Kyou-ou (梟王, Owl King[1]) is the posthumous title of the ruler of En who proceeded Shoryu.[2]
At the beginning of his reign, the Owl King was known to have been a benevolent ruler. However, at some point he lost the way and began tormenting his people, flooding and burning towns that opposed him and eliminating ministers who spoke against him. He became extremely repressive, causing a Setsuzan, great devastation and disaster that nearly destroys the kingdom, in En. The Owl King caused the collapse of the palace on the Ryouun Mountain and forced the people of En to build a great mausoleum for him under terrible conditions once he became aware that he was losing the way. The king's cruelty extended for a long period of time, to the very end of the king's reign.
The impact of the king's cruelty lasts for many years, unalleviated by the existing corruption of the court. Despite the kirin's efforts, the kirin of En was unable to find an new ruler and died of natural causes after 30 years. The disappearance of the new Enki shortly before his birth, followed by his stubborn refusal to accept any one to be king until he meets Naotaka Komatsu, a taika in Hourai, contributes to En's difficulties. Even twenty years into Shoryu's reign, Enki notes the fields have only recently become green again.
References[]
- ↑ The Twelve Kingdoms: The Vast Spread of the Seas, Tokyopop translation
- ↑ [1]