Contents

Spirit turtle

Creature from Chinese mythology

Spirit turtle
Animmortal riding a turtle, Han dynasty, Nanyang city, China
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese	靈龜
Simplified Chinese	灵龟
Literal meaning	Spirit turtle
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin língguī Middle Chinese Middle Chinese /leŋ kˠiuɪ/ Old Chinese Zhengzhang /*reːŋ kʷrɯ/
Vietnamese name
Vietnamese alphabet	linh quy
Chữ Nôm	靈龜
Korean name
Hangul	영귀
Hanja	靈龜
Transcriptions Revised Romanization yeonggwi McCune–Reischauer yŏngkwi
Japanese name
Kanji	霊亀
Hiragana	れいき
Transcriptions Romanization reiki

The spirit turtle (Chinese: 靈龜) or spirit tortoise is a turtle originated from Chinese mythology and spread with East Asian cultural sphere. It is believed by East Asian cultures, like other turtles in mythology, to represent longevity (壽命).

It is said to be chief among all shelled creatures.^[1]

Identification[edit]

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

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

China[edit]

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

According to the Shuyiji (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" (神龜) and an animal older than ten thousand years is called a "spiritual turtle" (靈龜).^[2]

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" (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.

Japan[edit]

InJapanese mythology, the creature is identified as the Reiki (霊亀 "spirit turtle").

The Zenrin-kushū provides a kōan that reads Reiki o o hiku (靈龜曵尾 "The spirit turtle sweeps its tail"). It is described as a variant of the phrase Ato o haratte ato shōzu (拂跡跡生 "Erasing traces creates traces").^[3]

The spirit turtle is an endemic motif at Shintō shrines and Buddhist temples in Japan. The sangō title "Reigizan" (霊亀山 "Spirit Turtle Mountain") belongs to several temples across the country, including Tenryū-ji and Rinsen-jiinKyōto, Hontoku-jiinHimeji, Daichō-jiinUwajima, and others.

It is said the Kameoka Hachimangū shrineinSendai 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 HachimangūinMashiko, Tochigi.

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

Korea[edit]

InKorean mythology, it is known as Yeonggwi (Korean: 영귀; Hanja: 靈龜).^[4]

Popular culture[edit]

This section may contain irrelevant references to popular culture. Please remove the content or add citationstoreliable and independent sources. (September 2021)

• Master Roshi from the Dragon Ball franchise is also known as the "Turtle Hermit" (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 (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 TortoiseofChinese astrology.
• It is the name of a game piece in Taikyoku shōgi.

See also[edit]

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

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Book of Rites 禮記. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
• "Chinese Mythology". ChinaKnowledge.de – An Encyclopaedia on Chinese History, Literature and Art.
• 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－. MAYANAGI's Laboratory for the History of Medicine.
• 神使いの館. 狛犬の杜☆別館.
• 四霊獣（龍・麒麟・鳳凰・霊亀）. 神使像めぐり＊余話.