werewolf cats in Japan. On the one hand, they could help people with their magic, as stated in many Japanese fairy tales and legends, but on the other hand, there are examples when this image was associated with revenge and death. According to Japanese folk beliefs, a cat can kill its owner in order to take on his appearance, or move into the body of a deceased person (the Japanese still try to prevent cats from visiting the dead). They can revive the dead by jumping over them, or raise skeletons and manipulate them like puppets. Cats can take revenge on their offenders. The Kabuki theater has a number of plays that feature werewolves - cats that have turned into people, usually women. They either take revenge on those who offended them, or the werewolves are possessed by the souls of the wives killed by their husbands. But in general, the attitude towards cats in Japan is positive, and they like to be depicted in scenes where they copy the behavior of people, and even in the form of monks.

Tengu. Karasu - tengu and Yamabushi - tengu.

Karasu tengu are similar to raven birds. These are evil creatures that kidnap children and adults, set fires in houses, and kill those who deliberately harm the forest.

In the traditional Japanese religion of Shinto, there are many deities - kami, among which six are awarded the title "Okami" ("Great Kami"). Five of them are Izanagi, Izanami, Mitikaeshi, Sashikuni and the sun goddess Amaterasu - “amatsukami” ( heavenly kami), and Sarutahiko is the guardian of roads, the spirit of crossroads and the remover of obstacles - “kunitsukami” (earthly deity). He is depicted as an old man with a red face and a very long nose. It is believed that the image of Sarutahiko-no-Okami served as a prototype for demonic creatures - tengu (literally “Heavenly Dog” in Japanese).
The Japanese believed in the existence of two varieties of tengu: karasu-tengu (crow tengu) and yamabushi-tengu.

Yamabushi - tengu - is a creature more similar to a person.

The Yamabushi Tengu is a creature more like a human. He has a red face and a very long nose, and sometimes wears wings on his back. He was nicknamed yamabushi (the so-called monks - hermits who chose mountains for their solitude) because this tengu loves to turn into such monks. Like goblins, they can make fun of a person who meets them, and can even kill someone who harms the forest. However, in fairy tales they often help good people.

Tengu masks

Tengu are depicted wearing strange little hats called “tokin” and having a fan of feathers or leaves that can cause strong winds.
Tengu masks are very popular in Japan, used in various festivals and in Kabuki theater performances.
In tattoos, Japanese theatrical masks are additional elements indicating the character of a person, or serve as a replacement for the full image of the creature whose patronage is expected to be received.

Kama-itachi

Japanese Kama Itachi Tattoo

Kama-itachi refers to the demonic yokai of Japanese folklore. In ancient times, the Japanese had a belief about malicious whirlwinds - kamaetachi (“attack”). Toriyama Sekien, an artist who studied Japanese demonology, who left images and descriptions of demons - youkai, gave this supernatural phenomenon the appearance of three weasels with claws - razors, which, whirling in a whirlwind, cut the skin on the legs of people they meet along the way. He changed the original sound of the word to “kama-itachi” (“sickle of weasel”) - creating a pun that is very typical of him. These creatures are depicted as a spinning weasel whose legs end in sickle-shaped blades.

Nure-onna – “Water Woman”

Japanese Nure-onna Tattoo

Nure-onna (“Water or Wet Woman”) is one of the most ancient demons - youkai of Japanese folklore. This is a demon with female head(often very beautiful) and the body of a giant snake that lives either near the river or in the river itself. In some legends, she has hands with sharp claws. She has beautiful long hair, which she likes to wash in the river, round shiny eyes like a snake, sharp fangs and a long, strong tongue - a sting with which she sucks blood or vital energy from unwary travelers. In order to prevent the intended victim from leaving, the nure-onna resorts to cunning. She invites the person she meets to hold her child while she washes her hair, but as soon as he takes it in his hands, the child sticks to them and bends the person to the ground with its enormous weight. It is difficult to say what tattoos depicting this demon symbolize; perhaps disappointment in love and comparison of women with this insidious creature.

