Faith in “Shengmu” (the Holy Mother) and Mountain-Worshipping Taoism in East Asia—Bixia Yuanjun, Lady Saso, and Ohohirume

This paper focuses on the mountain goddess called “Shengmu” (or the Holy Mother) who was worshipped in medieval East Asia and examines the possible religious experiences in East Asian societies from a macro, bird’s eye view. The title of “Shengmu” has been widely used in Asia, which is arguably influenced by the word being used as an honorific for Bixia Yuanjun in the Song Dynasty. That said, different “Shengmu” worships have similarities, but also significant differences. For example, “Shengmu” worships in Japan and Korea are both influenced by the legend of the Utsuro Bune, or “Hollow Ship.” On another front, “Shengmu” in China and Korea are both female mountain-worshippers. This essay points out that the differences about “Shengmu” worship in East Asia are mainly the result of the divergence in the transmission and critical acceptance of Taoism in Japan and Korea. In addition to that, there is “prohibition for women” during Japanese mountain worship. For this reason,female mountain-worshippers are virtually nonexistent in Japan, which poses certain obstacles to the acceptance of Taoist beliefs in Japan.