Right here stands the Mizuko Jizo statue a poignant reminder of a unique Japanese Buddhist ceremony. What is Mizuko Kuyo? It translates to water child memorial service. This rite is a tradition for those who have experienced miscarriage stillbirth or abortion.
Mizuko Kuyo is also practiced in Thailand and China. Since the 1970s shrines dedicated to this ritual have become more visible. People perform Mizuko Kuyo for many reasons. These include parental grief a desire to comfort the soul of the fetus or guilt over an abortion. Some even fear retribution from a vengeful ghost.
Mizuko literally means water child. It is a Japanese term for an aborted stillborn or miscarried baby. Archaically it also refers to a dead baby or infant. Kuyō is a memorial service. Previously read as suiji it was a kaimyō. Kaimyō is a dharma name given after death.
The Mizuko Kuyō is typically performed by Buddhist priests. Offerings are made to Jizo. Jizo is a bodhisattva who is believed to protect children. During the Edo period famine sometimes led to infanticide and abortion. The practice adapted to cover these situations as well.
Today Mizuko Kuyō continues in Japan. Whether it is a historically authentic Buddhist practice is unclear. Specific elements vary from temple to temple and individual to individual. Temples often offer Jizo statues for a fee. These statues are dressed in red bibs and caps. They are displayed in the temple yard.
The practice has been performed since the 1970s. Doubts still surround the ritual. Some view the memorial service as temples profiting from misfortune. These are women who have miscarried or had to abort. Some American religious scholars criticize temples. They allegedly abuse the Japanese belief that spirits retaliate for mistreatment. Other scholars believe temples are only answering the people’s needs.
Both parents or only one can attend the ceremony. The service can be a single event or repeated monthly or annually. Common aspects resemble the ceremony for the recent dead. The priest faces the altar. He evokes the names of various Buddhas and bodhisattvas.
Mantras are performed often the Heart Sutra and the Avalokiteśvara Sutra. Calls of praise to Jizo are also given. Gifts are offered to the Buddha. These include food drink incense or flowers. A kaimyō is given to the deceased. A statue of Jizo is often placed on temple grounds.
A similar practice exists in Taiwan. It is known as yingling gongyang. The Taiwanese practice emerged in the mid-1970s. It grew in popularity in the 1980s. It draws from traditional antecedents dating back to the Han dynasty. It is popularly perceived as imported from Japan. These practices emerged with modernization. Modernization includes rising population urbanization and decreasing family size. It also includes changing attitudes toward sexuality. These occurred first in Japan then in Taiwan. This explains the similar response.
The Mizuko Jizo here stands as a symbol of compassion. It reflects a deep cultural response to loss and remembrance. It acknowledges the delicate balance between life death and spiritual solace.