The article examines the history of the formation of a complex in Japanese culture, the components of which were: the practice of fixing "unusual phenomena", divination in relation to these phenomena, and the appointment of a ban on receiving guests and removing them from the house (Japanese monoimi). Analyzing examples from official chronicles of the VIII-XII centuries and from the diaries of Heian aristocrats, the author shows that the prohibition of " monoimi "was observed in order to avoid contact with" corruption "(Tatar), which was the result of the wrath of the Komi deities or spirits of deceased people. The "blight" caused "unusual phenomena"; people who came into contact with the" blight " could get sick. Divination, the initial information for which was the time of registration of an "unusual phenomenon", made it possible to determine the days of greater or lesser activity of the "spoilage" in the future, as well as to indicate people who fell under its effect.

The term "monoimi" is well known to Japanese historians and philologists who study Heian literature (794-1185). "Monoimi" is a ban on receiving guests and removing them from the house, which was appointed by the onyoji fortune teller based on the results of divination performed after some "unusual phenomenon" was observed. "Onyoji" indicated the days during which certain members of a certain kind or employees of a state institution in whose territory an "unusual phenomenon" was observed were required to observe "monogami", and they were required to perform various ritual actions and comply with the ban accordingly.

The earliest instructions regarding the recording of "unusual phenomena" and the purpose of the ban on "monoimi" are contained in the section "Monoimi" from the collection of instructions for employees of the state chancellery (Japanese Kurodo Dokoro) " Jichu gunye "(comp. at the end of the XI century): "Every time something unusual happens and you are ordered to send for an onyoji diviner, punish him to perform divination and inform the sovereign whether the result is favorable or unfavorable" (Jityu Gongye, 1998, p.303).

In the instructions of the sovereign Juntoku (1210-1221) " Kimpise "(comp. in 1221), there is also a "Monograph" section that says: "During the" monoimi " you can not leave your home, all things must be done behind the screens. There were examples when during light (Japanese katakunai) "monoimi" went out of the central pavilion to the platform <...> To make three boards out of willow. Tie one to the edge of the dress, and after the first roosters tie the other to the left sleeve" [Kimpise kotyu, 1993, p. 193].

The classic definition of" monoimi "belongs to the specialist in the history of official rites Ise Sadatake (1718-1784):" This is what "monoimi" is: if something bad has happened in a dream or you are worried that something unusual has happened, and the fortune teller "onyoji", after performing divination, says if this is a serious matter and you need to be careful for a few days, then you should spend these days at home, not go out anywhere and not meet anyone. It is necessary to build three boards from

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willows, write "monokimi" on them, tie them with the stem of the fern "sinobugusa" and attach them to the headdress and to the screens. Also, the word "monoimi" should be written on finely cut pieces of paper" [Ise, vol. 4, 1985, pp. 210-221]. It is believed that the definition of Ise Sadatake is based on sources from the Heian period and describes the practice characteristic of this particular era [Hojo, 2000, p. 226].

It is difficult to overestimate the importance of the ban on removal from the home in the life of Heian aristocrats: according to some estimates, an aristocrat could spend up to 40 days a year in his estate, observing the "monoimi" [Hojo, 2000, p. 227]. Despite the fact that the observance of the prohibition of "monoimi" in this sense ceased to be practiced in the XIV century, the custom of observing "monoimi" in the period of mourning for loved ones has long been preserved among the people. Various practices dating back to the complex of which the ban on monokimi was a part, such as divination to determine auspicious and inauspicious days, have persisted in Japanese culture to the present day. Thus, the study of "monoimi" is necessary both for reconstructing the life and belief system of the Heian aristocracy, and for understanding some aspects of the religious life of modern Japanese.

Nevertheless, in Japanese, Russian and Western historiography, the problems of the origin and history of "monoimi" remain almost unexplored, and the question of the meaning of the ban on receiving guests and removing them from the house has not been answered. In general, the works of Japanese researchers devoted to " monoimi "are characterized by a certain fragmentary nature: either the practice of recording" unusual phenomena "and the procedure for assigning and observing the ban on" monoimi " are considered in a narrow chronological framework, or these phenomena are analyzed separately from each other (Hojo, 2000; Kano, 1971). In Russian and Western works on the history of Heian culture, the prohibition of "monoimi" was also not fully explored.

