A Living God -Patrick Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo)

About the Author

Patrick Lafcadio Hearn (Koizumi Yakumo)

Patrick Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904), also known by his Japanese name Koizumi Yakumo, was born on the Greek island of Levkas on June 27. He was an international writer, translator, and journalist proficient in English, Greek, and Japanese languages. His father was an Irish serving as an officer-surgeon in the British army and his mother was a Greek. Hearn went to Ireland, England for education and then immigrated to the United States to work as a journalist. While working for the Harper's Magazine, Hearn was sent first to French West Indies in 1887 and then to Japan in 1890. He resigned from his job and became a Japanese citizen adopting the name, Koizumi Yakumo.

From 1896 to 1903, he worked as a professor of English literature at the Imperial University of Tokyo. He not only studied the Japanese culture in-depth but also adopted the Japanese way of life sincerely. His popular books include Exotics and Retrospective (1898), In Ghostly Japan (1899), Shadowings (1900), AJapanese Miscellany (1901), and Kwaidan (1904) along with numerous other texts that earned him fame in Japan as well as in the Western world. Through his works, he acquainted the world with the customs, religion, and literature of Japan. The present narrative is an excerpt from his book Gleanings in Buddha- Fields (1897).

Summary

The present Short-Story, 'A Living God' is written by Patrick Lafcadio Hearn (1850-1904), also known by his Japanese name Koizumi Yakumo. He was born on the Greek island of Lefkas on June 27. He was an international writer, translator, and Journalist proficient in English, Greek, and Japanese languages. The Story narrates how Hamaguchi saved hundreds of lives in Hirogawa, Wakayama in 1854 when a devastating tsunami take place in the peninsula. After the tsunami, Hama Noguchi spent his own money to construct a 600-meter protective wall having a width of 20 meters and a height of five meters, which minimized the damages in the later tsunamis. The Short Story tells us about a person who became a living God due to his act of Selflessness. (From ancient times, people had to face natural disasters like floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, etc. The tsunami in the recent past in India on the southern coasts (2004) destroyed the lives of thousands of people Japan is a nation where tsunamis and earthquakes have been occurring constantly. In this narrative about Hamaguchi, we learn how, sometimes, humans can face natural disasters with their alertness.

The narrative refers to a custom in ancient Japan. According to the Shinto religious customs, certain persons, while still alive, were honored by having temples built for their spirits, and were treated like gods because of their extraordinary actions of kindness, courage, etc. The short story refers to an incident in the life of Hamaguchi. It is the story of a like calamity that happened long before on another part of the Japanese coast. At the time of its occurrence, he was an old man and the most important resident (Muraosa) of the village to which he be- longed. The people very much respect him. They usually called him Ojiisan, which means Grandfather; but being the richest member of the community, he was sometimes officially referred to as the Khoja. He performed the role of the headman and settled disputes among the villagers, and maintained law and order in the village. He was greatly respected because of this. His house was located on the high land on the coast. The village was located on the shore. Hamaguchi could see the village from his house. One autumn evening, Hamaguchi Gohei was looking down from the balcony of his house at some preparations for a merry-making in the village below. There had been a very fine rice crop, and the peasants were going to celebrate their harvest with a dance in the Court of the origami. All his family members had gone to the village for a celebration. Hamaguchi was not feeling well so he stayed at home with his ten-year-old grandson; 'Tada." Hamaguchi was looking out from his balcony to the sea, he ex- perienced an earthquake shock, but the earthquakes were usual in his area and people did not care about minor shocks. However, Hamaguchi felt that it was a strange earthquake.

