Senyo

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A statue of Senyo's two forms in Kyūkyō

Senyo (山羊様) is a deity of the Ashiharan myth cycle and also a major deity of the Taido religion. They are considered the great culture hero, demiurge and trickster of the tama and are sometimes but not often included in the ranks of the Sanmiittai (三位一体, lit. 'trinity').

They embody what is known as the Regular Irregularity as the ta (他, lit. the other), the antithesis of the Koto (異, lit. 'singularity). They are not created by or bound to the primal Kon (魂, lit. 'soul, self') of the universe and exist in every cycle. In this way they represent disorder and chaos, but Senyo is often seen in a positive light as the reason for humanity's existence and the one who revealed the do (道, lit. 'path') to enable humans to escape the cycle.

Senyo is dualistic in depiction. The form of the male black goat represents it as a force for change and chaos, and it is most often described this way in the creation texts. Its depiction as a white haired human woman represents it as a force for creation, though in a kind different to Anemi, and as a guide to escaping the cycle. It is often commonly depicted as both to represent its full nature.

Etymology and other names

Historical development and literature

Position within Taido

Attributes

Forms and depictions

Festivals

Beyond Ashihara