八(ba)咫(zhi)有大或美的意(yi)思。八(ba)咫(zhi)鏡起源(yuan)于中國(guo)的水鏡,又稱“鑒”。就是在(zai)一個(ge)金(jin)屬盆中放(fang)上(shang)水,用以照面。后來(lai)逐漸發展成銅(tong)鏡,背面繪刻有松竹梅、龜鶴等(deng)吉祥圖案(an)。
當時日(ri)本(ben)(ben)(ben)(ben)人視鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)為(wei)神圣物品,掛(gua)于胸前作為(wei)避邪用具(ju)。之(zhi)后鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)種(zhong)類增多,其中(zhong)的八咫鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)(jing)作為(wei)天照(zhao)(zhao)(zhao)大神的御靈,祭在(zai)日(ri)本(ben)(ben)(ben)(ben)神社之(zhi)祖伊勢神宮內。鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)在(zai)日(ri)本(ben)(ben)(ben)(ben)民俗中(zhong)占(zhan)有相當高(gao)的地位。日(ri)本(ben)(ben)(ben)(ben)人認為(wei)鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)能照(zhao)(zhao)(zhao)物照(zhao)(zhao)(zhao)人,本(ben)(ben)(ben)(ben)身(shen)就說明它具(ju)有神秘性和魔力,所以有關鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)的信仰和傳說很多。說它可引來(lai)吉祥,映照(zhao)(zhao)(zhao)出(chu)人心,可暴(bao)露惡魔的本(ben)(ben)(ben)(ben)質,預見生死吉兇(xiong)。由此,日(ri)本(ben)(ben)(ben)(ben)至今(jin)有人認為(wei)鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)破碎是不祥之(zhi)兆,不能跨越鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi),非(fei)吉慶場合(he)要把鏡(jing)(jing)(jing)(jing)子(zi)(zi)(zi)(zi)遮(zhe)蓋起來(lai)等等。
日本傳說中(zhong)有“三(san)神器”,分別(bie)是草薙劍(jian)、八尺(chi)瓊(qiong)勾(gou)玉、八咫鏡(jing)。
八(ba)(ba)咫(zhi)鏡(jing)又(you)叫真(zhen)經(jing)津之(zhi)鏡(jing),日(ri)本傳(chuan)說(shuo)(shuo)三神(shen)(shen)器(qi)之(zhi)一,現在(zai)(zai)(zai)供(gong)奉在(zai)(zai)(zai)伊勢(shi)神(shen)(shen)宮。由于天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照大神(shen)(shen)的(de)(de)弟弟須佐之(zhi)男大鬧高天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)闖(chuang)了(le)禍(huo),天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照大神(shen)(shen)十(shi)分惶恐(kong),躲在(zai)(zai)(zai)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)之(zhi)巖戶不出來(lai)了(le)。她可是(shi)高天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)的(de)(de)老大,沒她,高天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)和(he)(he)葦(wei)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)中國(guo)都變得一片漆黑(hei),于是(shi)有人出主(zhu)意,用(yong)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)安河上(shang)(shang)的(de)(de)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)堅石和(he)(he)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)金山(shan)的(de)(de)鐵造出八(ba)(ba)咫(zhi)鏡(jing),掛在(zai)(zai)(zai)真(zhen)賢樹上(shang)(shang),八(ba)(ba)百萬眾(zhong)神(shen)(shen)一起(qi)在(zai)(zai)(zai)外面唱(chang)歌(ge)跳舞(wu),弄得高天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)雞(ji)犬不寧。天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照很奇怪,就在(zai)(zai)(zai)里(li)面問:“我隱居在(zai)(zai)(zai)這里(li),高天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)黑(hei)暗(an)了(le),葦(wei)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)中國(guo)也(ye)(ye)都黑(hei)暗(an)了(le),為(wei)什么天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)宇受賣(mai)命(ming)還在(zai)(zai)(zai)歌(ge)舞(wu),而八(ba)(ba)百萬眾(zhong)神(shen)(shen)也(ye)(ye)都在(zai)(zai)(zai)高聲歡(huan)(huan)笑呢?”天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)宇受賣(mai)命(ming)回答(da)說(shuo)(shuo):“有比(bi)你更(geng)尊(zun)貴(gui)的(de)(de)神(shen)(shen)來(lai)了(le),所以我們在(zai)(zai)(zai)歡(huan)(huan)樂(le)歌(ge)舞(wu)。”說(shuo)(shuo)話之(zhi)間(jian),天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)兒屋(wu)命(ming)和(he)(he)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)布(bu)刀玉(yu)命(ming)舉起(qi)掛在(zai)(zai)(zai)真(zhen)賢樹枝(zhi)上(shang)(shang)的(de)(de)八(ba)(ba)咫(zhi)鏡(jing),讓天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照大御(yu)神(shen)(shen)照著(zhu)鏡(jing)子(zi)看。天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照大御(yu)神(shen)(shen)說(shuo)(shuo):“這家伙是(shi)誰,難(nan)道比(bi)我還尊(zun)貴(gui)嗎?”天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照光顧著(zhu)看鏡(jing)子(zi),沒留(liu)神(shen)(shen)從門里(li)出來(lai)了(le),這時隱藏在(zai)(zai)(zai)門旁的(de)(de)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)手力男神(shen)(shen),便抓住她的(de)(de)手,把(ba)她拉出來(lai)。天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)布(bu)刀玉(yu)命(ming)趕忙把(ba)注連繩掛在(zai)(zai)(zai)她的(de)(de)后(hou)面,說(shuo)(shuo)道:“不許(xu)再回到里(li)邊去了(le)!”天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照大御(yu)神(shen)(shen)一出來(lai),高天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)和(he)(he)葦(wei)原(yuan)(yuan)(yuan)中國(guo)立即天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)光大亮(liang)。后(hou)來(lai),天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照把(ba)這面鏡(jing)子(zi)也(ye)(ye)作為(wei)神(shen)(shen)器(qi)給了(le)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)孫(sun),并且(qie)說(shuo)(shuo):“要永遠(yuan)把(ba)這面鏡(jing)子(zi)當作我的(de)(de)化身來(lai)莊(zhuang)嚴的(de)(de)祭祀”。