Child Religion - Dojikyo

This is a basic textbook that was widely used from the Middle Ages to the early modern period. The author is unknown, but it is believed to have been written between the mid-Kamakura period and the end of the period. It is written in the style of classical Chinese and consists of 330 five-character sentences. The first half of the book mainly teaches about daily morals such as manners and etiquette, centering on Confucian proverbs, while the second half first encourages learning by giving examples of hard work such as Kyoko and others, and then emphasizes filial piety to parents by giving examples such as Yubo. It also teaches the principle of cause and effect, saying that good causes in this life will lead to good results such as rebirth in the afterlife. It was already in circulation in the early Muromachi period, but in the early modern period it became extremely popular as a moral textbook, along with the "Jigokyou". It also produced similar books such as the "Shinsen Dojikyo".

[Tone Keizaburo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中世から近代初頭にかけて広く普及した初歩教科書。作者は不明で、鎌倉中期から末期に至る間の作と推定されている。体裁は漢文調の五言330句からなる。内容は、前半に儒教の格言を中心に行儀作法などの日常道徳を説き、後半は、初めに匡衡(きょうこう)らの刻苦勉励した例により勧学を鼓吹し、次に酉夢(ゆうぼう)らの例をあげて父母への孝養を強調している。そしてこれらの現世の善因によって来世往生という善果が得られるとして、因果の道理を教えている。室町初期にすでに流布していたが、近世に入り『実語教』と並んで、道徳教科書として著しい普及をみた。また、『新撰(しんせん)童子教』などの類書も輩出した。

［利根啓三郎］

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