He thought that it was a long, slow, spongy motion that came from underwater action very far away in the sea. He felt that something unusual was happening. When he looked at the sea, it had become dark suddenly and the water was running away from the land. Suddenly, there was a great ebb, the receding tide. The villagers also noticed this and they ran toward the sea to watch this unfamiliar scene. And none of the people below appeared to guess what that monstrous ebb signified.) Hamaguchi Gohei himself had never seen such a thing before but he remembered things told to him in his childhood by his father's father, and he knew all the traditions of the coast. He understood what the sea was going to do. He sensed a tsunami to take place soon but he had no time to send a message to the villagers. The villagers were usually alarmed by the ringing of the big bell in the temple. Now, Hamaguchi did not have time to inform the priest to ring the bell to inform the villagers. So he called his grandson and asked him to bring a burning torch. Taimastu, or pine- torches, are ket in many coast dwellings for use on stormy nights, and also for use at certain Shinto festivals. His grandson handled the burning torch in his hand. Then he went to his fields where hundreds of rice stacks were kept. This rice was ripe in his fields and he had invested most of its money in crop production, It was soon to be transported to the market. Hamaguchi lift all the rice stacks with the torch and there was a huge fire that could be seen from the village below. His grandson could not understand why he had set fire to his entire crop. His grandson Tada, astonished and terrified, ran after his grandfather. Crying and asked him why he would do this? But Hamaguchi had no time to explain; he was thinking only of the four hundred lives in peril. For a while the child stared wildly at the blazing rice; then burst into tears, and ran back to the house, feeling sure that his grandfather had gone mad. Hamaguchi went on firing stack after stack, till he had reached the limit of his fields; then he threw down his torch and waited. When the villagers saw the fire in the fields, they im- mediately hurried towards it where Hamaguchi waited for them. He watch them hurrying in from the Sands and over the beach and up from the village faster come to the place where the fire would set on. When they reached there many of the young peasants wanted to attack to extinguish the fire. But Khoja stopped them and told them to let it burn. The temple assistant saw it and rang the big bell to inform the villagers. Very soon most of the villagers reached the spot. His grandson now crying, told them that grandfather had set fire; he said that grandfather had become mad. Hamaguchi agreed that he had set the Crop on fire and asked whether all the villagers had come. The Whole village was coming, and Hamaguchi counted.

All the young men and boys were soon on the spot, and not a few of the more active women and girls; then came most of the older folk, and mothers with babies at their back, and even children reached there. The Villagers could not understand the reason for his actions. Then, he pointed to the sea from where a huge Tsunami was approaching for a moment nothing was visible but a storm of spray rushing up the slope like a cloud; and the people scattered back in panic from the threat of it. When they looked again, they saw a white horror of Sea raving over the place of their homes. It tears out the bowels of the land as it went. Five tìmes the sea trucks and ebbed; then it returned to its ancient bed and stayed. The village was destroyed within moments. But all the villagers, as they were on the high ground, were saved, Hamaguchi had set fire so that the villagers would rush to his land. He had saved four hundred lives by the sacrifice. Little Tada ran to him, caught his hand, and asked forgiveness for having said naughty things whereupon the people woke up to the knowledge of why they were alive and began to wonder at the simple, unselfish foresight that had saved them. He only wanted to save the lives of his fellow villagers. After burning his whole rice stacks, he had become a poor person. Still, he invited all the people to stay in his house which was the only house remaining in the village. The temple on the hill was also safe. The villagers could take shelter in these two places. In those days the help from outside could not come quickly and it took several days for the villagers to recover from the loss. They started re-very Hamaguchi as a divine person because it was only due to his sacrifice that their lives were saved.

They declared him a god and thereafter called him Hamaguchi Daimyojin, The living God Even today, his temple stands in the village and the farmers pray to his spirit for strength and courage. The Story of Hamaguchi represents the selfless action and presence of mind which save the hundreds of lives from the natural calamity like Tsunamisi' Hamaguchi represents those people who do not care for personal wealth but care about humanity. It teaches us that We can Save ourselves from calamities through our intelligent actions. The spirit of selflessness is a great quality that made Hamaguchi a living God. He earned respect from his fellow villager's beings through his actions. He live in his old thatched home with his children and children's Children, Just as Simply as before, while his soul was being worshipped in the shrine below.

Question and Answer

Q.1:- Mention the Japanese word for the tidal waves caused by earthquakes?

Ans:-The Short Story 'A Living God' is written by Patrick Lafcadio Hearn, who is also known by his Japanese name Koizumi Yakumo. He was an international writer, translator, and Journalist proficient in English, Greek, and Japanese languages. The present Short-Story describes an important event in the life of prominent Japanese personality Goryo Hamaguchi who held different important political and administrative positions in Japan. The Story narrates how Hamaguchi saved hundreds of lives in Hirogawa, Wakayama in 1854 when a devastating tsunami struck the peninsula. Hamaguchi was an old man and the most important resident of the village to which he belonged. He performed the role of the headman and settled disputes among the villagers, and maintained law and order in the village, He was greatly respected by the people because of his selfless action and presence of mind which he show at the time when the Tsunami took place in their village.

