Shinra Myōjin () is a Buddhist god associated with the Jimon branch of Tendai, a school of Japanese buddhism. His name is derived from the name of a historical Korean kingdom, Silla. Origin is a matter of debate among researchers. He might have originated in Korea, China or in the historical Ōmi Province in Japan. Initially he was portrayed as a deity who arrived in Japan from abroad to protect Buddhist monks, though later the view that he was a Japanese deity who ventured to Silla instead developed due to a shift in the perception of Korea. He was regarded as a symbol of Jimon and its institutions, but also as a protector of sea routes and as a mountain deity. He also developed associations with waka poetry and with pestilence. In art, he is typically depicted as an elderly man dressed in the clothes of a Chinese official. Through history, he developed connections with a number of other figures, including Susanoo, Matarajin and Mañjuśrī. He is chiefly worshiped in Onjō-ji. Name and origin The name Shinra Myōjin can be translated as “bright deity of Silla”. Silla was a historical kingdom on the Korean Peninsula which existed between 57 BCE and 935. While the combination of signs used to write its name in Japanese, 新羅, is commonly read as Shiragi or Shiraki, Shinra is the typical reading in proper names. The term myōjin, “bright deity”, designates a class of deities. It is possible that the name was originally a generic designation, “Silla deity”, and only later developed into a proper name. It has been proposed that Shinra Myōjin had Korean origin. However, he does not appear in any historical Korean sources. It has been suggested that he might have been the deification of Chang Pogo. Another possibility is that he originated in China, as evidenced by the fact he was referred to as the “king of Mount Song”. Another possibility is that while he did originate in Korea, China served as an intermediary in his transmission to Japan. Sujung Kim argues that the historical Ōmi Province in Japan should be considered his “birthplace”, but states he cannot be easily described as either a Japanese or Korean deity. Regardless of the precise origin of Shinra Myōjin, it is agreed that his early development in Japan was tied to the activities of groups of Korean immigrants. Narratives Early sources portray Shinra Myōjin