Это цитата сообщения Ryusei_Yamagawa Оригинальное сообщение
О Shouryou-uma
Shouryou-uma 精霊馬 - дословно "лошадь духов".
" Огурец и баклажан - транспорт для душ предков.
Известное и очень старое выражение: きゅうりは早馬、なすびは牛 (Кюри ва хаяума, насуби ва уши). Означает "огурец - быстрая лошадка, баклажан - буйвол". Смысл примерно, что для посещения родного дома духам предков предлагается "быстрая лошадка", чтоб побыстрее доехать до нетерпеливо ожидающих живых родичей, а для возвращения на тот свет - медленный и неспешный буйвол, чтоб не торопились уезжать."
(с)
Взято здесь:
http://zajcev-ushastyj.livejournal.com/321985.html
"The representative objet d'art of Obon would be the cows and horses made of eggplants and cucumbers attached with sticks as their feet. These folkways are said to be the "vehicle of the ancestors" and they are called Shouryou-uma. It is deeply related with "the reception and send-off" of the spirits.
In many regions from Hokkaido to central Japan, they make Shouryou-uma in the 16th, Okuri-bon. They make horses and cows with the eggplants and cucumbers used as funeral offerings, and throw it to the rivers and seas together with the other funeral offerings.In the other hand, in the Kanto region, they make them in Mukae-bon, 13th, and throw them in Okuri-bon. In this case, there are 2 types of regions. In one region, they make the cows in Mukae-bon, and make horses in Okuri-bon. In other regions, they make these in the opposite way.
The point of view of the former one is; "Make the cows to salute the spirits in a courteous manner, and make the horses to have them go back in a hurry. This shows a strong sense of fear to the new spirits that are not reposed enough. And the point of view of the latter one is; "Salute the spirits early with the horses, and have them take their time in the way back on cows. This shows fellowship to the ancestors and spirits who came a long way back to their houses in Obon. The sense of fear and fellowship to the spirits both show a delicate and rich feeling of Obon."
(c)
http://wagamegane.blogspot.com/2010/08/august-15-its-bon-odori-bon-festival.html