At that time Hamaguchi experienced that something unfamiliar thing is going to happen at the Sea. He noticed the strange Phenomenon. He felt that it was a strange earthquake. He thought that it was a long, slow, spongy motion that came from underwater action very far away in the sea. A white horror of Sea raving over the place of their homes. It drew back roaring and tearing out the bowels of the land as it went. Twice, thrice, five times the sea struck and ebbed, but each time with lesser surges: then it returned to its ancient bed and stayed. - Still raging, as after a "Typhoon'. Here, the writer used the Japa- nese word Typhoon' which means a violent cyclonic storm occurring in the west pacific ocean.

Q. 2:- Why did Hamaguchi not join his fellow villagers in the harvest dance?

Ans:-The Short-Story, 'ALiving God', is written by Partick Lafcadio Hearn. He is known by his Japanese name Koizumi Yakumo. The story describes how Hamaguchi saved hundreds of lives in Hirogawa, Wakayama in 1854, When a devastating Tsunami take place in their village Hamaguchi was an old man and the most important resident of the village to which he belonged. He performed the role of the headman and settled disputes among the villagers, and maintained law and order in the village. He was greatly respected for his selfless action. His house was located on the high land on the coast. The village was located on the shore. Hamaguchi could see the village from his house.

At that time there had been a very fine rice crop in the fields and peasants were going to celebrate their harvest with a dance in the court of the 'Ujigami'. The festival banners fluttering above the roofs of the solitary street, the strings of paper lanterns festooned between bam-boo poles, the shrine decorated with different kinds of arrangements, and the enthusiastic people gathered there for the celebration. All the family members of Hamaguchi also went there except Hamaguchi and his ten-year-old grandson 'tada' at home. Hamaguchi did not join his fellow villagers in the harvest dance because he was not feeling well. So he stayed at home.

Q. 3:- What was the strange phenomenon noticed by Hamaguchi at the time of the earthquake?

Ans:- The short story, "a living God ", is written by Patrick Lafcadio Hearn, who is also known by his Japanese name Koizumi Yakumo. The present short story describes an important event from the life of Hamaguchi Goryo who saved hundreds of lives in Hirogawa, Wakayama in 1854 from 'a tsunami'. He was an old man and the most important person in the village to which he belonged. He performed the role of the headman and settled disputes between the village people to maintain law and order in the village. He was very much respected by the village people. He lived on the high land of the coast and with the villagers on the shore. Hamaguchi could see the villagers from his house. At that time the crop was good in the fields of villagers and the peasants were going to celebrate their harvest with a dance in the Shinto religion temple. All the people from the village come together to celebrate the event.

All the family members of Hamaguchi also went there to join the celebration except Hamaguchi and his ten-year-old grandson 'Tada' because Hamaguchi was not feeling well so they stayed at home. Hamaguchi was looking out from his balcony at the village where people making the preparation for the celebration. As he was looking at the Sea he experienced an earthquake which normally happened in that area and people did not care about it. Hamaguchi felt that it was a strange earthquake. When he looked at the sea, it had darkened suddenly and the water was running away from the land. He noticed the strange phenomenon which no one had felt before it. They saw a white horror of sea raving over the place of their homes. It drew back roaring and tearing out the bowels of the land as it went. Five times the sea struck and ebbed, but each time it returned to its ancient bed and stayed. Now all the villagers get an idea about the strange phenomenon which is known as the "tsunami", which destroy the whole village but Hamaguchi was successful to save the lives of four hundred people of the village.

Q. 4:- What made Hanmaguchi's grandson very?

Ans:- The short story 'a living God' is written by Patrick Lafcadio Hearn who is also known by his Japanese name Koizumi Yakumo. The present short story describes an important event from the life of Hamaguchi Goryo who saved hundreds of lives in Hirogawa, Wakayama in 1854 from 'a tsunami'. He was an old man and the most important person in the village to which he belonged. He was very much respected by the village people because of his selfless action and presence of mind. He lived on the high land of the coast and with the villagers on the shore. Hamaguchi could see the villagers from his house balcony. On one autumn evening when there had been a good crop and the peasants were going to celebrate their harvest by a dance in the temple. All the people of the village as well as the family members of Hamaguchi also went there to join the celebration. Hamaguchi did not feel well so he stayed at home with his ten-year-old grandson ' Tada'. Hamaguchi was looking out from his balcony at the village where people making the preparation for the celebration. As he was looking at the sea he experienced an earthquake which is normal in that area but he felt that it was a strange earthquake. Hamaguchi sensed a 'tsunami' to take place soon. He saw the village people were busy in celebration and they do not have any idea about this natural disaster. Now he was thinking about the people's lives, but he had no time to send the message to the villagers.