We believe that it is necessary to study the prohibition of "mononyms"in the context of the history of the complex, the components of which were the recording of "unusual phenomena", divination, and this prohibition itself. Thus, the task of this article is to analyze the history of the formation of this complex, trace the connections between its individual components and, based on the data obtained, try to answer the question about the meaning of the ban on receiving guests and removing them from the house. Note that we will have to limit ourselves to analyzing the practice of observing the "monoimi" only for the upper stratum of Japanese society in the Heian period. This is due to the fact that the primary objects of description for compilers of written sources on the history of this period (official chronicles and aristocratic diaries) were the functioning of the state apparatus and the life of the aristocrats themselves.

Despite the fact that the first mention of the ban on "monoimi" dates back to the beginning of the X century. 1 It is obvious that the complex, whose components were the fixation of signs, divination and "monoimi", began to form in the VII century, and some of its components were borrowed from Chinese traditions, the history of which is already at that time it lasted for many centuries.

The most authoritative type of divination in ancient Japan, apparently, was considered divination on a turtle shell, which was borrowed from China in the fifth century. This type of divination was part of the competence of the " Chamber of Heavenly and Earthly Deities "(jap. Jingikan) and was used when it was necessary to solve the problems of the entire state.-

1 In the diary of Fujiwara no Tadahira (880-949) "Sadanobu ko ki" in an entry from Engi 7-2-8 (907), it is stated that the left minister Fujiwara no Tokihira and other officials could not get to Prince Yasuakira, because he observed the "monoimi". Here and further references to diary entries and chronicles are given with the board's motto, year, lunar month, and day.

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of great importance. Thus, in the mythological chronicle "Nihon Seki" (compiled in 720), it is reported that in the fifth year of the reign of the sovereign Sujin (trad. 97-30 BC) " a plague spread in the country, many people died, and only half of the people remained." The sovereign issued a decree stating the following:: "Isn't it because my court doesn't take good measures, and the gods of Heaven and Earth blame me? Should I ask the sacred turtle about the cause of the calamity?" Divination was performed, and the deity Oomononushi, having taken possession of the medium, informed the emperor that he was the cause of the epidemic, and that in order for the plague to stop, it was necessary to organize his veneration [Nihon seki, 1998, pp. 207-209].

Let us note an interesting detail: the decree of Sovereign Sudzin suggests that the epidemic is a punishment for mistakes in public administration. This idea is in line with the Chinese theory of imperial power and the concept of "Heaven's response" (Chinese: tienying, Japanese: tengyo), according to which the sovereign was considered responsible not only for political issues, but also for the entire world order: the "Son of Heaven" received good or bad omens from Heaven, which were signs of right or wrong In case of mistakes, the Sky could send down disasters to the whole country [Eberhard, 1957, p.39-40]. But in reality, it turns out that the cause of the plague is the local (landscape or generic) deity Oomononushi, and to stop the epidemic, it is necessary that his descendant Ootataneko venerate the ancestor of his kind 2.

This inconsistency in the content of the decree and subsequent events in the presentation of Nihon Seki is probably due to the conflict between the official ideology, focused on Chinese patterns, and local religious traditions, which were based on the cults of local deities. In any case, it should be concluded that one of the specific functions of divination in Japan was to find out the will of a particular local deity (and not an impersonal "Sky"), if that person was angry and sent "damage" (Japanese Tatars), which caused epidemics or natural disasters. 3
A similar interpretation of the meaning of omens can be traced in sources on the history of the VIII century. In the record of the chronicle "Shoku Nihongi" (compiled in 797) from 782, it is mentioned that the "Bureau for yin and Yang Affairs" 4 and the "Chamber of Heavenly and Earthly Deities" were instructed to conduct divination and determine the cause of unfavorable signs (yetet) and disasters (yayi) that hit the country. Both agencies reported the following: "Despite the fact that offerings to deities are made regularly at regular worship services, officials wear simple clothes during worship services, so good and bad are mixed. Because of this, the Great Deity Ise and the deities worshipped in other sanctuaries cause corruption."5
Based on the Shoku Nihongi data, there are two types of court reactions to "unusual phenomena", natural disasters, and unfavorable omens in the eighth century.

