Antoku Becomes A Dragon (2/2) について・・・
*** WARNING: SPOILERS! ***
One of the most memorable scenes in the Japanese epic Tales of the Heike (Heike Monogatari) becomes one of the most poignant scenes in the NHK television dramatization of the same tale. Horrifying and tragic, humorous and depressing, this scene -- based on the true events which unfolded at Dannoura on March 24, 1185 -- has much to teach us.
1. Nothing lasts forever.
2. "You may have won the battle, but we've won the war." While the Genji did manage to eradicate the Heike, Lady Tokiko's actions thwarted the Genji's attempts to reclaim either Emperor Antoku or the Three Sacred Treasures of the Japanese imperial family. While the Genji did prevent one of the three from being lost (as depicted in this video) and while they were later able to fish out one of the others, the sword -- which legend attributes to the Sun Goddess herself, the patron deity of the Imperial family, Amaterasu -- was lost forever. Some say the sword too was later retrieved, but I wonder ...
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