Tengu

This fully illustrated volume, including an eight-page colour-plate section, is the first in-depth study in English to examine the warrior and shamanic characteristics and significance of <i>tengu</i> in the martial art culture (<i>bugei</i>) of Muromachi Japan (1336-1573). <br/> According to Roald Knutsen, who is widely known for his writings on the samurai tradition, prompting his life-long study of <i>tengu</i> – the part-human, part-animal creatures – was the early discovery that the <i>tengu</i> of the Muromachi period were interacting with the deadly serious <i>bugei</i> masters teaching the arts of war. Here were beings who did not conform to the comic, goblin-like creatures of common folklore and were not the creations of the Buddhist priests intent on demonizing that which they did not understand and could not control.<br/> As this study shows, the part-hidden <i>tengu</i> under review passed on and taught the clearest theory of tactics and strategy to <i>bushi</i> of the highest calibre, the absorption and mastery of which often decided if the warrior and his clan lived or were annihilated on the all-too-frequent killing grounds of the Muromachi age.<br/> <i>Tengu</i> will be widely welcomed in many contexts including studies relating to martial arts, religion and folklore, shamanism and mythology, and the social and military history of Japan. <br/><br/>