It is most commonly reported that offerings were sent to the deity or deities whose "corruption" caused such phenomena. Thus, in the record "Shoku Nihongi" from 731, it is reported that during a thunderstorm, the building of the "Chamber of Heavenly and Earthly Deities" was struck by lightning and several people were killed.6 In connection with this case, the following persons were instructed:

2 Oomononushi-deity of Mount Miwa (pref. Nara) and the Miwa-no kimi family.

3 The question inevitably arises about the chronological attribution of these representations, since it is generally accepted that the chronology of Nihon Seki up to the middle of the fifth century is semi-legendary. Most likely, the passage we have considered contains representations typical of the end of the seventh and beginning of the eighth centuries, i.e., at the time when the Nihon Seki was compiled.

4 "Bureau for Yin and Yang Affairs" - Japanese "Ommere", was subordinate to the Ministry of the Center (Japanese Tyumuse). The staff of the Bureau, in particular, included fortune tellers "onyoji".

5 Enryaku 1-7-29 (782)

6 Tempe 2-6-29 (731).

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a divination exercise was conducted, and messengers were sent to all Shinto shrines in the Kinai district and seven counties with gifts for the deities.7 In 772, lightning struck the western pagoda of the capital's Saidaiji Temple, and divination revealed that it was caused by "corruption" from the deity of the Koya-jinja shrine, located in Echi County, Omi Province. [8] In the same year, offerings were made to the deity Tsukuyomi, revered in Ise, whose" corruption", as divination showed, was the cause of the storm 9.

There was also another type of reaction to "unusual phenomena": at the place of their registration, purification or "pacification" rites could be performed. In the Shoku Nihongi record of 742, it is reported that a fox's head was discovered in a palace in Naniwa, after which a rite was performed to "subdue an unusual phenomenon" (ayashii koto-o shizumeru).10. In 777, a purification ceremony (ooharae) was performed in the palace in the capital, and Buddhist monks were instructed to read sutras, since "unusual phenomena" (yokai) were often observed on the territory of the palace, and it was believed that they were caused by "vengeful spirits" (onre) of the deceased Consorts of the Konin Sovereign, Inoue (717-775), and her son, Prince Osabe (761-775) 11.

Obviously, the purpose of sending offerings to the deity was to propitiate him and thus prevent natural disasters or other adverse events. The purpose of performing these rites at the place of registration of the" unusual phenomenon "seems to have been to influence the spirits who appeared in the palace in Naniwa or in the capital, in particular the spirits of the dead: they were banished or" subdued " by means of purification rites or sutra recitation, respectively.

At the end of the eighth century, during the reigns of the Konin (770 - 781) and Kamm (781 - 806) sovereigns, there was a sharp increase in the number of unfavorable omens [Murayama, 2000, p.51]. At the same time, the first evidence that "unusual phenomena" were seen as signs of impending disasters, and divination - as a way to determine the cause and nature of these disasters. So, in the record of the chronicle " Nihon Koki "(comp. in 840) from 796, it is reported that in Aso County, Higo province, a pond dried up, which did not dry up even in dry years. Divination was performed, which determined that this is a sign of an impending drought and epidemic. The monks of all Buddhist temples were instructed to maintain a fast (Japanese saikai) and read sutras 12. Similarly, the Fuji-yama eruption of 802 has been interpreted 13.

In the section devoted to offerings to deities for the purpose of getting rid of natural disasters and epidemics, from the chronicle "Ruiju Kokushi "(comp. 892) in a record dated 830, the term "mokke" is first used to refer to "unusual phenomena": it is reported that after observing "mokke", Buddhist monks were instructed to read the Kongo Hannya kyo sutra, and the "Chamber of Heavenly and Earthly Deities" was instructed to perform a purification rite.14 Perhaps the term "mokke" meant "unusual phenomena" associated with the appearance of animals on the territory of the palace (Kosaka, 1980, p. 343).

The period under review also includes the first evidence that "unusual phenomena" observed in the palace were associated with the influence of spirits.-

7 Tempe 2-6 add. - 17 (731).

8 Hoki 3-4-28 (772).

9 Hoki 3-8-6 (772).

10 Tempe 13-3 add. - 19 (742).

11 Hoki 8-3-19, 8-3-21 (777). The term "yokai "can also be translated as"ghost". Perhaps we are talking about "unusual phenomena" that were associated with the deeds of the ghosts of Inoue and Osabe [Shoku Nihongi, vol. 5, 1998, p. 33].

