8/28/2008
Big Bird In Japan Question
I was just watching Big Bird In Japan. Now I want to know more about the Japanese Moon Goddess folk story. Is it anything like the Roman Gods and the Planets? What is the story behind the Moon Goddess? Any website with helpful information? I want to know more about the Japanese history behind Big Bird in Japan. Thanks for your help!
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4 comments:
The only Japanese moon deity I'm aware of is male, and these articles seem to confirm it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_deities
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsukuyomi
There don't seem to be any traditional deity/planet connections in Japan, either (although their religion isn't exactly my specialty; I'm just going by what I've read online).
With all that evidence against the folk tale, I'm wondering whether or not it was authentic; if it was, someone producing the movie must've misinterpreted one character as a moon goddess.
I did some research my self and found out that it IS a real Japanese Folk Legend: You can read about it here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tale_of_the_Bamboo_Cutter
Bob
Web links that are too long automatically get cut off when you post them in a comment...so I did a Google search and found the article that way.
Judging by the version I read, it seems that CTW's translators gave Americans the wrong impression: the Bamboo Princess was a heavenly being who lived on the moon (and probably related to the moon god). Someone assumed that made the princess a deity in her own right...and the way she relates to Big Bird, it's easy to see why.
Too bad the writers don't read these legends more carefully so American kids can get the true culture behind the stories. Bob
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