和魂漢神

Overview & Synopsis

This book is a pioneering study on the localization of Chinese folk beliefs in Japan during the Tokugawa period (1603–1868). It examines how Chinese deities, after crossing the sea, were integrated into Japanese culture and religion, adopting Shinto and local customs. Although their names were retained, their content was dominated by Japanese elements, reflecting the fusion of Chinese and Japanese religious practices. Through case studies of eight Chinese deities (Fuxi, Shennong, Yu the Great, Confucius, Guan Yu, Mazu, Shigandang, and Zhong Kui) within three categories: “Sage Emperors,” “Civil and Military Saints,” and “Guardian Spirits,” this book explores how Chinese folk beliefs adapted to local customs in early modern Japan, resulting in distinct images, legends, literature, rituals, and artistic expressions that differ from those in China. These deities, while retaining their Chinese names, were gradually incorporated into Japanese folklore and religious systems, illustrating the complex process of cultural assimilation. This book provides a comprehensive analytical framework for the “Japanese spirit, Chinese gods” phenomenon, revealing the mechanisms of Japan’s absorption of Chinese culture and outlining the contours of Sino-Japanese religious exchanges, offering a new perspective on the history of cultural interactions between China and Japan.