12 Enryaku 15-7-22 (796).

13 Enryaku 21-1-8 (802).

14 Tente 7-12-21 (830).

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shih sovereigns. According to the Nihon Kiryaku chronicle (comp. in the 12th century), in 827, after hearing the voice of a fox in the palace, messengers were sent to the tomb of the sovereign Kamm.15 After registering an unusual phenomenon in 831, Buddhist monks were sent to the tombs of the sovereign Kammu and the consort of the sovereign Junna Takashiuchi (789 - 809), who were instructed to read sutras to "prevent mokke" (Japanese mokke-o fusegu)16.

It was still believed that the cause of "unusual phenomena" could be "damage" from one or another local deity. Thus, according to the chronicle "Shoku Nihon koki" (compiled in 869), in 840, the deity Oomonoimi-kami, who was worshipped in Akumi district of Deva province, was granted the junior fourth rank of the lowest stage, since it was established (apparently as a result of divination) that the cause of "mokke" was "corruption " from this deity 17. It is important to note that the period of the 1940s of the IX century also includes the first records that in order to prevent the coming epidemic, which was considered to be a warning of "unusual phenomena", rites of worship of "deities of diseases" (Japanese ekijin)were performed in Shinto temples18.

According to the Shoku Nihon koki, in 844 the problem of interpreting "unusual phenomena" became the subject of court discussion, as there was a contradiction between the instructions of the sovereign Saga (809 - 823), which stated that "if unusual phenomena occur, this cannot be considered a manifestation of the" corruption " sent by the spirits of the ancestors (yap. senre) " 19, and the result of divination, according to which the cause of the observed "mokke" was precisely "corruption" from the spirits of the ancestors. The Council, headed by Fujiwara no Yoshifusa (804-872), considered this conflict and concluded that "one cannot distrust the results of divination", and the instructions of the Saga Sovereign should be corrected. 20
By the middle of the ninth century, there is the first evidence that "unusual phenomena" could be perceived not only as signs of impending natural disasters or epidemics, but also as harbingers of the sovereign's illness. Thus, in the chronicle "Nihon Sandai jitsuroku" (compiled in 901) from 866, it is reported that Jingikan and Ommere jointly performed divination and established that a fire in one of the parts of the palace and frequent "unusual phenomena" were a sign of the coming illness of the sovereign. Offerings were sent to the deities of all the shrines in Nankaido County 21.

Thus, in the ninth century, the two types of reactions to "unusual phenomena" described above were preserved: offering to deities (this category also includes assigning a higher rank to a deity) and performing various rites (purification, reading sutras, etc.) at the place where the "unusual phenomenon"was registered.

It is interesting to take a closer look at the rite of reading the sutras, since it could be performed both where an "unusual phenomenon" was observed and where the corresponding deity or spirit of the deceased was worshipped. Obviously, the practice of reading sutras was associated with the idea that it could help the deity "kami" or the spirit of the deceased to atone for evil deeds committed in the previous birth, and thus ensure a more favorable birth in the future [Suzuki, 2002, p.50].

So, in the collection of Buddhist parables " Nihon reiki "(comp. in the late eighth and early ninth centuries) contains a story about the deity Taga no ookami, who was worshipped in Yasu County.-

15 Tente 4 - 11 - 6 (827). 16 Tente 8-6-20, 8-6-26 (831).

17 Dzeva 7-7-26 (840).

18 See, for example, the following entries: Shoku Nihon koki-Jeva 9-6-5 (842); Nihon kiryaku-Jeva 9-5-27 (842). The first evidence of Ekijin worship dates back to the second half of the eighth century. [Meshcheryakov, 1987, p. 112].

