Abstract:Edo Japan (also Tokugawa Japan, 1603-1868) was significantly influenced by Confucianism. During this time, the funeral and sacrificial rites outlined in ZHU Xi’s Family Rituals garnered intellectuals’ attention, and formed the basis for extensive research and practices. However, under the temple registration system, Buddhist temples monopolized funeral and sacrificial matters tied to Japanese people’s lives. To break free from this control, Shintō groups absorbed and adapted Confucian knowledge, constructing systematic Shintō funerals and sacrificial rituals. Early Yoshida school rituals retained some Buddhist influence, but pioneers like Yoshida Koretari and Yamazaki Ansai shifted focus to Confucian knowledge. They practiced funeral and sacrificial rituals based on Confucian rites, indicating a synthesis of Confucianism and rejection of Buddhism. To emphasize the purity and historical continuity of Shintō rituals, successors adapted Confucian-style spirit tablets to Shintō styles; or explained Confucian rituals by referring to Japanese classics, aiming to eliminate Confucian elements and revitalize ancient Japanese way of funerals or Shintō funerals—leading to the “Shintōization” of Confucian rites. Ultimately, the autonomy of the Shintō groups gave rise to the Shintō funeral movement in the late Edo period, becoming a source of movement of “abolishing Buddhism and destroying temples” in the early Meiji period. Confucian knowledge played a crucial role as a tool in constructing Shintō funerals.
谭甜甜. 近世日本的排佛融儒:以丧、祭礼为视角[J]. 《深圳大学学报》(人文社科版), 2023, 40(6): 37-45.
TAN Tian-tian. “Expelling Buddhism and Incorporating Confucianism” in Early Modern Japan:A Focus on Shintō Funerals. , 2023, 40(6): 37-45.