The legend begins centuries ago at the foot of Mount Hiei, half a day’s eastward walk from Imperial Kyoto, the seat of the Emperor. In the tranquil, idyllic woods overlooking serene Lake Biwa rises ancient Mii-dera, one of the four largest temples in Japan.
At the heart of this grand Buddhist complex stands a belfry of stoutest timber. Within, a great bronze bell hangs in dignified repose. It is said the bonshō shined brilliantly once, with neither scratch nor blemish to mar its mirror-like surface. Every morning and evening the bell would ring out, calling the faithful with a clear and deep resonance.
A tale of greed and vanity
As the story is told, a woman living in Kyoto grew curious to see this wonder and to look within its bright metal. In those days, it was forbidden that a woman should ascend the hill or enter the sacred monastery at Mii-dera, for she might let in an evil spirit as she slipped through the door. Still more, her polluting touch could dull the lustrous and cherished bronze bell.
Undeterred by such policies, the woman pressed on, thinking how lovely she might look reflected in the dazzling bronze. Bringing with her various tinctures and combs, she vowed to powder her face and dress her hair against the bell’s luminous surface. Vain and irreverent, indeed.
At length she reached Mii-dera, concealing herself until an hour when the attending monks were absorbed in their sacred rituals and studies. Silently and unobserved, she climbed the belfry steps and peered into the gleaming bell. Her eyes sparkled in the reflection, and she was charmed by the look of her rosy cheeks and delicate smile. How much more delightful she looked reflected in the bell than in her own mirror at home.
Stretching forth her dainty hand, the woman brushed the bell’s surface with her fingertips, praying aloud to have such an exquisite bell of her own. The bell recoiled at her touch, outraged at the impiety. Where her finger rested, a hollow grew, and a dullness spoiled and darkened the mirrored polish.
What moral may we take from this tale?
This ancient legend contrasts the piousness and lawfulness of the monks with the vaingloriousness of the pretty woman. What once was a blessing that benefited an entire community, was profaned by the self-indulgence of a single person. The bell is a sacred object dedicated to the divine. It is not for us to misuse or desecrate.
For another tale about the great bell of Mii-dera, see: The Legend of Benkei.
Cover image: A woman in traditional Japanese clothing approaches the bronze bonshō at Tōdai-ji temple in Nara, Japan, in 1905. Courtesy: The New York Public Library.