Kappa

Tattoo design and Kappa tattoo

If tengu can be considered a kind of goblin, then the Japanese variety of merman is called “kappa” (“river child”). It is a cross between a frog and a turtle, and has a beak instead of a nose. On the top of the kappa's head there is a saucer filled with water, which gives it enormous strength. However, she does not harm humans, although she loves pranks. Sometimes she even helps good heroes in fairy tales and legends.

Jankuy – “Demon Slayer”

Ancient engraving and tattoo with the demon slayer - Dzhankuy

Dzhankuy or Soki - “Demon Slayer”. The ghost, according to legend, is the protector of the Chinese Emperor Huan-song. Dzhankuy committed suicide, and therefore he himself became the demon Gui. However, he vowed to help people in the fight against their evil brothers. In Japan, this protective spirit has become very popular, as it fights They. This spirit is always depicted in Chinese clothes and with a sword, with which he defeats evil forces.

Yuki-onna – snow woman

Japanese Yuki-onna Tattoo

Yuki-onna (Japanese: “snow woman”). This is what Japanese folklore calls one of the varieties of yokai - that is, spirits. She can also be called Yuki-musume (“snow girl”), Yukijoro (“snow harlot”), Yuki-omba (“snow grandmother or nanny”) and many other names. Yuki-onna is a very popular figure in Japanese literature, manga and anime.
Yuki-onna appears on snowy nights in the guise of a tall, beautiful woman with long black hair and blue lips. Her inhumanly pale or even icy-transparent skin makes her part of the snowy landscape. She sometimes wears a white kimono, but in other legends she is described as naked. Despite her amazing beauty and grace, her eyes can inspire horror. It seems to float above the snow, leaving no traces behind it, and at any moment it can turn into a cloud of fog or crumble into snowflakes. Some legends say that the souls of those who are frozen in the snow turn into Yuki-onna. For a long time This spirit was considered an undoubted evil, killing unwary travelers, but over time, Yuki-onna began to be given more humane features. In some works, she even becomes the wife of the person she loves, and only the accidental discovery of her essence forces Yuki-onno to leave her beloved and her children forever, going to the Afterlife.
However, there are other ideas about this ghost. He may appear as an ugly old woman - a witch who freezes travelers, or drains their blood or life force.

A sketch of a tattoo depicting Yuki-onna and a tattoo where Yuki-onna is shown as an ugly old woman - a witch.

Hatsuhana - Pious Ghost

Japanese ghost tattoo Hatsuhana

Hatsuhana or Hatsuna is a godly ghost. A character from the Kabuki theater play “The Appearance of a Miracle in the Hakone Mountains, or the Revenge of the Legless One” (“Hakone Reigen Izari no Adauchi”). A scene from the play is shown where the spirit of the villainously murdered woman Hatsuhana, being under the icy streams of a waterfall, prays to Buddha Amidu so that he will heal her weak husband, and he can take revenge on her killer. Praying under a waterfall was an ancient Japanese custom that did not change even after the adoption of Buddhism. It was believed that such a prayer has special power - a person proves his determination, self-sacrifice and great faith, and without fear enters the chilling, lashing jets of the waterfall. The image of Hatsuhana is for those who want happiness and prosperity for their loved ones and relatives, and are ready to make any sacrifice for this.

Engraving by Utagawa Kuniyoshi and sketch of Hatsuhana ghost tattoo

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Almost all Japanese masks are the faces of demons and other representatives of the Dark Side. One of the most popular images is Chania - demon mask, symbolizing both universal evil and wisdom (this is how this word is translated from Japanese).

Chania is reliable protection from evil spirits. The image is easily recognizable because it has a number of canonical features. Chania in the form of a tattoo is a strong amulet that erects a reliable barrier between its owner and the evil demons surrounding him. If you imprint it on the body, then no one will dare to penetrate it (as well as into the soul).

History of appearance

As legend has it, Chania appeared thanks to a talented Japanese monk who created masks for ritual dances. This item depicts the face of a demon with horns and sharp teeth, which are ideally suited to a smile distorted in impotent anger. If you look at the mask from a certain angle, it looks like the demon is crying hysterically. Chania represents a woman (not being very feminine in appearance) who is jealous and angry. On the stage of traditional Japanese theater, this mask usually hides female characters who are obsessed with jealousy and turn into real monsters because of it. Samurai often used Hanya (symbol of a fallen angel) as an amulet to guarantee protection from the enemy. The oldest surviving mask today is over 450 years old.

