Sung Hatsukoi, the Protagonist

Hatsukoi is the protagonist of the ‘Prince of Blue Flowers’ and of the rest of the ‘Adventures of Takuan from Koto.’ The full story bears his monastic name which he got in the monastery on the Mount White.

Hatsukoi, like the celestial marten Ta-Guan, is a trickster. His monastic name – Takuan – he received for his tricks in honour of the heavenly trickster. But, unlike the marten, Takuan-Hatsukoi comprehends his destiny and applies his cunning to good deeds. This is how Hatsukoi first grows up, and then Takuan continues the path of becoming a whole person.

Story of Hatsukoi

Once upon a time, in the Sung family, an extraordinary child was born. He was given the name Hatsukoi which means ‘fruit of motherly love’.

Growing up, Hatsukoi can’t sit still. He plays tricks on his parents and other villagers and then goes wandering about. After a couple of pranks, he returns home, quite pleased with the results. But for some reason, his parents aren’t happy at all. They send him to a monastery. And in the monastery, he gets a new name – Takuan.

If you want to know what tricks Hatsukoi got sent to the monastery for, as well as what he did as Takuan, you have to listen to the first part of ‘Adventures of Takuan from Koto.’