| Shindo |
A consecrated child. See |
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| Shine Jesus Shine! |
SJS |
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| Shingaku |
The shingaku (heart-learning) movement founded by Ishida, Baigan, for which see next entry. |
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| Shingaku |
The study of ; Shinto theology. A tradition of Shinto theology can be traced back to assumptions about the nature of the gods incorporated in the narratives of the early myths. Self-conscious articulation of ideas about the kami originate in the theory of kami as "trace manifestations' of Buddhist divinities expounded in the theory and the subsequent hongaku or 'innate enlightenment' ideas which enabled thinkers such as Yoshida, Kanetomo to develop the idea that the kami were spiritually equal to Buddhas (the so-called 'reversed honji-suijaku' approach) From the standpoint of modern Shinto the founding fathers of Shinto thought are the eighteenth and nineteenth century -sha such as Motoori, Norinaga and Hirata, Atsutane who resurrected ancient texts and raised the possibility of a "return" to pre-Buddhist Japanese religion analogous to the Confucian notion of the revival of a golden age. In the post-Meiji period interesting theological ideas were confined largely to the 'sect shinto' (kyoha shinto) groups such as and Prominent Shinto thinkers in the Meiji period sought to consolidate the position of Shinto as the national but "non-religious" faith of Japan and to differentiate Shinto from the "foreign" faiths of Buddhism and Christianity. State Shinto ideology focused on the doctrine of the emperor as a 'manifest kami'. In the twentieth century clear doctrines such as these were articulated by scholars working for government ministries and efficiently disseminated for popular consumption through government ethics textbooks such as no Hongi, while heretical ideas and their proponents were strongly criticised by Shinto theologians. Genuine theological enquiry was practically impossible in the pre-war period because of the inviolable position occupied by the emperor as a divinity and the repressive attitude of the state towards independent religious thinking. Since 1945 the best minds in Shinto have been focused mainly on the institutional survival of Shinto and the renegotiation of the position of Shinto within a free and pluralistic society. There are many interesting theological issues to be addressed in Shinto, particularly the relationship of Shinto with Buddhism, Christianity, new religions, folk religion, the imperial household, the nation and the state: To answer most of these questions requires a frank appraisal of Shinto's recent history and a realistic assessment of the nature and meaning of "Shinto" within Japanese history, especially before the Meiji period |
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| Shingaku |
'Education of the Heart'. The name of a a movement founded by Ishida, Baigan (1685— 1746) which survives today. It is a pre-Meiji blend of Confucian ethics, Buddhist metaphysics and reverence for deities including kami such as Amaterasu omikami |
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| Shingon |
One of the two major schools of esoteric Buddhism in Japan (the other is Tendai) introduced from India via China by the Japanese monk a Buddhist master and culture-hero better known by his posthumous name of Kobo Daishi. Shingon Buddhist ideas about the identity of this phenomenal world with the realm of enlightenment fostered Japanese genius in the development of art and ritual and enabled the easy assimilation of kami and local spirits into the Buddhist world-view (see Ryobu Shinto) Shingon exotericism was and remains an element in the mountain-religion which combines worship of kami and Buddhas. Until 1868 the imperial family were Buddhists who belonged to the Shingon school and carried out Buddhist memorial rites for their ancestors. Their patron temple was Sennyuji in Kyoto. Connections between the Imperial family and Buddhism, and between shrines and Shingon, were severed at the time of the restoration, when the Emperor started to visit shrines |
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| Shinji |
Sacred ground. A place used at certain times for the performance of rituals. Cf. himorogi, iwasaka |
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| Shinji no |
No plays which are performed in the context of religious ceremonies. The origins of no are found in troupes of actors connected with the parish organisations (za) of the Hie shrine and the Kasuga daimyojin at Nara. A pine tree in the grounds of Kasuga is said to be the place where the kami of Kasuga manifested themselves in dance. A painting of this pine tree forms the backdrop to every no stage. No plays are performed at a number of shrine festivals throughout Japan. Moreover, kami, as well as buddhist divinities and spirits appear in various forms in no plays, whose themes reflect rituals for summoning up spirits from the other world |
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| Shinkai |
'Kami-status'. The rank or status of a shrine. See seido |
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| Shinkan |
Clergy. Other terms with a wide meaning such as shinkan have been used at various times for Shinto priests. See also |
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| Shinko |
The main procession of kami at festival times, usually headed by a which may be accompanied by of various kinds, with a retinue of bearers and attendants often in costume. A spectacular example is the procession at the matsuri The journey, which is usually to an or temporary resting-place follows a route which may take the kami among the houses of parishioners and in some cases involves crossing water. In practice the shinko may be the major element in a festival, together with solemn rites and celebrations |
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| Shinko-sai |
The main procession of kami at festival times, usually headed by a which may be accompanied by of various kinds, with a retinue of bearers and attendants often in costume. A spectacular example is the procession at the matsuri The journey, which is usually to an or temporary resting-place follows a route which may take the kami among the houses of parishioners and in some cases involves crossing water. In practice the shinko may be the major element in a festival, together with solemn rites and celebrations |
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| Shinko-shiki |
