Again the ancient tomb named Bentenyama

I have had a few chances to visit my former office in the next town south to ours for the past week. 

On the way, there is an ancient tomb named Bentenyama among the farm fields. I used to see it everyday on the way to and from the office. I have written about it once or twice in this blog. It will have been 30 years next spring since I first started commuting to the office, even though I put an end to it 12 years ago. Time sure flys fast but also I feel it was dauntingly long time ago.

The tomb is believed to be built by a powerful family in this area even though the name is unknown. It was 4th or 5th century, they say. There are a number of same kind of ancient tombs around this area. This one is rather a small one. The diameter is about 10 meters. A few meters high. A small shrine is on the top to enshrine the ancestors, which must be placed there later. 

Whenever I see this tomb, two things come up in my mind.  

                                                            

Firstly, the man of power might want to convey his power to the others in the area. At the same time, the guy might be concerned about the world after death and prepared for that with this tomb. He must owned some kind of religiousness, even though it is a question if it was right attitude or not. 

Secondly, the people, the descendants, in this area must first worshipped the anscestor buried in this tomb and then started worshipping as an object of their primitive religion. This ethos must have been delivered from generation to generation. The tomb is well maintained by the people in the area. The grass grown on it has been cut and the tomb still looks neat. Even though the worshipping is declined. They sure has lost faith in ancestors but still may have a religious attitude toward this tomb.    

Thinking of these, I am kind of relieved as if I were told I would return to the soil as the ancestors have done. There is a serene and quiet stage waiting for me. I am not sure what it is but would let me rest away from all the worries and anxieties in the world. 

On the way commuting to and from the office, I often kept the roof window wide open and listened to this piano trio by Ropartz. I might have already mentioned aboout this music before. Listening to it, I felt as if I were flying freely over the rice paddies.