八(ba)咫有大或美的(de)意思。八(ba)咫鏡起源于中國的(de)水(shui)鏡,又(you)稱“鑒(jian)”。就(jiu)是(shi)在一個(ge)金屬盆中放上(shang)水(shui),用以照面(mian)。后(hou)來逐漸發展成銅鏡,背面(mian)繪刻有松(song)竹梅、龜鶴等吉祥(xiang)圖(tu)案。
當時日(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)人視鏡子(zi)(zi)為(wei)(wei)神圣物品,掛于胸前作(zuo)為(wei)(wei)避邪用具。之(zhi)(zhi)后鏡子(zi)(zi)種(zhong)類(lei)增(zeng)多,其中(zhong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)八咫鏡作(zuo)為(wei)(wei)天(tian)照大神的(de)(de)(de)(de)御(yu)靈(ling),祭(ji)在(zai)日(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)神社之(zhi)(zhi)祖伊(yi)勢神宮內。鏡子(zi)(zi)在(zai)日(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)民俗中(zhong)占有(you)相當高的(de)(de)(de)(de)地(di)位(wei)。日(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)人認為(wei)(wei)鏡子(zi)(zi)能(neng)照物照人,本(ben)(ben)身(shen)就(jiu)說明它具有(you)神秘性和魔力(li),所以有(you)關鏡子(zi)(zi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)信仰和傳(chuan)說很多。說它可引來吉(ji)祥,映照出人心,可暴露惡魔的(de)(de)(de)(de)本(ben)(ben)質,預見生死吉(ji)兇。由此,日(ri)(ri)本(ben)(ben)至今(jin)有(you)人認為(wei)(wei)鏡子(zi)(zi)破碎是不祥之(zhi)(zhi)兆,不能(neng)跨(kua)越(yue)鏡子(zi)(zi),非(fei)吉(ji)慶場合要把(ba)鏡子(zi)(zi)遮蓋起來等等。
日本傳說中有“三神器”,分別是(shi)草薙劍、八(ba)尺瓊勾玉、八(ba)咫鏡。
八(ba)咫(zhi)鏡(jing)又叫真經津之(zhi)鏡(jing),日(ri)本傳說(shuo)(shuo)三神(shen)(shen)(shen)(shen)器之(zhi)一,現(xian)在(zai)供奉在(zai)伊勢神(shen)(shen)(shen)(shen)宮(gong)。由于天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)大(da)(da)(da)神(shen)(shen)(shen)(shen)的(de)(de)(de)(de)弟(di)弟(di)須佐之(zhi)男(nan)大(da)(da)(da)鬧高天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原闖了(le)(le)禍,天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)大(da)(da)(da)神(shen)(shen)(shen)(shen)十分惶恐,躲(duo)在(zai)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)之(zhi)巖戶不(bu)出來(lai)(lai)了(le)(le)。她可是(shi)高天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原的(de)(de)(de)(de)老(lao)大(da)(da)(da),沒她,高天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原和葦原中國(guo)都變得一片漆(qi)黑(hei),于是(shi)有人出主(zhu)意(yi),用天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)安河(he)上的(de)(de)(de)(de)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)堅石和天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)金山(shan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)鐵造出八(ba)咫(zhi)鏡(jing),掛(gua)在(zai)真賢樹(shu)上,八(ba)百萬眾(zhong)神(shen)(shen)(shen)(shen)一起(qi)在(zai)外面唱歌跳舞,弄得高天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原雞(ji)犬不(bu)寧。天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)很奇怪,就在(zai)里面問:“我(wo)隱居在(zai)這(zhe)里,高天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原黑(hei)暗了(le)(le),葦原中國(guo)也(ye)都黑(hei)暗了(le)(le),為什么天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)宇受賣(mai)命(ming)(ming)(ming)還在(zai)歌舞,而八(ba)百萬眾(zhong)神(shen)(shen)(shen)(shen)也(ye)都在(zai)高聲歡笑呢(ni)?”天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)宇受賣(mai)命(ming)(ming)(ming)回(hui)答說(shuo)(shuo):“有比(bi)你(ni)更尊(zun)貴的(de)(de)(de)(de)神(shen)(shen)(shen)(shen)來(lai)(lai)了(le)(le),所(suo)以我(wo)們(men)在(zai)歡樂歌舞。”說(shuo)(shuo)話(hua)之(zhi)間,天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)兒屋(wu)命(ming)(ming)(ming)和天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)布刀玉命(ming)(ming)(ming)舉起(qi)掛(gua)在(zai)真賢樹(shu)枝上的(de)(de)(de)(de)八(ba)咫(zhi)鏡(jing),讓天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)大(da)(da)(da)御(yu)神(shen)(shen)(shen)(shen)照(zhao)(zhao)著(zhu)鏡(jing)子(zi)(zi)看。天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)大(da)(da)(da)御(yu)神(shen)(shen)(shen)(shen)說(shuo)(shuo):“這(zhe)家伙是(shi)誰,難(nan)道比(bi)我(wo)還尊(zun)貴嗎(ma)?”天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)光顧著(zhu)看鏡(jing)子(zi)(zi),沒留神(shen)(shen)(shen)(shen)從門(men)里出來(lai)(lai)了(le)(le),這(zhe)時隱藏在(zai)門(men)旁的(de)(de)(de)(de)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)手力男(nan)神(shen)(shen)(shen)(shen),便抓住她的(de)(de)(de)(de)手,把她拉出來(lai)(lai)。天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)布刀玉命(ming)(ming)(ming)趕忙把注(zhu)連繩掛(gua)在(zai)她的(de)(de)(de)(de)后面,說(shuo)(shuo)道:“不(bu)許再回(hui)到里邊去了(le)(le)!”天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)大(da)(da)(da)御(yu)神(shen)(shen)(shen)(shen)一出來(lai)(lai),高天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)原和葦原中國(guo)立即天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)光大(da)(da)(da)亮(liang)。后來(lai)(lai),天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)照(zhao)(zhao)把這(zhe)面鏡(jing)子(zi)(zi)也(ye)作為神(shen)(shen)(shen)(shen)器給了(le)(le)天(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)(tian)孫,并且說(shuo)(shuo):“要永遠把這(zhe)面鏡(jing)子(zi)(zi)當作我(wo)的(de)(de)(de)(de)化(hua)身來(lai)(lai)莊(zhuang)嚴(yan)的(de)(de)(de)(de)祭祀”。