Confucian Shinto

Japanese: 儒家神道 - じゅけしんとう

A general term for the Shinto doctrine that was interpreted and organized by Confucianism during the Edo period. Medieval Shinto doctrine sometimes borrowed terminology and logic from Confucianism, Laozi, and Zhuangzi, as well as from the theory of Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, but at its core it was interpreted and organized by Buddhist doctrine. With the rise of the Confucian movement in the Edo period, attempts were made to wash away the Buddhist embellishments and reorganize Shinto doctrine through Confucianism. In this case, the ideas of Neo-Confucianism played a major role within Confucianism. Neo-Confucianism has a lofty metaphysics of dualism between Li and Qi that has its roots in Tai Chi, which led to criticism and attacks from the Kogaku and Yangming schools, and was also a factor in reorganizing Shinto doctrine in opposition to the profound philosophy of Buddhism. Hayashi Razan's theory that Shinto is the way of the Emperor and Shinto is the way of the saints in Confucianism, that is, the royal way, and he explained this through the theory of Li and Qi of Tai Chi. Razan advocated the unity of Shinto and Confucianism from a Confucian perspective, but Yoshikawa Koretari's Yoshikawa Shinto (→ Yoshida Shinto, Yoshida Kanetomo) and Watarai Enkei's Ise Shinto (Watarai Shinto) advocated the unity of Shinto and Confucianism from a Shinto perspective. The former called itself Rational Shinto, and both based their theories on Confucian doctrine, but had a strong Neo-Confucian coloring. In a broad sense, both of these could be included in Confucian Shinto. Yamazaki Ansai was initiated into Ise Shinto by Enkei and Yuitsu Shinto by Koretari, and advocated the unity of Shinto and Confucianism with his deep Confucian scholarship. His Shinto theory is called Suika Shinto. His highly mystical theories often involve far-fetched connections, but his passion for respecting the emperor and patriotism and his irrationality attracted many sympathizers, and his school flourished greatly. Ansai's Shinto theory, along with Kogaku Shinto, served as the theoretical foundation for early modern reverence for the emperor, spreading throughout the country and producing many activists during the Meiji Restoration.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

江戸時代に儒教によって解釈，組織された神道説の総称。中世の神道説は儒教や老荘，さらに陰陽五行説の術語や論理をかりることもあったが，その中枢においては仏教教理によって解釈，組織されていた。江戸時代に入り儒教運動の隆盛をみるに及んで，仏教的潤色を洗い落し，儒教によって神道説を再組織することが企てられた。この場合儒教のなかでも朱子学の思想が有力に作用した。朱子学は太極を根源とする理気二元論の高遠な形而上学を有するが，これが古学派，陽明学派の非難攻撃を招来するところであったとともに，深遠な仏教哲学に対抗して神道説を再組織する要因でもあった。林羅山の理当心地神道は天皇の道である神道は儒教における聖人の道つまり王道であるとし，太極理気説によってそれを説明した。羅山は儒教の立場から神儒一致を唱えたが，神道の立場から神儒一致を唱えたのは吉川惟足の吉川神道 (→吉田神道 ,　吉田兼倶 ) および度会延佳の伊勢神道 (度会神道) である。前者は理学神道とみずからも称しており，いずれも儒教の教理によって自説を基礎づけているが，朱子学的色彩が濃い。この両者をも広い意味で儒家神道に含めてもよかろう。延佳に伊勢神道，惟足には唯一神道の伝授を受け，深い儒教の学殖をもって神儒一致を主張したのが山崎闇斎であり，その神道説を垂加神道という。神秘性の強いその所説はこじつけも多いが，尊王愛国を説く熱情と非合理性のゆえにかえって多くの共鳴者を得て，門流は大いに栄えた。闇斎の神道説は，古学神道と並んで近世尊王思想の理論的支柱をなして全国に普及し，幕末維新に際しては多数の行動家を輩出した。

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