Spirit turtle

Among the Four Intelligent Beasts ({{lang|zh-hant|四靈}}), a list of auspicious animals, the turtle goes by several names. Although it can simply be called "turtle" ({{lang|zh-hant|龜}} guī), it is also referred to as "old turtle" ({{lang|zh-hant|老龜}} lǎoguī) and "spirit turtle" ({{lang|zh-hant|靈龜}} língguī). The latter is sometimes understood as being synonymous with "divine turtle" ({{lang|zh-hant|神龜}} shénguī) although distinctions are made.

The term is also used in reference to the turtle shells used in traditional divination.

File:Zhang-Gui-Shen-gui-tu.jpg

The Erya provides entries on the terms "divine turtle" ({{lang|zh-hant|神龜}}) and "spirit turtle" ({{lang|zh-hant|靈龜}}). The former term includes an annotation which simply reads "the most sacred of turtles" ({{lang|zh-hant|亀之最神明}}).

According to the Shuyiji ({{lang|zh-hant|述異記}} Tales of Strange Matters) compiled by Ren Fang, a turtle that has lived for one thousand years has grown hair, a five thousand year old tortoise is called a "divine turtle" ({{lang|zh-hant|神龜}}) and an animal older than ten thousand years is called a "spiritual turtle" ({{lang|zh-hant|靈龜}}).{{cite book |last1=Yuan Ke {{lang|zh-hant|袁珂}} |title=Zhongguo Shenhua Chuanshuo Cidian |script-title=zh:中國神話傳說詞典 |trans-title=Dictionary of Chinese Myths and Legends |date=1985 |location=Shanghai |publisher=Shanghai Cishu Chubanshe}}

The Baopuzi gives a slightly different account, describing the spirit turtle as one thousand years old. While the theme of longevity persists, the age at which the creature is recognized as a "spirit turtle" ({{lang|zh-hant|靈龜}}) is in stark contrast with the account found in the Shuyiji. The text continues to describe the turtle as having five colors: blue, red, yellow, white, and black; together representing the five elements.

In Japanese mythology, the creature is identified as the Reiki ({{lang|ja|霊亀}} "spirit turtle").

The Zenrin-kushū provides a kōan that reads Reiki o o hiku ({{lang|ja|靈龜曵尾}} "The spirit turtle sweeps its tail"). It is described as a variant of the phrase Ato o haratte ato shōzu ({{lang|ja|拂跡跡生}} "Erasing traces creates traces").{{cite book |last1=Heine |first1=Steven and Dale S. Wright |title=Zen Classics: Formative Texts in the History of Zen Buddhism |date=2006 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780195175264}}

The spirit turtle is an endemic motif at Shintō shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan. The sangō title "Reigizan" ({{lang|ja|霊亀山}} "Spirit Turtle Mountain") belongs to several temples across the country, including Tenryū-ji and Rinsen-ji in Kyōto, Hontoku-ji in Himeji, Daichō-ji in Uwajima, and others.

It is said the Kameoka Hachimangū shrine in Sendai is so-called because a spirit turtle appeared at the time of its construction. Stone statues of the creature can be found at Zenyōmitsu-ji and Kameoka Hachimangū in Mashiko, Tochigi.

Reiki is also the name of the first era of the Nara period.

In Korean mythology, it is known as Yeonggwi ({{Korean|hangul=영귀|hanja=靈龜}}).{{cite web |script-title=ko:거북 |url=http://premium.britannica.co.kr/bol/topic.asp?article_id=b01g2044a |archive-url=https://archive.today/20160428112709/http://premium.britannica.co.kr/bol/topic.asp?article_id=b01g2044a |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 28, 2016 |website={{lang|ko|브리태니커 백과사전}} (Britannica Online) |accessdate=2019-04-04}}

{{In popular culture|section|date=September 2021}}

• Master Roshi from the Dragon Ball franchise is also known as the "Turtle Hermit" ({{lang|ja|亀仙人}} lit. "Turtle Immortal"). This title is inspired from the relationship between sages and turtles.
• The Spirit Turtle is a character in the Japanese light novel series The Rising of the Shield Hero
• Linggui ({{lang|ja|霊亀}}) is the nickname of the character Grey α Centauri in the Japanese light novel series Infinite Dendrogram.
• The puzzle video game Puzzle & Dragons features two skills, each called Pentagon – Spirit Turtle Dance and Tri-Guard – Spirit Turtle Dance. They are attributed to the monsters Dark Paths Guardian Genbu, Meimei and Awoken Meimei, respectively. The title of the former character is derived from the Japanese name for the Black Tortoise of Chinese astrology.
• It is the name of a game piece in Taikyoku shōgi.

• Ao (turtle)
• Bixi
• Black Tortoise
• Cultural depictions of turtles
• Kashyapa
• World Turtle

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book |title=Book of Rites |script-title=zh:禮記 |url=https://ctext.org/liji |website=Chinese Text Project}}
• {{cite web |title=Chinese Mythology |url=http://www.chinaknowledge.de/History/Myth/mythology.html |website=ChinaKnowledge.de – An Encyclopaedia on Chinese History, Literature and Art}}
• {{cite web |script-title=ja:平成十六年度人文学科卒業研究 亀の中国思想史－その起源をめぐって－ |url=http://square.umin.ac.jp/mayanagi/students/04/nagatani.html |website=MAYANAGI's Laboratory for the History of Medicine}}
• {{cite web |script-title=ja:神使いの館 |url=http://www15.plala.or.jp/timebox/top/01komainu.html |website={{lang|ja|italics=no|狛犬の杜☆別館}}}}
• {{cite web |script-title=ja:四霊獣（龍・麒麟・鳳凰・霊亀） |url=http://shinshizo.com/2015/05/%E5%9B%9B%E9%9C%8A%E7%8D%A3%EF%BC%88%E9%BE%8D%E3%83%BB%E9%BA%92%E9%BA%9F%E3%83%BB%E9%B3%B3%E5%87%B0%E3%83%BB%E9%9C%8A%E4%BA%80%EF%BC%89/ |website={{lang|ja|italics=no|神使像めぐり＊余話}}}}

{{Chinese mythology}}

{{Japanese folklore long}}

Category:Chinese culture

Category:Mythological and legendary Chinese turtles

Category:Four Holy Beasts

Category:Japanese legendary creatures