On Augury from Combat of Shell-fish

Abstract

IN his “Jôzankidan ShÛi” (published about 1767, tome i. fol. 3, a) Yuasa Shimbei, a Japanese literatus (1708–81), writes on this subject thus:—“Noma Samanoshin narrated that the destiny of a belligerent could well be foretold by means of the ‘Tanishi.’² If two groups consisting each of three of this shell-fish be placed in opposite corners of a tray, the three animals representing the future conquerors would advance, while the others, which are doomed to defeat, would withdraw. This method was approved by repeated experiments during the siege of Osaka [1615].³ Every time the experiment was carried on, it never failed for the three ‘Tanishi.’, respectively designated Hideyori, the lord of the castle, and his two generals, Ôno and Kimura, to be driven in corners by other three which were representing the leaders of the besieging army, Prince Iyeyasu, Ii, and Tôdô. Thence it is confirmed that, there is no better method of foretelling the decision of a war [here Noma's narrative ends]. The same method is given in detail in ‘Wu-pei-chi’ [by Mau Yuen-i, completed 1621], which is to be consulted for its particulars.” Unfortunately all four copies in the British Museum of the Chinese work, here referred to, are wanting vol. clxxxvi., wherein further details of the method are said to be found.