The Significance of the Dragonfly in Japan
The dragonfly is the inspiration behind many works of art in Japan, and other Asian countries. It's strange appearance and flight pattern made it very unique, and widely regarded. Dragonflies represent autumn and summer. They symbolize power, agility and victory. [6] In ancient times, Japan was named "Akitsu shima", meaning "Dragonfly's Island". Rice paddies were, and still are, abundant in Japan. These paddies are very wet, and are perfect for dragonflies to live during their nymph state. The more rice paddies there were, the more dragonflies there were. [9] The dependency on rice, and the dragonflies emerging from these fields, linked these two in the minds of the Japanese. The dragonfly was embedded in their mind, and in their culture.
Dragonflies in Haikus
Haiku's are a form of poetry made popular in Japan, because of their simplicity and elegance. They have 5-7-5 syllable format, and often reference nature. [11] Dragonflies in haikus are often related to autumn and summer. [10] This time of year is when many dragonflies leave their nymph cycle, so there are many flying around. In Bakusui's haiku, "dyeing his body autumn" could be a reference to the time when dragonflies are seen the most, or could be a reference to the different colors of dragonflies. There are 172 different species of dragonfly in Japan [9], so there were tons of different colors flying around.
Dragonflies in Other Art
One of the oldest known pieces of art from Japan is the Tombo Dragonfly. The Tombo Dragonfly is on a very primitive piece of pottery, and references the dragonfly as Akitsu or Tombo. [7] It tells the story of when the first emperor, Jimmu Tenno, stood upon a mountain and remarked that the land resembled a circle of tombo, or two dragonflies mating. To the samurai, the Tombo became a symbol of bravery, and never giving up until victory is achieved. Samurai, or the people of power, wore kimonos with dragonfly designs to show authority and strength. Tombo literally translates to victory insects. [8]