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Encyclopaedia of Ancient, Obscure and Esoteric East Asian Religious Practices

Saigū — Three-Year Abstinent Princess Preparation

Overview

Section titled “Overview”

Canonical entry drawn from a single source layer in 15_DAOIST_PRECEPTS_ISE_BOUNDARIES_v2_3.md.

Research layers

Section titled “Research layers”

Layer 1: Saigū — Three-Year Abstinent Princess Preparation

Section titled “Layer 1: Saigū — Three-Year Abstinent Princess Preparation”

Source file: 15_DAOIST_PRECEPTS_ISE_BOUNDARIES_v2_3.md

Japanese: 斎宮 / 斎王
Class: COURT SACRAL OFFICE / LONG-TERM PURITY REGIME

Selection

Section titled “Selection”
  1. After imperial accession, an unmarried imperial princess is selected, traditionally by divination.
  2. The candidate is normally a daughter/sister of an emperor, with other imperial granddaughters possible when necessary.

Stage 1: Shosaiin

Section titled “Stage 1: Shosaiin”
  1. The princess enters the Hall of Initial Abstinence inside the palace precinct.
  2. Begin formal purification/kessai.
  3. Separate from ordinary court life.

Stage 2: Nonomiya

Section titled “Stage 2: Nonomiya”
  1. Move to the Field Palace outside the main palace precinct.
  2. Continue abstinence for the next stage.
  3. Use imikotoba, euphemistic ritual vocabulary.
  4. Avoid polluting influences.
  5. Avoid Buddhist rites/terminology as required by Ise purity rules.

Stage 3: dispatch

Section titled “Stage 3: dispatch”
  1. In the ninth month of the third year, conduct hakken no gi in the presence of the emperor.
  2. Assemble the enormous procession, historically numbering hundreds.
  3. Impose a wider abstinence period along the capital/route.
  4. Restrict funerals and other inauspicious activities along the route.
  5. Process to Ise.

Service at Ise

Section titled “Service at Ise”
  1. Reside at Saiōgū.
  2. Continue saikai/abstinence.
  3. Enter Ise Jingū formally only for the three major annual seasonal rites.
  4. Offer a large tamagushi first at the Outer Shrine and then the Inner Shrine as required.

Termination

Section titled “Termination”

Service normally ends with a new imperial accession but can end early after family death, illness or accident.

Research importance

Section titled “Research importance”

This is one of the best-documented examples of ritual purity becoming a multi-year institutional lifestyle.