The villagers were usually alarmed by the ringing of the big bell in the temple but now he did not have time to inform the village priest. He called to his grandson and asked him to bring a burning torch. Tada giveth the burning torch to his grandfather and Hamaguchi hurriedly went towards the fields where the rice stacks were kept. His grandson follow him and saw that his grandfather was lit all the rice stacks one by one. Hamaguchi wants to save the hundreds of lives of the village people who were near the sea. And there was the only way that when they saw burning fire in the fields they run hurriedly there to see what happened. So Hamaguchi did not care about his wealth and lit all the rice stacks but little tada did not understand the selfless action and presence of mind that his grandfather showed at that time and he cry because he thought that his grandfather became mad.

Q. 5:- What did the villagers try to do when they saw the fire?

Ans:- The present short story A Living God is written by Patrick Lafcadio Hearn who is also known by his Japanese name Koizumi Yakumo. The present short story describes a natural disaster like tsunamis taking place in the village of Hamaguchi and how he saved hundreds of lives in the village. He was an old man and the most important person in the village and he was very much respected by the people because of his selfless action and presence of mind. He lived on the high land and with the village people on the shore. Hamaguchi could see the villagers from his house balcony. One day Hamaguchi experienced an earthquake which is normal in that area but he felt that tsunami take place very soon. He saW the village people were busy in celebration and they do not have any idea about this natural disaster. Hamaguchi was thinking about the hundreds of lives that were near the sea and there was no time to send messages to the villagers. They were usually alarmed by the ringing of the big bell in the temple but he have no time to inform the village priest.

He called to his grandson' Tada' and asked him to bring a burning torch. Tada give it to him and Hamaguchi hurriedly went to the fields where rice stacks were kept and lit all the rice stacks one after one till the last. He felt that when the village people see the fire in the fields, they ran towards there and it was the only way to save their lives. But little tada did not understand the selfless action of his grandfather and thought that his grandfather had become mad and was crying. When all the villagers saw the burning fire in the fields they ran towards the fields and some young peasants try to extinguish the fire. Hamaguchi did not care about his wealth but he only Cared about the lives of the village people. Then within some moment, the whole village was destroyed but he was successful to save the hundreds of lives in the village because of his selfless action and presence of mind So Hamaguchi is considered a divine person and declared A Living God. Even today his temple stands in the village and the farmers pray to his spirit for strength and courage.

Q. 6:- How did the village people show their feeling toward Hamaguchi?

Ans:-The present short story is written by Patrick Lafcadio Hearn who is also known as Koizumi Yakumo by his Japanese name. The story describes an important event from the life of Hamaguchi who saved hundreds of lives of the village people from natural disasters like tsunamis. He was an old man and the most important person in the village and he was always respected by the village people. He lived on the high land and with the village people on the shore. Hamaguchi could see them from his house balcony. One day Hamaguchi experienced an earthquake which was usual in that area but he felt that tsunami take place very soon. All the villagers as well as his family members had gone to the village for a celebration. Hamaguchi and his ten-year-old grandson stayed at home because he was not feeling well. He was thinking about the hundreds of lives on the seashore and he had no time to send messages to the villagers. Then suddenly he got an idea and he called his grandson 'tada' and asked him to bring a burning torch with him. Little tada bring a burning torch and give it to his grandfather. Hamaguchi went to the fields where the rice stacks were kept and lit all the rice stacks one after one. Within a moment the whole rice stacks were burning and there was a huge fire that could be seen from the village below. All the village people ran towards the fields where the fire could be seen. Little tada thought that his grandfather was being mad and he was crying. When all the village people reached there suddenly a tsunami take place on the Seashore and the whole village was destroyed within a moment. Now the villagers understand why he set fire to the fields because when the villagers saw the fire they become alert and ran toward the fields. Hamaguchi did not care about his wealth but he only think about the hundreds of lives of the village people.

Now Hamaguchi become a poor person but he did not care about it and allowed the village people to stay at his house which was the only house left in that place. Some people take shelter in the temple. The village people could not express their feeling towards him but they de- cleared him as a divine person because it was only due to his sacrifice that they were alive. They declared him a god, and called him Hamaguchi Daimyojin, the living God, Then the village people rebuilt the village, they built a temple to the spirit him and fixed his name in Chinese text of gold and they worshipped him there with prayer and with offerings. After hundreds of years, his temple stands there and the people pray to his spirit for strength and courage.