Stuff You Should Know Short Stuff: The Killing Stone
Sep 18, 2024
Discover the haunting legend of the Killing Stone, believed to trap the spirit of a nine-tailed fox. When this menacing rock split in March 2022, fears of disaster stirred online. Dive into the tale of Tamamo Nomai and the power dynamics shifting from emperors to samurai, along with rich narratives of heroes facing monsters. Unravel the stone's eerie features and cultural significance, exploring how mythology shapes tourism and transforms characters from villains to complex antiheroes.
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Killing Stone Splits
- A tourist tweeted about the Sessho-seki, or Killing Stone, splitting in two.
- This sparked online concern about the nine-tailed fox spirit, Tamamo-no-Mae, escaping.
Tamamo-no-Mae's Story
- Tamamo-no-Mae, a nine-tailed fox spirit, bewitched Emperor Toba, causing him to neglect his duties and fall ill.
- A soothsayer revealed her, she fled, was slain, and her body became the Sessho-seki.
Allegorical Interpretation
- The tale of Tamamo-no-Mae may be an allegory for the Hogen Rebellion.
- This rebellion marked the shift of power from the emperor to the samurai.