Religion in shogunate japan

Lesson 1 - Religion during Medieval Japan

To know - Religions that existed during medieval Japan

To be able to - explain Shintoism, confucianism and Zen Buddhism

Shintoism - 'the ways of the gods'

Inspired by the magnificent geography of Japan, people began to believe in the kami (spirit beings) of these places. This formed the basis of Shintoism.

The main practices of Shintoism are:

-Tradition and the family

- Love of nature

- Physical cleanliness

- Religious festivals

Special gates called Torii marked the entrances of places to worship nature. They were built in and around places of natural beauty.

Zen Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion that was founded by Buddha 2500 years ago in India. The religion is founded on Karma, Reincarnation and a search for enlightenment.

Buddhism arrived in Japan from China in the sixth century. The Japanese put their own spin on it and created Zen Buddhism.

Zen Buddhism focused on meditation to empty the mind, create self-discipline and search for enlightenment.

confucianism

Unlike Shintoism, Confucianism is not a religion. Confucius was a philosopher who lived in Ancient China between 551 BCE- 479 BCE. He had many teachings on how to live a good life that shaped society in Ancient China. Confucianism appealed to Japanese leaders during Medieval Japan because it valued family, respecting elders, loyalty and truth. Confucianism arrived in Japan in 285 CE.

By Unknown, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Public Domain

Task 1 - sources on religion in medieval japan

1 - What makes this source a secondary source?

2 - When was the source made?

Source 1 - The torii of the Itsukushima Shinto Shrine on the island of Miyajima near Hiroshima. The original torii was built in 1168 CE. this is a replica of the oiringal torii and it was made in the 1700's.

3 - What religion does this source link to?

4 - Why was the Torii gate built here?

5 - When was the original Torii built?

Source 2 - A 15-metre high statue of Buddha that was completed in Nara in 751 CE. It has been repaired several times, and only a little of the original statue remains.

1 - What makes this source a secondary source?

2 - When was the statue originally made?

3 - Why do you think the people in Medieval Japan made this statue so big?

Source

Source 3 - a painting on a scroll of an oni wearing a foreign clothing, it was made during the tokugawa shogunate. An Oni was a demon from nature.

1 - Is this source a primary or secondary source?

2 - What religion do you think an Oni belongs to?

3 - When was the source made?

4 - The Oni is wearing clothing that is worn by people not from Japan. What do you think people during the Tokugawa shogunate thought about foreigners?

Source 4 - A painting of A yōkai's wedding from the 1500's CE. Yōkai were important for shintoism and included different monsters, demons and spirits. It is unknown who made the source.

1 - Is this a primary or secondary source? How can you tell?

2 - Who made the source?

Public Domain - Source

3 - What religion are these spirits from?

4 - What is happening in the source?

5 - Look at the spirits in the painting. Do you think Yokai are good or bad spirits? Why?

task 2 - tanka poem and japanese fan

Tanka poems are poems about nature that are commonly written on Japanese fans. Tanka poems were read out before entering through a Torii gate. Tanka poems follow the following structure -

First line = 5 syllables

Second line = 7 syllables

Third line = 5 syllables

Fourth line = 7 syllables

Fifth line = 7 syllables

Your job is to make your own Tanka poem on a Japanese fan and decorate it. Use the examples below to help you.

Tanka fan activity.pdf

kahoot on everything we have learnt so far on japan under the shogun

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