Asian Legends
These Monchhichis show three figures out of the chinese and japanese mythology. On this page I tell you the story of those three guys. I always try to get informations about the background of the Monchhichis which wear special clothes. In this case I got some input from different sources. I want to thank Wing and Sekiguchi for giving me informations. I also used the internet as source. Thanks again.
Heike
source :
Momotaro homepage
Here you can see Kintaro who is a figure of an old japanese myth.
"Kin" means "Gold". "Taro" is a very popular boy's name, meaning simply "Boy". Therefore, "Kintaro" can be translated as "Golden Boy". Here you can read his story :
Unfortunately, for certain reasons, she was forced to go back to her native house at Jizodo, when she was pregnant. Soon after she got home, she had a rotund and bouncing baby boy. She named him "Kintaro". "Shiman-choja" family took very good care of "Kintaro".
"Kintaro" was a good, charming boy with clear eyes and rosy-cheeks. Strong and active boy from the beginning, Kintaro played as jumping up and down "Kabuto-ishi" rock and "Taiko-ishi" rock in the nearby rice field.
As he grew up, he became a bossy boy among children around and played all day long in the steep mountains such as Mt. Ashigara and Mt. Kintoki.
As he trained himself in the mountains, he became so strong that he could throw a bear, the strongest in the mountain forests, in "Sumo" wrestling.
Kintaro changed his name to "Kintoki" after grown up into a man. He became a big, strong and handsome young man, having a good reputation among surrounding villages.
Around that time, there lived in Kyoto, the capital, the strongest chief "Samurai" (warrior) called Yorimitsu Minamoto. He happened to come across to Ashigara pass area on his way back from eastern countries. When he and his troop of retainers came to Jizodo, they took a rest, and were surprised to find out Kintaro, a strong and good-looking young man in such a countryside.
Yorimitsu thought, "It must be by God's providence that I have met with this boy." and recommend him to become his retainer.
Kintoki was extremely happy and, no doubt, accepted Yorimitsu's offer to become a retainer of the most famous Samurai in Kyoto.
Mr. Kintoki Sakata went up to Kyoto, studied harder, and trained himself in martial arts to become one of the four Yorimitsu's strongest retainers.
Even now, when a boy is born, parents decorate his room with "Kintaro" doll on May 5 (Boy's day: By the way, March 3 is Girl's day), expecting that he will have similar good luck to become "strong and gentle" Kintaro.
source
: Kintaro Homepage
His name is Songoku
. He is a the monkey king, from the famous chinese myth "journey to the west".Songoku
The story is about the monkey king and other four braves who tried to went somewhere else in the west of China to get a book which can make the whole world to be peaceful! There are many difficulties and dangers during the journey.
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