Abe no Seimei, a poet of the times who manipulates the stars and words
Abe no Seimei: A poet of time who manipulates the stars and words
Introduction: The invisible power that dwells in silence
Even now, a thousand years later, the name of Abe no Seimei is still preached in the sounds of the wind and the light of the moon. Known as an onmyoji (magician), he was not a pure sorcerer, but rather someone who could interpret the "invisible poetry" that flows between nature and people.
Seimei as a star reader
• Seimei would look up at the sky above Heian-kyo and read people's destinies from the movement of the stars.
• As a doctor of astronomy, he is in charge of establishing the calendar and determining the auspiciousness and ill fortune of directions, and is deeply involved in the affairs of the state.
• For him, the stars are "poetry without words." He was a silent magician who instantly revealed the meaning that resided in their placement.
A philosopher living in harmony with yin and yang
• Yin and yang, light and shadow, movement and stillness. Seimei saw all of these as "circulation" rather than "conflict."
• The customs of the evil spirits and mistaking one's direction are also based on his ideas about the "poetics of space."
- Independent action existed not as magic but as a "poetic practice for harmony."
Seimei's Aesthetics: Between Words and Dialogue
• For him, prayers and incantations are a form of poetry. He believes in the power of words and weaves them carefully.
• The work was quiet and beautiful, like a dance, and it calmed the hearts of those who saw it.
• Even today, Seimei's aesthetics are being reevaluated as "power in stillness."
WABISUKE's Perspective: Reinterpreting Seimei for the Modern Age
At WABISUKE, we see Abe no Seimei's ideas as a "poet of time," quietly instilled in our philosophy of the calendar, directions, and gifts. We believe that the arrangement of the stars and the flow of space that he gazed upon resonate with modern life and sensibilities, solidifying our culture and aesthetic sense.
Conclusion: The poem called Seimei
Abe no Seimei was not a sorcerer, but a "poet of time." His ideas, which listened closely to the arrangement of the stars and gave words to the flow of space, still live quietly in our lives today.