On The State Shinto And Its Characteristics

Shinto is the national religion of Japan, which can be traced back as far as 2000 years ago. Its development can be divided into four stages: Original Shinto, Shrine Shinto, State Shinto and the coexistence of Shrine Shinto and Independent Shinto. State Shinto is the most discussed Shinto, that is to say, it is the most controversial Shinto. State Shinto refers to a special form of Shinto from the Meiji restoration till World War II. It suffered much criticism because it was closely connected with imperialist war of Japan. We want to know the development and the characteristics of State Shinto, which are the emphases of the article.State Shinto came into being at the final stage of shogunate. It was the state religion which was made by the imperialistic state. It combined Shrine Shinto and Royalty Shinto. It involves the worship of kami, gods. State Shinto was based on the Anti-Honjisuijaku theory, Suikashinto, Fukkoshinto, and Mitogaku School, and focused on ceremonies of the imperial household and public Shinto shrines. The development of State Shinto can be divided into four stages. It took shape from Meiji Restoration to the 1880s. At that time, the government indoctrinated the people with its dogmas. State Shinto became the dominant religion since 1889, whose dogmas were consummated. The Shinto rites were systematized from the end of 1890s through the beginning of Showa period. Between the September 18th Incident and the failure of the Pacific War, State Shinto was the state religion of fascist, whose doctrines were adapted to the imperialistic invasion. In all, the basic dogmas which comprise the worship of Kami are as follows: the devotion to nation, the respect for ancestors and the emperor, Japanism and Constitutionism.There are three characteristics of State Shinto. First, it was made by imperialistic government. State Shinto was the religionary political system, which was carried out in order to maintain the dominance of the emperor. Second, the worship of emperor was the most remarkable characteristic of State Shinto. It endowed the emperor and political governance centered on the emperor with authority, inevitability and legitimacy. State Shinto was considered to be unreligious, so it predominated over all religions and was enforced among the whole country. In the evening of State Shinto, it was connected closely with the invasion war and became the spiritual tools of the invasion war. Third, State Shinto was dismantled as the state religion of Japan after the Second World War. The imperialism renounced divinity. We should appraise State Shinto dialectically. When Japan was invaded, it strengthened the cohesion of the nation. However, it advanced the invasion war and suppressed other religions. Therefore, the collapse of State Shinto is inevitable.