How to Read “閻魔の色事”
Enma no irogoto
Meaning of “閻魔の色事”
“King of Hell’s love affair” is a proverb that expresses something absolutely impossible or completely unthinkable.
This expression was born from the idea that it would be inconceivable for the King of Hell, a strict and transcendent being, to be involved in human romantic feelings or love affairs. This proverb is used when you want to completely deny the possibility of something or dismiss unrealistic talk. When you say “That’s like a King of Hell’s love affair,” it powerfully conveys to the listener just how unrealistic and impossible that matter is. Even today, it is sometimes used when talking about events that would almost never happen by common sense, or actions that someone would absolutely never do based on their character.
Origin and Etymology
The origin of “King of Hell’s love affair” is deeply connected to the character and role of the King of Hell in Buddhism. The King of Hell is known as a judge of hell who strictly judges the deeds of the dead during their lifetime. The idea that this King of Hell would be involved in “love affairs” – that is, romance and intimate relations between men and women – forms the core of this proverb.
In Buddhist teachings, the King of Hell is considered a being who has severed all worldly desires and is a transcendent existence unrelated to human desires. Particularly, sexual desire is one of the most forbidden worldly desires in Buddhism and has been considered a fundamental obstacle that practitioners must overcome. For such a King of Hell to be involved in love affairs was truly a symbol of “the impossible.”
The background to the birth of this proverb lies in the religious views of common people during the Edo period. For people of that time, the King of Hell was a familiar yet fearsome existence. The stern expression of the King of Hell seen in temple halls must have made a strong impression on people. The unexpectedness of combining such a strict King of Hell with love affairs is thought to have created the expressive power of this proverb.
Usage Examples
- That rigid department manager inviting us out to have fun is truly like a King of Hell’s love affair
- I thought her apologizing on her own would be like a King of Hell’s love affair, but I was surprised when she actually did apologize
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, the proverb “King of Hell’s love affair” is one of those expressions whose usage has significantly decreased. The main reason for this lies in changes in modern people’s religious views. While the King of Hell was a familiar and concrete existence for people in the Edo period, many people today are unfamiliar with Buddhist worldviews, and there are many who don’t relate to the existence of the King of Hell itself.
Moreover, in modern society, there are fewer things that can be declared “absolutely impossible.” In our information society, surprising events are reported in the news daily, and it’s not uncommon for common sense to be overturned. With the spread of social media, we have more opportunities to witness changes in human relationships that would have been unthinkable before, and people taking unexpected actions.
Furthermore, in modern times, values that emphasize diversity have permeated society, and having fixed ideas like “this person would never do such a thing” tends to be considered outdated. Critical perspectives on making assumptions about people’s possibilities have also grown stronger.
Therefore, in modern times, direct expressions like “no way,” “unbelievable,” or “unimaginable” tend to be preferred over this proverb. However, it is still sometimes used in conversations with elderly people or in contexts that favor classical expressions, and it continues to hold value as a precious word that demonstrates the rich expressive power of the Japanese language.
When AI Hears This
When news breaks about a politician’s extramarital affair, TV talk shows somehow turn into a multi-day frenzy. This phenomenon actually operates on exactly the same psychology as the Edo period concept of “Enma’s love affair.”
What’s fascinating about modern power figure scandals is that there’s a clear “hierarchy” in how the media handles them. For example, if a Prime Minister-level figure has an affair, it continues as national news for days, but if it’s a department manager at a regular company, it won’t even make the local papers. In other words, the greater the power, the more attention skyrockets toward that person’s “human side.”
In psychology, this is called the “pedestal effect.” It’s the phenomenon where people experience abnormal excitement at the moment when someone they’ve placed on a pedestal and revered takes a fall. Looking at social media flame-war data, we can see that politicians’ affair-related posts get retweeted over 100 times more than ordinary people’s posts.
Particularly in Japan, expectations that those in power “should be pure and upright” are strong, so this disparity appears even more dramatically. Just as we’d be shocked if King Enma had romantic feelings, when we discover the “ordinary human-like qualities” of someone we thought was perfect, we experience a complex pleasure. This might be an instinctive human emotion where admiration for authority and rebellion against it exist simultaneously.
Lessons for Today
What “King of Hell’s love affair” might teach modern people is the danger of being too caught up in fixed ideas. This proverb originally expressed something “absolutely impossible,” but in reality, people change, grow, and sometimes show unexpected sides of themselves.
What’s important is maintaining reasonable preconceptions about people and things while keeping our hearts open to the possibility of change. Even with someone you’ve known for years, there might be new discoveries. If you decide “this person is this way,” you risk missing that person’s new charm or growth.
On the other hand, the kind of “common sense judgment” that this proverb shows is also important. Rather than thinking that anything and everything is possible, it’s important to balance realistic judgment with a flexible heart. In human relationships too, I think it would be wonderful if we could have a basic understanding of others while maintaining the composure to enjoy surprises and changes.
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