Demon theory - Kishinron

Japanese: 鬼神論 - きしんろん

Arai Hakuseki's religious treatise. Published in 1800 (Kansei 12). Regarding the existence of "demons" - a point of contention in the history of early modern thought - he rationally explains that after a person's death, "yin" becomes "demons" and "yang" becomes "gods" and returns to heaven and earth, from the standpoint of viewing human life and death as the gathering and scattering of two forces, "yin" and "yang." However, on the other hand, he also acknowledges the existence of supernatural phenomena. For this reason, in later years, he was criticized by both Yamagata Banto's "Yume no Yo" (The Age of Dreams) which argues that there are no demons, and Hirata Atsutane's "Shinron (A New Theory of Demons)" which argues that there are demons. [Noguchi Takehiko]

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

新井白石の宗教論書。1800年(寛政12)刊。近世思想史上の一争点であった〈鬼神〉の存在について，人間の生死を〈陰〉〈陽〉二気の集合離散と見る立場から，人間の死後，〈陰〉は〈鬼〉，〈陽〉は〈神〉となって天地に帰ると合理的に説明しているが，一面では超自然の怪異もみとめている。ために後年，山片蟠桃（やまがたばんとう）の《夢の代》の無鬼論，平田篤胤（あつたね）の《鬼神新論》の有鬼論の双方から批判された。【野口武彦】

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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