Dragon: the Old Potter's Tale

"Dragon: the Old Potter’s Tale" (龍, Ryū) is a short story by Ryūnosuke Akutagawa. It was first published in a collection of Akutagawa short stories, Akutagawa Ryūnosuke zenshū. The story is based on a thirteenth-century Japanese tale, with Akutagawa’s Taishō literary interpretations of modern psychology and the nature of religion.

Dragon: the Old Potter’s Tale was originally translated into English in 1952 by Takashi Kojima. The only other translation of the work was done by Jay Rubin and published in a collection by Penguin Group.

The short story was written at the outset of the Taishō Period, a period from about 1912 to 1926 and showcases much of the influence the period had on modern Taishō writers. Like much of Akutagawa's works, it contains a fusion of ancient settings and modern thinkings the mindset of the individual.

The story revolves around a practical joke played by the monk E’in. E’in erects a sign next to the Sarusawa Pond reading "On the third day of the third month, the dragon of this pond will ascend to heaven". However, though E’in intended the joke to affect only those in his immediate area, his sign ends up attracting many from miles around, including many influential lords and his superstitious aunt. A numberless crowd watches the lake faithfully as E’in both scoffs their ignorance and marvels at the turnout. Eventually, the sky darkens and everyone gathered, including E’in, believe they see a dark powerful dragon ascending towards the sky. Afterwards, no one will believe E’in’s claim that the sign was a practical joke; even E’in, the instigator, believes a dragon from the pond actually flew towards his home.

The major theme of Dragon: the Old Potter’s Tale is the nature of religion. Akutagawa leaves everyone, even the man who absolutely knows the information must be false, convinced a vague shadowy image was the figure of a dragon ascending to heaven. As Rubin puts it: "Dragon toys with the likelihood that religion is nothing more than mass hysteria, a force so powerful that even the fabricator of an object of veneration can be taken in by it".

The story offers numerous allusions to Buddhism, including legends of dragon ascensions and the calling on the name of the Amida, also known as Amitābha.