근대 일본 불교계의 尊王反邪的 國粹主義 (Japanese Nationalism Revering Emperor and Rejecting Heresy in Buddhist Society in the Early Meiji Period)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 불교학연구회
· 수록지 정보 : 불교학연구 / 20권 / 347 ~ 379페이지
· 저자명 : 이종수

초록

The aim of this study is to elucidate the role of
nationalistic tendencies in the modernization of Japanese
Buddhism. It examines domestic and foreign political
situations as well ashistorical aspects of the Meiji 20s
which brought about a nationalistic tendency to Japanese
Buddhist society, with special consideration towards the
edification movement and pro-Emperor ideology. Pro-
Emperor ideology in the Meiji period arose from the
Revering Emperor and Rejecting Barbarians Movement of
the Late Bakufu (shogunate government) period. The pro-
Emperor and anti-Heterodoxy theorists worshipped the
Japanese Emperor’s ancestor as a god and rejected any
other foreign religions, including Buddhism and Christianity.
In 1854, the Edo Bakufu established a peace treaty with
the United States of America and then with each European
countries, and abandoned the national isolation policy. As a
result, the theorists attempted to overthrow the government
and challengedwestern powers in order to fulfill the spirit
of Revering Emperor and Rejecting Barbarians. Ultimately,
they were defeated by a strong western military power
and the government had to reform their exclusionist policy
to an open-door policy. Eventually the Meiji Government
was founded through a rejection of the Bukufu government
in behalf of the emperor and the open-door policy was
promoted as the way to achieve national prosperity and
defense. While the Meiji government outwardly tried to
enhance national prosperity and defense through acceptance
of western civilization, internally it aimed to establish an
absolutist Imperial government based on the Pro-Emperor
ideology. Thus, as the Bukufu government had done before
them, the Meiji government prohibited Christianity and
decreed a separation between the Shinto religion and
Buddhism, which created persecution against Buddhism
in the Early Meiji Period. However, a new movement of
edification had arisen among several cities as a result of the
introduction of western civilization and the enlightenment
policy of the Meiji government. This edification movement
embraced democracy, capitalism, and freedom of religion.
Because of this shift in social atmosphere and, in addition,
political pressure from the West, the Meiji government
declared freedom of religion and authorized Christianity
in 1873. The proclamation of religious freedom laid the
foundation for later religious conflict. The persecution of
Buddhism during the Early Meiji period can also be regarded
as the conflict between Buddhism and Shintoism. Moreover,
the authorization of Christianity gaverise to a conflict
between Buddhism and Christianity. Buddhist society
identified the emperor with the Buddha, and assisted the
Meiji government in declaring Shintoism the state religion.
Buddhist society also regarded pro-Buddhism in the same
light as anti-heterodoxy and was aggressive in rejecting
Christianity. However, westernization was accompanied by
the expansion of Christianity, and accordingly, Buddhism
experienced a period of decline. Buddhism had to renovate
itself to deal with the changing political and religious
atmosphere. At this time, however, a nationalistic movement
arose in opposition to theedification movement. Buddhism,
which had been oppressedby the pro-Shintoism policy and
the expansion of Christianity, encountered its opportunity
for restoration in the nationalistic social atmosphere.
Buddhist society contended that Buddhism was the real
subject of nationalism by condemning Christianity for the
Lese Majesty Affairs (ie. Christians didn’t pay homage to
‘an Imperial message on education’). They, in collaboration
with the nationalists, declared that an anti-Christianity
movement was the way to defense orthodoxy and reject
heterodoxy, based on the theory that regards a reverence
for Emperor in the same light as a reverence for Buddha.

영어초록

The aim of this study is to elucidate the role of
nationalistic tendencies in the modernization of Japanese
Buddhism. It examines domestic and foreign political
situations as well ashistorical aspects of the Meiji 20s
which brought about a nationalistic tendency to Japanese
Buddhist society, with special consideration towards the
edification movement and pro-Emperor ideology. Pro-
Emperor ideology in the Meiji period arose from the
Revering Emperor and Rejecting Barbarians Movement of
the Late Bakufu (shogunate government) period. The pro-
Emperor and anti-Heterodoxy theorists worshipped the
Japanese Emperor’s ancestor as a god and rejected any
other foreign religions, including Buddhism and Christianity.
In 1854, the Edo Bakufu established a peace treaty with
the United States of America and then with each European
countries, and abandoned the national isolation policy. As a
result, the theorists attempted to overthrow the government
and challengedwestern powers in order to fulfill the spirit
of Revering Emperor and Rejecting Barbarians. Ultimately,
they were defeated by a strong western military power
and the government had to reform their exclusionist policy
to an open-door policy. Eventually the Meiji Government
was founded through a rejection of the Bukufu government
in behalf of the emperor and the open-door policy was
promoted as the way to achieve national prosperity and
defense. While the Meiji government outwardly tried to
enhance national prosperity and defense through acceptance
of western civilization, internally it aimed to establish an
absolutist Imperial government based on the Pro-Emperor
ideology. Thus, as the Bukufu government had done before
them, the Meiji government prohibited Christianity and
decreed a separation between the Shinto religion and
Buddhism, which created persecution against Buddhism
in the Early Meiji Period. However, a new movement of
edification had arisen among several cities as a result of the
introduction of western civilization and the enlightenment
policy of the Meiji government. This edification movement
embraced democracy, capitalism, and freedom of religion.
Because of this shift in social atmosphere and, in addition,
political pressure from the West, the Meiji government
declared freedom of religion and authorized Christianity
in 1873. The proclamation of religious freedom laid the
foundation for later religious conflict. The persecution of
Buddhism during the Early Meiji period can also be regarded
as the conflict between Buddhism and Shintoism. Moreover,
the authorization of Christianity gaverise to a conflict
between Buddhism and Christianity. Buddhist society
identified the emperor with the Buddha, and assisted the
Meiji government in declaring Shintoism the state religion.
Buddhist society also regarded pro-Buddhism in the same
light as anti-heterodoxy and was aggressive in rejecting
Christianity. However, westernization was accompanied by
the expansion of Christianity, and accordingly, Buddhism
experienced a period of decline. Buddhism had to renovate
itself to deal with the changing political and religious
atmosphere. At this time, however, a nationalistic movement
arose in opposition to theedification movement. Buddhism,
which had been oppressedby the pro-Shintoism policy and
the expansion of Christianity, encountered its opportunity
for restoration in the nationalistic social atmosphere.
Buddhist society contended that Buddhism was the real
subject of nationalism by condemning Christianity for the
Lese Majesty Affairs (ie. Christians didn’t pay homage to
‘an Imperial message on education’). They, in collaboration
with the nationalists, declared that an anti-Christianity
movement was the way to defense orthodoxy and reject
heterodoxy, based on the theory that regards a reverence
for Emperor in the same light as a reverence for Buddha.

참고자료

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