中山伝信録 巻六 - 翻刻

翻刻

　三四層和葉蒸食相餉名曰鬼餅俗伝古有鬼出作
　此祭之亦駆儺禳疫之意　二十四日送竈次年正
　月初五日始迎竈
　毎月朔望家家婦女取瓶罌至砲台汲新潮水帰献
　竈神或献天妃前石神
　正三五九此四月国人名為吉月婦女相率至沿海
　雪崎洞中拝水神祈福
　官吏家有人渡海者斵木為小舟長尺許檣帆俱備
　着竿首立庭中候風以卜帰信帰即撒之《割書：名風旗亦｜名五両旗》
　凡許愿皆以石為神凡神岳叢祠之所皆有巨石数
　処離立設香炉炷香燭於前焼酒設牲菓酬愿皆就
　石献供不設神像也旧録有女王女君弁才天六臂
　神之類蓋即君君祝祝開国諸神伝久異辞不尽覈
　也女巫為人祈疾者曼声唄誦徹夜無鼓楽
　通国平民死葬皆用棺槨《割書：土名｜曰龕》官宦有力之家儀物
　仿家礼有詳略会葬者皆衣白蕉衫久米村大夫中
　近有従家礼葬不用浮屠者
　棺製比中国棺略小板厚不過一寸長四尺五寸

現代語訳

三、四層にして葉と和して蒸し食し、相い餉る。これを鬼餅と名づく。俗伝に古え鬼の出ずる有り、この祭を作す。これもまた駆儺禳疫の意なり。二十四日竈を送り、次年正月初五日に始めて竈を迎う。

毎月朔望に家々の婦女、瓶罌を取って砲台に至り、新潮水を汲んで帰り竈神に献ず。或いは天妃前の石神に献ず。

正、三、五、九、この四月を国人は吉月と名づく。婦女相い率いて沿海雪崎洞中に至り、水神を拝して福を祈る。

官吏の家に人の渡海する者有れば、木を斵って小舟と為し、長さ一尺許り、檣帆俱に備え、竿に着けて首に立て庭中に置く。風を候って以て帰信を卜し、帰れば即ちこれを撤す。《割書：風旗と名づく、また五両旗とも名づく》

凡そ許願は皆石を以て神と為す。凡そ神岳叢祠の所には皆巨石数処有り、離れて立ち、香炉を設け香燭を前に炷き、焼酒を設け牲菓を設けて願を酬ゆ。皆石に就いて献供し、神像を設けざるなり。旧録に女王・女君・弁才天・六臂神の類有り。蓋し即ち君君祝祝開国の諸神なるも、伝久しくして辞を異にし、尽く覈かならざるなり。女巫の人の為に疾を祈る者は、曼声にて誦して徹夜し、鼓楽無し。

通国の平民、死葬は皆棺槨を用う。《割書：土名を龕と曰う》官宦有力の家は儀物家礼に仿い、詳略有り。会葬する者は皆白蕉衫を衣す。久米村の大夫中、近ごろ家礼に従って葬し、浮屠を用いざる者有り。

棺の製は中国の棺に比して略々小さく、板の厚さ一寸に過ぎず、長さ四尺五寸。

英語訳

Three or four layers, mixed with leaves and steamed for eating, exchanged among families. This is called "demon rice cake" (oni-mochi). Folk tradition says that in ancient times demons appeared, so this ritual was created. This also has the meaning of exorcising evil spirits and warding off epidemics. On the 24th day they send off the kitchen god, and on the 5th day of the first month of the following year they begin to welcome back the kitchen god.

Every new moon and full moon, the women of each household take bottles and jars to the fort, draw fresh tidal water, return home and offer it to the kitchen god, or offer it to the stone deity in front of Tenpi (Mazu).

The first, third, fifth, and ninth months - these four months the people of the country call auspicious months. Women gather together and go to the Yukisaki caves along the coast to worship the water deity and pray for good fortune.

When someone from an official's household crosses the sea, they carve wood into a small boat about one foot long, complete with mast and sail, attach it to a pole and set it up in the courtyard. They observe the wind to divine news of return, and when the person returns, they immediately remove it. [Marginal note: Called wind flag, also called five-tael flag]

All vows use stones as deities. At all sacred mountains and shrine clusters there are several giant stones standing separately, with incense burners set up and incense and candles burned in front, with rice wine, sacrificial animals and fruits offered to fulfill vows. All offerings are made to the stones, without setting up divine images. Old records mention female monarchs, female rulers, Benzaiten, six-armed deities and the like. These are probably the various deities of the founding rulers and priests, but having been transmitted for so long with different versions, they cannot all be thoroughly verified. When female shamans pray for people's illnesses, they chant in drawn-out voices through the night without drums or music.

Throughout the country, commoners use coffins and outer coffins for death and burial. [Marginal note: The local name is "kan"] Wealthy official households model their ceremonial objects on family rites, with varying degrees of elaboration. All funeral attendees wear white banana-fiber shirts. Among the officials of Kume village, recently there are some who follow family rites for burial and do not use Buddhist practices.

Coffin construction is slightly smaller compared to Chinese coffins, with boards no more than one inch thick and four feet five inches in length.