Extract from a
special publication by the Hayakugan Research Foundation,
regarding a children’s rhyme
Disclaimer: Saiyuki belongs to Kazuya Minekura and associates.
History suggests that the original author could not have been the legendary Prince of the Hayakugan clan since officially the clan was destroyed by the mass-murder Cho Gonou long before this rhyme came into common usage.
There is certain scholarly speculation surrounding the evidence of the Prince’s death. Though it is generally acknowledged that the youkai who claimed to represent the Hayakugan clan and was subsequently killed by the Sanzo-ikkou on their journey West could not have been the same person as the ill-fated Prince. Aside from such erroneous claims is it most likely that the youkai in question was a survivor of the massacre by chance of not being there when Cho Gonou was present and may have been the originator of the rhyme in question.
Also regarding Cho Gonou’s reasoning and intent in the massacre of the Hayakugan clan, while folklore points to the existence of a sister or lover who was abducted by the clan, there has yet to be found empirical evidence that Cho Kanan actually existed and was not a construct of bards and storytellers, in an effort to lend credence to the anti-youkai sentiment prevalent at the time.
Dr I. Chin
Hayakugan Research Foundation
Special Publication – the Hypocrisy of Heroism. 2005. Volume 2, pg 12-15.
A nursery rhyme allegedly first composed by Chin Iisou, Prince of the Hyakugan clan:
Poor Cho Gonou lost his love and with it his sanity.
But when you consider I had nothing to loose, he’s obviously worse off than me.
I lost my family, friend and foe, my kingdom to oversee.
But the clan of Hyakugan Maoh was mad; he should have let us be.