19 Perhaps they were referring to the spirits of previous sovereigns.

20 Dzeva 11-8-5 (844).

21 Jogan8-7-6 (866).

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the wine was Omi and had the appearance of a monkey. This deity in a previous life was an Indian king who prevented the spread of Buddhism. In an effort to achieve a different birth, it requested a nearby Buddhist monk to recite the Lotus Sutra. The monk refused to do so. The deity wanted to join the reading of sacred texts at the Yamashina temple in Asai County, but the local abbot did not agree to this. Then the monks told the abbot that they saw a small white monkey on the roof of the temple, after which the prayer hall and cells of the temple were destroyed. The monkey was allowed into the community, sacred texts were read for its sake, and misfortunes stopped [Nihon reiki, 1995, pp. 200-202].

It is obvious that this example reflects not only the idea of reading sacred Buddhist texts as a way to get rid of disasters, but also the idea of the connection of disasters with the "damage" caused by the wrath of the deity.

In this regard, it is important to pay attention to the difference in the interpretation of "corruption" in the VIII century and in the second half of the IX century: if in the examples considered from the Shoku Nihonga, "corruption" caused by the wrath of the deities was the cause of "unusual phenomena" that were in the nature of disasters, then in reports dating back to the second half of the IX V., "corruption" appears as the cause of such "unusual phenomena", which in themselves were not unfavorable, but served as signs of future disasters. A characteristic entry is found in the Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku chronicle of 863: diviners of the Chamber of Heavenly and Earthly Deities reported that the appearance of a" shooting star "indicated" corruption "from the goddess Amaterasu, and offerings were sent to the Ise-taisha shrine in order to" prevent misfortune " 22. A record from 886 says that a thunderstorm was reported from the province of Ava, which lasted for more than a day. The "Yin and Yang Affairs Bureau" performed a divination and reported, "The wrath of the' sacred spirit ' 23 is the cause of corruption. There will be an epidemic of leprosy in this province. There will also be turmoil in the south-east of the province. " 24
Thus, since the second half of the ninth century, it was believed that if a deity or a spirit became angry and caused "damage", "unusual phenomena" first appeared, which in themselves could not be unfavorable. If the deity was not propitiated by offerings, or if the spirit was not subdued by recitation of sutras or other rituals, then the" corruption " continued to work, and various disasters could occur.

It should also be concluded that in the ninth century the "circle" of supernatural beings that could cause "unusual phenomena" was expanded: in the period under review, not only local deities are mentioned in this capacity, but also the spirits of deceased sovereigns, "sacred spirits" (jap. grief), and deities of diseases.

The specific nature of sources on the history of Japan in the eighth and ninth centuries does not allow us to fully describe the functions of onyoji diviners, who were on the staff of the Bureau of Yin and Yang Affairs, since their activities, mainly related to the interpretation of minor "unusual phenomena", were not included in the circle of attention of the compilers of national histories, the primary object of the description for which were events of national significance.

To get an idea of the functions specific to the diviners of the "Bureau for Yin and Yang Affairs", the aristocratic diaries of the X century allow.-

22 Jogan5-7-2 (853).

23 "The holy spirit" - Jap. grief. This was the name of the spirits of unjustly convicted and disgraced representatives of the ruling dynasty and officials who, after death, took revenge on their abusers and caused fires, epidemics and other disasters. The cult of" sacred spirits", which goes back to the cult of " avenging spirits "(onre), was formed by the middle of the IX century: in 863, the rite of "pacification" of "sacred spirits" (goro-e) was first held in the capital's garden, during which offerings were made to them and sutras were recited. Subsequently, this ceremony was held annually.

24 Ninna 2-8-4 (886).

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nika Fujiwara no Tadahira (880 - 949) "Sadanobu ko ki" it is reported that" onyoji " performed divination after a cow entered the pavilion where the butlers were located. As a result of divination, it was determined that butlers born in the years of the bull, aries, hare, and rooster would become ill; also, the days on which these people apparently had to observe the "monoimi" were indicated: the days of the elder and younger brother of fire (Japanese: ki-no e, ki-no to). for the next thirty days and in the tenth lunar month 25. This is the earliest record that mentions "unusual phenomenon", divination, and "mononymy"at the same time.26
Thus, by the beginning of the tenth century, the complex, whose components were the registration of" unusual phenomena", divination and the prohibition of" mononyms", was fully formed. We will give a later example that illustrates the mechanism of functioning of this complex and the specifics of compliance with the ban on "monoimi".