Tattoo meaning

As noted above, Chania means an angry and jealous woman, obsessed with her base passion and eager to quickly satisfy the feeling of revenge. Due to the lack of reciprocity on the part of her loved one, the woman turned into a demon. Thus, Chania is nothing more than the breath of passion, destroying everything it touches. According to legend, a woman met her beloved man, but could not think of anything better than to burn him with her fiery breath. There is also another prototype of the demon Chania (less well known). This is a wise Tibetan guardian and guardian of the basic tenets of Buddhism.

Usually the meaning of a tattoo is interpreted differently and largely depends on the person who wished to decorate his body with such an unusual oriental amulet. It can symbolize revenge, protection, a storehouse of wisdom, cunning, internal demons, regret about what happened, raging passions and much more. Thanks to Chania, it becomes clear that only complete despair and deep disappointment can cause jealousy and anger. However, life's wisdom allows you to understand and forgive a lot, arousing compassion in your heart even for the basest manifestations of human passion.

Visualization of the image

The demon Hanya (although he is a representative of evil spirits in Japanese folklore) has always remained revered. He is a bright and memorable character. If you see it at least once, it is unlikely that this image will be erased from memory. The mask is decorated with large bull horns. The demon's mouth is stretched into a crooked smile. The demonic grin consists of many teeth, framed on the sides by protruding fangs. The eyes are slightly slanted, which creates the effect of a sidelong glance, thereby enlivening the aggressive and cold image. In general, the character is quite scary in appearance, but at the same time full of suffering. Depending on the angle, the set of his emotions differs. On the one hand, Chania is terrible in anger, and on the other hand, he is a living personification of torment and regret. To ensure that all these features are not lost when applying a tattoo, the talent of the artist is important.

Chania is a suffering soul who has taken her revenge, but has never found peace. The recognition of the image is also due to such a canonical element as the fiery breath of the demon. Fire symbolizes the power of destruction, intensified by unrequited passion. Sometimes the image of the above mask can be supplemented with another eye, personifying wisdom and insight that has come (albeit too late). Often the Chania mask is depicted in combination with a snake, a bell and sakura flowers, which are important components of Eastern mythology.

Colors and artist's choice

The Chania mask is traditionally depicted using bright colors, the degree of saturation of which indicates the degree of passion and anger of the character. The color of greatest indignation and anger is bright red. If the colors are somewhat muted, then this symbolizes calmer feelings: love, the desire to possess the object of passion, the desire to hide a loved one from prying eyes. While a rich palette speaks of the demon's emotionality, less flashy colors personify his restraint, prudence, nobility, aristocracy and wisdom.

Nowadays, tattoos of the relevant theme are performed not only by Japanese artists, but also by their European colleagues. Japanese culture is filled with mystery, an abundance of different interpretations of images, and ethnic flavor, which attracts special attention to it. By choosing a Chania mask as a tattoo, a person acquires a talisman that is indivisible with his body, protects him from misfortunes, and drives away evil spirits.

It is important that the emotions of the Chania mask be embodied in the drawing by a talented and experienced master who specializes in oriental themes, understands them well, and has the appropriate practical skills. A qualified specialist will assist in choosing the most suitable sketch and will skillfully convey the whole gamut of emotions of such a controversial character in the Japanese epic.

Video: sketch of the Mask of Chania

Photos of tattoos from Bloody wave studio

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Chania mask: meaning of tattoo, photos of works, videos and sketches.

The meanings of the Chania tattoo are twofold: protector and avenger, wise guard and cunning demon, all-consuming passion and bitter regrets.

Meaning of Chania Tattoo

First of all, the demon Hanya or Hannya is a very memorable, bright and imaginative character. Especially on the body, the colorful image of Chania will look extraordinary.

IN Japanese culture demons are not strictly negative characters. They are more like perfume and have a protective function. Hanyu is depicted as a talisman. This image can be compared to a guardian angel.

