八(ba)咫有大或(huo)美(mei)的意思。八(ba)咫鏡(jing)起源(yuan)于(yu)中國的水鏡(jing),又稱“鑒(jian)”。就是在一個金屬盆中放上水,用(yong)以照面(mian)。后來(lai)逐漸發展成銅鏡(jing),背面(mian)繪(hui)刻有松竹(zhu)梅、龜(gui)鶴(he)等吉祥圖案(an)。
當時日(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)(ben)人視鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi)為(wei)(wei)神圣物品(pin),掛于(yu)胸前作(zuo)為(wei)(wei)避(bi)邪用具。之(zhi)后(hou)鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi)種類增(zeng)多(duo),其中(zhong)的(de)(de)八咫鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)作(zuo)為(wei)(wei)天照(zhao)大(da)神的(de)(de)御靈,祭在(zai)日(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)(ben)神社之(zhi)祖伊勢(shi)神宮內。鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi)在(zai)日(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)(ben)民俗(su)中(zhong)占有相當高的(de)(de)地(di)位。日(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)(ben)人認(ren)為(wei)(wei)鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi)能照(zhao)物照(zhao)人,本(ben)(ben)(ben)身就說明(ming)它(ta)具有神秘性和魔力,所以有關鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi)的(de)(de)信仰和傳說很(hen)多(duo)。說它(ta)可引來(lai)吉祥,映(ying)照(zhao)出人心(xin),可暴(bao)露惡魔的(de)(de)本(ben)(ben)(ben)質,預見生死吉兇。由此,日(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)(ben)至今有人認(ren)為(wei)(wei)鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi)破碎是不祥之(zhi)兆,不能跨越鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi),非吉慶場合要把鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi)遮(zhe)蓋起來(lai)等等。
日本傳說中有“三神器”,分別是草薙劍、八尺(chi)瓊勾玉、八咫鏡。
八(ba)(ba)咫鏡(jing)又叫(jiao)真(zhen)經(jing)津之(zhi)鏡(jing),日本(ben)傳說(shuo)(shuo)(shuo)三神(shen)(shen)(shen)器之(zhi)一(yi),現在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)供奉在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)伊勢(shi)神(shen)(shen)(shen)宮。由(you)于天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)大(da)(da)(da)神(shen)(shen)(shen)的弟(di)弟(di)須佐之(zhi)男大(da)(da)(da)鬧(nao)高(gao)(gao)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)闖了禍,天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)大(da)(da)(da)神(shen)(shen)(shen)十分惶恐,躲在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)之(zhi)巖戶不出(chu)來(lai)(lai)了。她(ta)(ta)可(ke)是高(gao)(gao)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)的老大(da)(da)(da),沒她(ta)(ta),高(gao)(gao)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)和葦原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)中國都變得(de)一(yi)片漆黑,于是有(you)人出(chu)主意(yi),用(yong)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)安河(he)上(shang)的天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)堅(jian)石和天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)金山的鐵造出(chu)八(ba)(ba)咫鏡(jing),掛在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)真(zhen)賢(xian)樹上(shang),八(ba)(ba)百萬(wan)眾(zhong)神(shen)(shen)(shen)一(yi)起(qi)在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)外(wai)面(mian)唱(chang)歌(ge)跳舞,弄(nong)得(de)高(gao)(gao)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)雞犬不寧。天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)很奇怪,就在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)里面(mian)問:“我隱居(ju)在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)這里,高(gao)(gao)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)黑暗(an)了,葦原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)中國也都黑暗(an)了,為什么(me)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)宇受賣(mai)命(ming)還(huan)在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)歌(ge)舞,而(er)八(ba)(ba)百萬(wan)眾(zhong)神(shen)(shen)(shen)也都在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)高(gao)(gao)聲歡(huan)笑呢?”天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)宇受賣(mai)命(ming)回答說(shuo)(shuo)(shuo):“有(you)比(bi)你(ni)更尊貴的神(shen)(shen)(shen)來(lai)(lai)了,所以(yi)我們在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)歡(huan)樂歌(ge)舞。”說(shuo)(shuo)(shuo)話之(zhi)間,天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)兒屋命(ming)和天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)布刀玉命(ming)舉(ju)起(qi)掛在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)真(zhen)賢(xian)樹枝上(shang)的八(ba)(ba)咫鏡(jing),讓天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)大(da)(da)(da)御神(shen)(shen)(shen)照(zhao)(zhao)著鏡(jing)子(zi)看。天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)大(da)(da)(da)御神(shen)(shen)(shen)說(shuo)(shuo)(shuo):“這家伙是誰,難道比(bi)我還(huan)尊貴嗎?”天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)光顧(gu)著看鏡(jing)子(zi),沒留神(shen)(shen)(shen)從門里出(chu)來(lai)(lai)了,這時隱藏(zang)在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)門旁(pang)的天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)手(shou)力男神(shen)(shen)(shen),便抓住她(ta)(ta)的手(shou),把(ba)她(ta)(ta)拉出(chu)來(lai)(lai)。天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)布刀玉命(ming)趕忙把(ba)注連繩掛在(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)(zai)她(ta)(ta)的后面(mian),說(shuo)(shuo)(shuo)道:“不許再回到里邊去了!”天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)大(da)(da)(da)御神(shen)(shen)(shen)一(yi)出(chu)來(lai)(lai),高(gao)(gao)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)和葦原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)中國立即天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)光大(da)(da)(da)亮。后來(lai)(lai),天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)把(ba)這面(mian)鏡(jing)子(zi)也作為神(shen)(shen)(shen)器給(gei)了天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)孫(sun),并且說(shuo)(shuo)(shuo):“要永遠把(ba)這面(mian)鏡(jing)子(zi)當作我的化身(shen)來(lai)(lai)莊嚴的祭祀”。