In the diary of the right-wing minister Fujiwara no Sanesuke (957-1046) "Shoyuki" in an entry dated 1012, it is reported that he received a letter from his brother, the head of the right-wing external guard of the palace Fujiwara no Kanehira (953-1017), stating that four days ago at the"hour of the rooster" 27 in In the Fujiwara family shrine, Kasuga-taisha, an "unusual phenomenon" was observed: a loud sound was heard, "as if a huge tree had fallen to the ground." Fujiwara no Sanesuke turned to Kamo no Mitsuyoshi 28, who performed a divination and determined that the head of the Fujiwara family, as well as men born in the years of the rooster, bull, and ram, and women born in the years of the snake, pig, and hare, is in danger of getting sick, and they must observe the" monoimi " in the future. days of the elder and younger brother of the tree (Japanese: ki-no e, ki-no to) within thirty days after the day on which the "unusual phenomenon" was observed, as well as in the tenth month of the current year and in the first and fourth months of the following year 29.

Indeed, according to the relevant Seyuki records, Fujiwara no Kanehira, born in 953 AD. (Year of the Bull), observed "monoimi" on the 28th day of the sixth lunar month (the day of the elder tree brother), Senior Advisor Fujiwara no Mititsuna, born in 955 (Year of the Hare), and temporary Senior Advisor Fujiwara no Tadanobu, born in 967 (Year of the Hare), observed "monoimi" on the 18th day of the sixth lunar month (big brother tree day)30.

In the Mido Kampaku ki diary, written by Fujiwara no Mitinaga (966-1027), who was the head of the Fujiwara family at that time, all the days indicated by Kamo no Mitsuyoshi are marked as "monoimi days "(Japanese: monoimi no hi). Apparently, the calendar scroll used by Fujiwara no Mitinaga to keep a diary was marked up by his secretaries immediately after the divination results were announced. According to the diary entries, on some of these days, Mitinaga did not leave his manor, observing the ban 31, but on some days he received visitors 32.

Note that sometimes Mitinaga ordered a second divination to determine whether it was "easy" (Japanese karui). or "serious" (Japanese omoy) should be a ban in

25 Johei 1-8-6 (931).

26 Although the term "monoimi" was not used in this case, the reference to the years of birth and the corresponding days is interpreted by researchers as a requirement to observe "monoimi" on these days [Suzuki, 1995, p. 214].

27 "Rooster Hour" - 17:00 - 19:00.

28 Kamo no Mitsuyoshi (939-1015) - calendarist, astronomer and fortune teller. Since the tenth century, representatives of the Kamo and Abe families have held senior positions in the "Bureau of Yin and Yang Affairs" and were the main consultants for the Heian aristocrats on calendar matters and divination.

29 Kanko 9-6-16 (1012).

30 Kanko 9-6-28; Kanko 9-6-18 (1012).

31 Kanko 9-7-18, 19; Kanko 9-additional 10-11 (1012); Kanko 10-1-12 (1013).

32 Канко 10 - 1-3; Канко 10 - 1-13; Канко 10 - 4-3 (1013 г.).

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a specific day, and violated the ban if it was considered "easy". Obviously, there were no precise rules about what exactly could and could not be done if the ban was "easy". Thus, Seyuki says that if the ban on monoimi is "light", then "you can not go out, but you do not need to refrain from receiving visitors." 33 In the historical work "O: kagami" (comp. at the end of the XI - beginning of the XII century), it is mentioned that the famous poetess Izumi Shikiba (born in 976), at a time when she apparently had to observe the "light" ban of "monoimi", was seen at a certain holiday [O: kagami, 2000, p. 120]. Nevertheless, it was considered dangerous to break the "serious" ban. Thus, the Shoyuki says that Fujiwara no Tadanobu's illness was caused by him breaking the monoimi ban to attend a fire at the estate of Chancellor Fujiwara no Yerimichi (992-1074) .34
As noted at the beginning of the article, one of the most interesting problems associated with "monoimi" is the question of the meaning of the ban on receiving guests and removing them from the house. Let's look at some examples that can be used to suggest an answer to this question.