Herself theatrical mask is made in such a way that on the one hand it looks intimidating and angry, and from another angle it reflects suffering, torment and regret, it seems to be sobbing inconsolably. This requires special skill in execution. Chania personifies a suffering soul who has taken revenge, but has not found peace.

The history of the image

The prototype of the Japanese demon is considered to be the Tibetan guardian, guardian of Buddhism, the wise Hannya, owner of a snake mask.

There is another legend associated with the Japanese mask. The girl fell in love with the wandering monk, fell in love passionately and selflessly. But he did not reciprocate, continuing his wanderings. The girl was overcome with resentment, anger and malice for neglecting sincere feeling. These feelings turned her into a demon, giving her strength.

Having just been reborn, she set off to exact her revenge. She overtook that monk and punished him by burning him with her fiery breath. But regret and disappointment overtook her. Since then, a lonely demon has been wandering around, either cruelly punishing insensitive men, or moaning about lost love.

Many characters and images of Japanese culture and mythology carry dual meanings. Likewise, Chania serves to understand that anger and jealous rage can be caused by deep disappointment and despair. And a long life is meant for understanding, forgiveness, compassion.

Another legend says that the double mask was created by the monk-sculptor Hanya-bo for ritual dances. The mask is horned, and its mouth opens in a sharp-toothed smile. But when you look sideways, you get the impression that the demon is crying. This image itself is far from feminine, but it is the woman consumed by jealousy and anger that Chania personifies.

Interesting! In Japan, to this day, holding two fingers to the head is a gesture that means a woman is “going crazy” with jealousy of her man.

Hannya looks very memorable. Two bull horns, an aggressive look, a fanged smile from ear to ear. Both the mask and the demon are always depicted in bright colors.

Color saturation also has its own meaning, expressing the degree of anger and passion. Scarlet color means all-consuming passion and intense indignation. Pale tones speak of calmer feelings, love, possessive feelings, the desire to hide the object of passion from the world, to appropriate it.

The breath coming from the demon's mouth symbolizes the destruction that comes from excessive passion.

There are images of Chania with a third eye. This image is intended to emphasize the direct meaning of the word. Chania is translated as "wisdom". Here the mystical additional eye is a sign of superhuman vision, insight. Look deeper, see more.

Japan is a country literally permeated with mysticism and filled with sacred knowledge. Every Japanese sacredly honors the traditions of their ancestors and during the holiday tries to appease the spirits of the lower and upper worlds. For this purpose, since ancient times, Japanese demon masks made of wood and painted in various rituals have been used. bright colors. These items are of great importance not only in religious rituals, but also in the culture and art of the country. This will be discussed in the article.

Japan: the history of masks

Japanese mythology is very rich in characters who sometimes have completely opposite character traits. The fact is that in Japan it has always been customary to get along with a lot of demons and unclean spirits. The wise inhabitants of the islands never fought with evil spirits; on the contrary, they appeased them and, if necessary, could always enlist the support of spirits.

Masks have always had a sacred meaning for the Japanese; they were often used by samurai in battles. It was believed that the mask not only covered the face, but also, containing various spirits, helped the warrior to win, striking terror into the hearts of his enemies.

It is difficult to imagine the Noh theater without various masks. The tradition of performing theatrical performances arose around the seventh century. At this time, colorful theatrical shows took place near temples, and masks were made from clay and paper. They were extremely simple and served to hide the identity of the actor. It was only in the seventeenth century that Noh theater developed into something special, and masks turned into real art. They began to express various characteristic emotions and now served to more clearly characterize the characters in the performance. The masks were endowed with mystical powers, and they were allowed to be touched only at the place where the laces were attached. Now in every theater there is a kind of altar on which ancient masks are collected. It is believed that the souls of actors live in them.

demons: meaning

Colorful masks are used in rituals, theatrical performances and festivals. Most of them have a frightening appearance and are designed to scare away other evil spirits. For this purpose, they are placed on the facades of houses and in rooms. Keep in mind that Japanese demon masks, despite their terrifying appearance, are quite kind to people. The spirits living in them are able to help those in need and protect the disadvantaged. We can say that good people should not be afraid of demons, but greedy, selfish and hypocritical people will definitely receive punishment from higher spirits. It is worth noting that the variety that distinguishes Japanese demon masks allows them to be used in different situations. Let's look at the most popular of them.

