The contributions of religion to a national Japanese identity Shinto - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The contributions of religion to a national Japanese identity

Shinto – kami-no-michi Confucianism Buddhism

The contributions of religion to a national Japanese identity

Shinto – developed during the Kofun period ~250-538 CE

An animist religion based on fertility, purification, and an annual agricultural ceremonial cycle Shrines dedicated to deities supporting a central myth cycle Shrines served by attendant priests, but religion lacked central organization (e.g. the Catholic Church’s ecclesiastical hierarchy) Connection of myth to the imperial family via a divine ancestress— Amaterasu, the Sun-Goddess Adaption of certain elements of other religions—Buddhism and Confucianism—shortly after their adoption by both elites and peasants National Shinto, as buttressed by the connection of the imperial family to Amaterasu, tied a relatively homogeneous people to the land—as a national homeland, as well as to the Emperor—as a deity

National Shinto was a central rallying point of the Meiji Restoration

The contributions of religion to a national Japanese identity

Confucianism an ethical system that serves as the foundation of Bushido as an ethical system

fostered a system of hierarchical loyalty—especially important during

Japan’s long period of feudalism

metaphysical system lacking an ecclesiastical structure provides order and a philosophical structure lacking in Taoism

The contributions of religion to a national Japanese identity

Buddhism – first introduced during the Azuka (late Yamato Period) – and

reintroduced during the Kamakura Period (why did it take so long to take?)

Zen - Rinzai - Eisai (1141-1215) – taught that the Buddha-mind could only be gained through meditation (dhyana) and not via worshipping Buddhas or reciting sutras Zen - Soto - Dogen (1200-1253) – lived as a hermit disavowing all possessions and notoriety

The contributions of religion to a national Japanese identity

Buddhism – first introduced during the Azuka (late Yamato Period) – and

reintroduced during the Kamakura Period (why did it take so long to take?)

Nichiren - Nichiren (1222-1282) – stated that Siddhartha, the

• riginal Buddha, expressed the law of life (the Buddha Nature

inherent in all) within the Lotus Sutra. Expressed that the worship of any other Buddha, or forms of Buddhism, was disloyal to the true Buddha and inefficacious (Anesaki 1916:8-11 and Bellah 1959:68)

The contributions of religion to a national Japanese identity

The confluence of Shinto, Buddhism and Confucianism can

be found in the inherently goodness of the individual— situations may obscure that goodness

This can be contrasted to western monotheistic religions where

the nature of the individual is understood as flawed or sinful

Swords and Swordsmanship

Katana: modeled after the Chinese sword, the

Japanese sword took a unique form

Single edged blade Blade created by folding steel over onto itself – fifteen

to sixteen times creating 16,384 to 32,768 layers

Form a function of utility – used both on horseback

and in close-combat – length changed over time as modes of combat and social relations—Sengoku period [warring states] to Tokugawa peace—changed

Swords and Swordsmanship

Accounts of battles are at best fanciful Both warfare on a grand-scale and single combat are

markedly different in character and practice

Swords and Swordsmanship

Techniques developed as a consequence of the

manner in which wars were fought

From general expertise in horsemanship and weapons

(heiho or bugei) to specialization (kendo, kyudo, etc.) –

• ver the Kamakura to the Sengoku periods –

subsequent changes and greater specialization during the Tokugawa peace

Swords and Swordsmanship

Dueling develops as a result of musha shugyo – a quest

to learn via challenge and instruction during the Sengoku period

Swords and Swordsmanship

Dueling develops as a result of musha shugyo – a quest to

learn via challenge and instruction during the Sengoku period

The Gracie Challenge (a new form of musha shugyo)– “If

you want you face smashed and split open, your backside kicked and your arms broken, contact Carlos Gracie at this address” 1925 – newspaper ad, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Similar challenges were issued during the late 1980’s

through the first decade of the 21st Century by the Children of Carlos and Helio Gracie in the United States

Swords and Swordsmanship

The Tokugawa peace brought with it a transformation

• f martial techniques to marital arts

Three periods of Tokugawa Swordsmanship

The Era of Great Swordsmen - From the late Sengoku

period ~1573 to ~1651 (the death of Iemitsu—the third Tokugawa Shogun)

The Rise of Kata Kenjutsu - ~1644 to ~1789 the

development of the martial arts and the great training halls

The Era of Shiai - ~1789 to ~1868 – the development

• f competitions

Swords and Swordsmanship

Swords and Swordsmanship

Japan and the Development and Spread of Martial Arts

Theodore Roosevelt’s and boxer John L. Sullivan’s

characterizations of Jiu-jitsu

Was the characterization of black boxer Jack Johnson different? Newspaper accounts of matches between Jiu-jitsuka and

Western wrestlers

Jiu-jitsu characterized as deceptive, uncivilized, brutal, barbaric, and sneaky Although Jiu-jitsuka often won, accounts noted that pugilists could “lay-low the most expert Jiu-jitsuist”

Japan and the Development and Spread of Martial Arts

Racializing and genderizing Jiu-jitsu

Japan and the Development and Spread of Martial Arts

Western preferences vs. Eastern preferences in MMA

fights and outcomes

Western preferences for fights where fighters remain on their feet and punch – the knockout Japanese preference for fights where fighters exhibit technical skill – the tapout Is this a vestige of historical preferences tied to the racialization of cultural practices?

Japan and the Development and Spread of Martial Arts

Development of the Martial Arts at the end of the

Tokugawa Bakufu

Specialization in “practical” and “useful” martial arts (Jiu-jitsu, Kendo, Judo) over the military-based martial ways (Kyu-jutsu [archery], So-jitsu [the way of the spear], and Ho-jitsu [musketry]) Kata and controlled Randori

Japan and the Development and Spread of Martial Arts

Nippon Budokan – founded in 1964 to promote

kobudo—the classical martial arts of Japan

Kyu jutsu Kyuba jutsu

Japan and the Development and Spread of Martial Arts

Kodokan Judo – developed by Kano Jigoro in 1882

Allowed for the practice of martial techniques in a non-lethal and collegial manner that promoted health, fitness and technical proficiency, and contributed to Kokutai (national spirit) Nage-waza—throwing techniques

Te-waza-hand throwing techniques Koshi-waza-hip throwing techniques Ashi-waza-foot throwing techniques Sutemi-waza-sacrifice throwing techniques

Katame-waza—grappling techniques

Osaekomi-waza-pinning or hold down techniques Shime-waza-choking techniques Kansetsu-waza-joint-locking tecniques

Ne-waza is a subset of Katame-waza where the techniques only take place on

the ground

Atemi-waza—striking techniques Ukemi-waza—breakfall techniques

Japan and the Development and Spread of Martial Arts

Kodokan Judo – developed by Kano Jigoro in 1882

First system of martial arts to rank via obi (belt) differentiation – dan ranks

First dan rankings presented in 1883 Tomita first go-dan (5th degree Black Belt) in 1888 Yamashita first ju-dan (10th degree Black Belt) 1935

Colored belt system – kyu ranks

Developed in Europe in the 1930’s; became practice in the

1950’s with increased commercialization of the arts

Japan and the Development and Spread of Martial Arts

Kendo

Japan and the Development and Spread of Martial Arts

Sumo

Japan and the Development and Spread of Martial Arts

Karate – Funakoshi Gichin

Japan and the Development and Spread of Martial Arts

Aikido—Ueshiba Morihei

Japan and the Development and Spread of Martial Arts

The spread of martial arts

Japan and the Development and Spread of Martial Arts

Is Brazilian Jiu-jitsu unique or is it merely the re-jiu-

jitsu-fication of Judo?