The Seoyuki describes the case of the appointment of a "monoimi" to the Sovereign Sanjo (1011-1016). In a message dated 1015, the words "onyoji" by Abe no Yoshihira (954-1026) are quoted, who reported that "the spirit of illness (Japanese ekiki) emits corruption (Japanese tatari-o dasu), so tomorrow and the day after tomorrow the sovereign must observe the "monoimi" "35. In" Mido kampaku ki "in the same day's entry, it is reported that this" spirit of illness " was the spirit of the Tendai Buddhist monk Gasei (887-967), who manifested himself since the reign of the Reizei sovereign (967-969). It was believed that it was Reizei's fault that Gasei never became the head of the Tendai School. By decree of the Emperor Sanjo, Gasei was granted the highest rank in the Buddhist hierarchy, "sojo".

An interesting case is described in a message dated 994 from the chronicle "Honte seiki "(comp. in ser. XII century): during the epidemic that swept the whole country, a rumor appeared in the capital that "the spirit of the disease must come, so men and women living in the capital should not go out." Not only the aristocrats, but also the commoners locked themselves in their homes 36. A similar situation is described in the message "Honte seiki" dated 1152 37. Note that this behavior is similar in general terms to the behavior when observing the prohibition of "monomials".

Finally, let's turn to one story from the collection of short stories "Konjaku monogatari shu" (comp. In the "Story of how an Evil spirit (oni) came to a house in Harima Province and was killed", it is related that an "onyoji" who was summoned to prepare for the burial of the owner of the house told the family members of the deceased that an evil spirit must come to the house, and so the "monomial" must be observed. "Onyoji" also reported that evil spirits enter the house through the gate, but can not walk on winding roads, and move only in one direction. He ordered to attach a sign with the inscription "monoimi" to the entrance of the house, close the doors and perform a certain ritual using willow tablets [Konjaku..., vol.4, 2002, pp. 173-174].

These examples indicate that the Heian people were afraid of "corruption" from the "avenging spirits" of the deceased, spirits of disease and other "evil spirits" (or more generally, contact with such spirits) entering their homes, as it was believed that this could cause illness or other misfortunes. From the description of the "mass monomial "in Honta seiki, it can be concluded that this behavior was not complete-

33 Cannes 1-6-10 (985).

34 Kannin 4 - 10 - 5 (1020).

35 Tewa 4-6-19 (1015).

36 Seryaku 5-6-16 (994).

37 Ninghei 2-5-18 (1152).

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It is considered irrational, since, in fact, in some cases there was a quarantine necessary to prevent the spread of the disease.

Our analysis of the history of the formation of the complex, the components of which were the fixation of "unusual phenomena", divination and the prohibition of "mononyms", allows us to draw the following conclusions:

1) Already at the beginning of the eighth century, unfavorable omens and "unusual phenomena" were interpreted as a consequence of the wrath of landscape or tribal deities. Divination allowed us to determine which deities sent "damage", and they were sent offerings. If" unusual phenomena "were caused by the presence of spirits, such as the spirits of the deceased, sutras were read at the place of registration of the" unusual phenomenon", purification and"pacification" rites were performed. Thus, even at the early stages of the formation of the complex under consideration, it included autochthonous beliefs and practices;

2) At the end of the eighth century. "unusual phenomena" begin to be seen as signs of future disasters, and since the second half of the IX century. "unusual phenomena" that are not in themselves unfavorable, as well as various natural disasters, are beginning to be perceived as the first manifestations of "corruption" associated with the wrath of local deities or other supernatural beings, and as harbingers of such disasters as epidemics and troubles;

3) In the 9th century, the circle of supernatural beings that could cause "unusual phenomena" was significantly expanded: in this capacity, not only local deities are mentioned, but also spirits of the dead (including the spirits of deceased sovereigns), "sacred spirits" (jap. grief), deities of diseases;

4) At the beginning of the tenth century, the complex, which by that time included the registration of "unusual phenomena", divination and various rites aimed at preventing expected disasters, was supplemented by the prohibition of "monomials";

5) For understanding the meaning of the ban on receiving guests and removing them from the house, its connection with the idea of "damage" as something that can enter the home and cause illness and other disasters is fundamental. The ban was enforced in order to avoid contact with"spoilage". Divination, the initial information for which was the time of the first manifestation of "corruption" (i.e., the time of registration of an "unusual phenomenon"), made it possible to determine the days of greater or lesser activity of" corruption " in the future, as well as to indicate people who fell under its action.

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