Japanese demon mask: tengu

In tengu, these are spirits of the forest; sometimes they are compared in their characteristics to Russian goblin. Tengu are unsociable, love cleanliness and are cunning. These spirits cannot stand arrogance and can punish those who are arrogant. One of the demon's supernatural abilities is the ability to transform into a human. Most often he takes the form of a monk living high in the mountains. He helps good people and lives in the branches of twisted trees.

The Tengu mask looks like the face of a red-faced old man with a long nose and a fan of feathers. A small funny cap - a tokin - is often placed on the demon's head. Very often, the forest spirit mask is used as a talisman against evil, but you should never harm the forest, otherwise the tengu will turn its anger on the owners of the house.

Demons They

Japanese demon masks often depict oni. This evil spirit is very popular in the country and has several varieties. They are usually depicted on masks in the form of a terrible grimace, distorted by anger, with huge fangs. Demons can be red, black or gold in color. In mythology, They symbolize formidable spirits of enormous stature who appear everywhere with clubs made of spiked iron. Demons can regrow a severed body part and heal any wound. Quite often these spirits are associated with trolls or devils living in Japanese hell.

Initially, They were incorporeal and brought with them disasters, illnesses and troubles. Over time, the spirits acquired a humanoid appearance, but remained extremely ferocious and often indulged themselves in human flesh.

Banishing them to hell

Japanese demon masks They are especially often used on the holiday. It is held on the third of February and is widely celebrated in the country. In order to protect their home, the Japanese scatter soybeans everywhere, which They simply cannot stand. IN last years It has also become common to scatter peanuts, sometimes wrapped in gold foil.

There is always a theatrical procession on the streets of cities during the holiday. Men dress up in costumes. They always put on scary masks. It is considered very correct to decorate the house with a demon mask: thanks to such a talisman, evil will not enter the house, and all household members may not be afraid of ending up in hell in a dream.

Mask tattoos

In Japanese culture, it has been customary to get tattoos since ancient times. The inhabitants of the islands differed in this from the Europeans, who were amazed at the variety of patterns on the body, which were described by merchants and travelers who visited the Land of the Rising Sun.

Tattoos have always been used by the Japanese to one degree or another. Initially, they were applied to the body in order to attract good luck in fishing or hunting. By the 700s AD, body painting began to be divided into designs for the nobility and those used to mark criminals. This significantly reduced the popularity of tattooing, but then it again began to be used by almost all segments of society. Quite often tattoos were applied by representatives various professions, making the drawing a distinctive sign of the whole group.

IN Lately The Japanese mask has become very popular among young people. Absolutely different ones are chosen for the design, but for women, Chania is preferable. This mask symbolizes a female demon whose face is distorted by jealousy and passion. According to legend, Chania was once beautiful girl, in love with a young monk. Her lover rejected her, and the girl, in a fit of insane passion, turned into an evil demon, taking revenge on all men who offend the fair sex.

Tattoos with a kitsune mask are also popular among women. This demon is depicted as a fox and is destructive to men. Kitsune can turn around the most beautiful woman and bewitch the man, and he will do whatever she tells him. Quite often this ends in madness. But the cunning fox herself is unlikely to be grateful to anyone; she always gets what she wants and then disappears.

Is it possible to make a Japanese mask at home?

Many fans of the culture of the Land of the Rising Sun are interested in how to make a Japanese demon mask on their own. You can even find special master classes with detailed description the process of creating masks from papier-mâché, but we would not advise you to be content with such artisanal methods. Real Japanese demon masks are real works of art; craftsmen spend several months making one product. Until now, almost all ritual and theatrical objects in the Land of the Rising Sun are made by hand, so it is best to order a mask from Japan. This is the only way to get a truly beautiful collector's item.

The world of spirits in Japan is very close to everyday life, because in every house there is at least a pair of masks that protect the house and its inhabitants.