Components

Point of interest: 疫神(えきじん)と福神(ふくじん)

POI
疫神(えきじん)と福神(ふくじん)  gods, good and bad
238 words
For more on this topic, see the 疫 essay in the Joy o' Kanji essay collection.
In ancient Japan, gods played many roles. The primary religion of ancient Japan, Shinto, was 'pantheonic' - worshippers believed in multiple gods. As in other pantheonic religions, a different god served a different purpose, and so the pantheon as a whole reflected the values and considerations of society. In Japan, there were at least 20 major deities, and many more minor players.
A recent book that takes on the challenge of elucidating this has the following title:
えきじん
疫神
ふくじん
福神
title of book, album etc.
The God Who Spreads Infectious Diseases and the God of Fortune
Since the ancient Japanese believed illness was spread by gods, it’s no wonder that they had rituals to keep such deities away. Actually, that practice is ongoing. Japanese Wikipedia says that since the Heian era (794–1185), the imperial household has performed certain religious rituals to exorcise epidemics. And, in accordance with both religious and folk beliefs, some laypeople try to stave off epidemics with the help of woodblock prints. The pictures, which are treated as charms, go on the walls or doors of houses and show a Buddhist priest named
りょうげん
良源
who supposedly turned into a horned demon so that he could fight off epidemics. People therefore worship him at shrines as if he were a god. He also goes by two other names:
つのだいし
角大師
(literally “great priest with horns”) and
がんざんだいし
元三大師
(literally “great priest of January 3”) because he died on January 3 in the lunar calendar. The 元 means “New Year,” and the 三 represents “the third day.”

Kanji used in this point of interest

リョウ   よ good   
ゲン   みなもと source, origin   
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カク   corner; horn   かど corner   つの horn   
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ダイ   タイ   おおきい big   おおいに very much   おお-    
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シ    teacher; army   
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ゲン   ガン   origin; original   もと origin   
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サン   み    みっ three   
エキ   ヤク    epidemic   
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シン   ジン   かみ    かん-    こう- god   
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フク    fortune, blessing   
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