Abstract
The Japanese medieval fictional story Amewakahiko sōshi (Tale of Amewakahiko; fifteenth century) recounts a legendary origin of Tanabata, the celebration of the annual meeting of the Weaver Maid and the Cowherd that originated in China. The plot of The Tale of Amewakamiko is similar to “Cupid and Psyche” by Lucius Apuleius (second century CE). I discuss the possible origins of the tale and examine medieval Japanese scholars’ influ- ence on the choice of the characters’ names and their actions in this tale. The Tale of Amewakamiko reveals medieval Japanese perspectives on the space boundaries (or lack thereof) of underground, earth, and heaven.
Recommended Citation
Reider, Noriko T.. "A Demon in the Sky: The Tale of Amewakahiko, a Japanese Medieval Story." Marvels & Tales 29.2 (2015). Web. <https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/marvels/vol29/iss2/6>.