The main procession of kami at festival times, usually headed by a which may be accompanied by of various kinds, with a retinue of bearers and attendants often in costume. A spectacular example is the procession at the matsuri The journey, which is usually to an or temporary resting-place follows a route which may take the kami among the houses of parishioners and in some cases involves crossing water. In practice the shinko may be the major element in a festival, together with solemn rites and celebrations |
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| Shinmei |
Literally "sacred brightness'. A term used for kami or deities in general and for Amaterasu omikami enshrined at the Jingu and its branch "shinmei-sha" shrines. See also |
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| Shinmei-zukuri |
"Shinmei-style'. The primal style of shrine architecture (- zukuri) used for the main shrine (mi-shoden) of jingu (which is the only example technically known as Yui-itsu-shinmei, 'unique shinmei') and for some shrines elsewhere. The Atsuta jinja was rebuilt in 1935 in shinmei style. It is one of the oldest styles and features primitive building techniques in a spare and immaculate straight-line design, apparently deriving from Polynesian or south Chinese storehouse architecture. Rebuilt on adjoining plots every twenty years (see Shikinen sengu) the Ise shrine is thought to preserve virtually its original form. It is made of unpainted wood with two supporting pillars for the ridgepole, a verandah and a thatched roof with ten logs (katsuogi) placed across the ridgepole at intervals and two long slender bargeboards (chigi) pierced with 'wind holes" (kaze-kiri) projecting in an X shape above the ridgepole at each end |
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| Shinsen |
Sacred food-offerings. Ritual offerings of food and drink for the kami. The content of the offerings will vary according to the kami and the occasion (matsuri etc.) on which the food is offered, but the nature of food offerings and the careful manner of their presentation is precisely regulated in each case; shinsen may exceptionally include up to 75 different dishes. Shinsen for the kami always include sometimes brewed specially in the shrine premises, and usually rice. Other items which are products of nature and are being "returned" to the kami who provided them include various kinds and colours of rice, fish, birds and animals, mountain, field and sea vegetables, fruits, sweet items, salt and water. At a large matsuri the shinsen dishes, supported on small trays or stands (oshiki, takatsuki —see sanbo) are passed in ritual sequence by a relay of priests from the purified shinsen-den, the building where the offerings are prepared, to the where they are offered to the kami on the Once consecrated by being presented before the kami the food is brought back to the shinsen-den and consumed by priests and other participants in the meal. Shinsen items are categorised as jukusen (cooked food) seisen (raw food) and less commonly sosen (vegetarian food) Shinsen offered to the kami are generally "strong" raw or salty and include sake, meat or fish, in contrast to offerings to Buddhist divinities which are on the sweet side and are not meant to include meat or alcohol. See |
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| Shinsen Shoji-roku |
'Newly compiled record of clans'. Also known as Shoji-roku. The oldest extant copy is late but the original was brought out in 814 or 815. It records the history of ancient clans, classifying them into those descended from kami, those descended from emperors, and families which originally came to Japan from China and Korea. It thereby supplements information from the Kojiki, Nihongi etc. on ancient Japanese culture and the kami |
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| Shinsenden |
A "den" for "Den" can mean (1) a shrine building (see under Shinsen) and (2) a rice field. In this latter case shinsenden means a sacred rice-field ritually tended by human hand for the sole purpose of producing rice to be used in shinsen offerings |
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| Shinshoku |
The Shinto clergy, or a Shinto priest. Another general term is During the Tokugawa period from 1665 shrines and priestly ranks within shrines were officially licensed only by the and Shirakawa families. Following the restoration the Shinto priesthood was centrally controlled by government, and since 1945 priestly ranks have been regulated largely by the Honcho, who regard as the most "orthodox" (the English word is used) those priests who are appointed to affiliated shrines by the president of Jinja Honcho following a course of instruction at Kogakkan or Kokugakuin universities, though priests may also be trained at a number of other seminaries to pass the qualifying examinations. Within individual shrines priestly ranks reflecting seniority include the chief priest; gon-guji, assistant chief priest; negi, senior priests; gon-negi, assistant senior priests; shuten, priests and shrine maidens. The Jinja Honcho also bestows recognition of priestly merit at a national level through a system of quasi-academic ranks and grades ranging from jokai (purity) the highest, through meikai (brightness) seikai (righteousness) and chokkai (uprightness) The priestly rank of is restricted to the Jingu There are about 20,000 Shinto priests in Japan, the majority of whom serve more than one shrine and supplement their income by other employment (see under Jinja Honcho) See also and for priestly vestments |
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| Shinshu-kyo |
Kami-practice-sect. A period Shinto new religious movement founded by Yoshimura, Masamochi (1839—1915) a member of the Shinto Onakatomi family. It received formal government recognition (see Kyoha Shinto) in 1880. As first head priest of the Shinshu-kyo Yoshimura taught his own form of Shinto which emphasised the uniting of the unseen world of the kami (yu) and the manifest world of human beings (gen) In the wake of bunri Yoshimura stressed that his teaching was cleansed of all Buddhist influences. In focusing attention on the national rites, devotion to the emperor and the prosperity of the country Shinshu-kyo conformed closely with the aims of the taikyo undo. Today members undergo ascetic rituals of chinka-shiki, kugatachi-shiki, misogi and other forms of abstinence and meditation as methods of purification in the attempt to achieve the union of yu and gen |
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