Imada Puppet Troupe ( 今田人形座 , Imada Ningyōza ) is a traditional Japanese puppet troupe in the style that is commonly known as Ningyō Jōruri (人形浄瑠璃) or Bunraku , based in Iida , Nagano .
150-593: The Troupe traces its origins to 1704, when a group of villagers purchased puppets to use in Shinto religious rites during the local shrine festival. In the 1820s and 1830s features of popular puppet entertainment were added to the group's performances, and by 1846 local puppeteers had begun traveling to nearby villages to perform. In the late nineteenth century the Troupe became established under its current name, enjoying considerable regional recognition and popularity. Today
300-481: A shaku . This regalia is generally more ornate than the sombre garments worn by Japanese Buddhist monks. The chief priest at a shrine is the gūji . Larger shrines may also have an assistant head priest, the gon-gūji . As with teachers, instructors, and Buddhist clergy, Shinto priests are often referred to as sensei by lay practitioners. Historically, there were female priests although they were largely pushed out of their positions in 1868. During
450-410: A temizuya . Another form of purification at the start of a Shinto rite entails waving a white paper streamer or wand known as the haraigushi . When not in use, the haraigushi is usually kept in a stand. The priest waves the haraigushi horizontally over a person or object being purified in a movement known as sa-yu-sa ("left-right-left"). Sometimes, instead of a haraigushi ,
600-399: A kami can be enshrined. In some periods, fees were charged for the right to enshrine a particular kami in a new place. Shrines are not necessarily always designed as permanent structures. Many kami have messengers, known as kami no tsukai or tsuka washime , that generally take animal forms. Inari's messenger, for example, is a fox ( kitsune ), while Hachiman's is
750-412: A kami who already has one is called bunrei ("dividing the spirit"). As part of this, the kami is invited to enter a new place, with the instalment ceremony known as a kanjo . The new, subsidiary shrine is known as a bunsha . Individual kami are not believed to have their power diminished by their residence in multiple locations, and there is no limit on the number of places
900-517: A world religion , while the historian H. Byron Earhart called it a "major religion". Shinto is also often described as an indigenous religion , although this generates debates over the different definitions of "indigenous" in the Japanese context. The notion of Shinto as Japan's "indigenous religion" stemmed from the growth of modern nationalism between the Edo and Meiji periods; this view promoted
1050-452: A U.S. Navy vessel docked at the port city to their festival celebrations given the sensitivities surrounding the 1945 U.S. use of the atomic bomb on the city . In other cases, priests have opposed construction projects on shrine-owned land; at Kaminoseki in the early 2000s, a priest was pressured to resign after opposing the sale of shrine lands to build a nuclear power plant . In the 21st century, Shinto has increasingly been portrayed as
1200-452: A battle with Horus's uncle Seth. Amulets were often made to represent gods, animals or hieroglyphs. For example, the common amulet shape the scarab beetle is the emblem of the god Khepri . The most common material for such amulets was a kind of ceramic known as Egyptian faience or tjehenet , but amulets were also made of stone, metal, bone, wood and gold. Phylacteries containing texts were another common form of amulet. Like
1350-577: A belief the ta'wiz itself cures or protects. Astrological symbols were also used, especially in the Medieval period. These included symbols of the Zodiac, derived from Greek representations of constellations , and especially popular in the Middle East in the twelfth to the fourteenth centuries. Muslim artists also developed personifications of the planets, based on their astrological traits, and of
1500-433: A boulder. Izanagi bathed in the sea to rid himself from the pollution brought about by witnessing Izanami's putrefaction. Through this act, further kami emerged from his body: Amaterasu (the sun kami ) was born from his left eye, Tsukuyomi (the moon kami ) from his right eye, and Susanoo (the storm kami ) from his nose. Susanoo behaved in a destructive manner, to escape him Amaterasu hid herself within
1650-586: A brother and sister, Izanagi and Izanami . The kami instructed Izanagi and Izanami to create land on earth. To this end, the siblings stirred the briny sea with a jewelled spear, from which Onogoro Island was formed. Izanagi and Izanami then descended to Earth, where the latter gave birth to further kami . One of these was a fire kami , whose birth killed Izanami. Izanagi descended to yomi to retrieve his sister, but there he saw her body putrefying. Embarrassed to be seen in this state, she chased him out of yomi , and he closed its entrance with
SECTION 10
#17327872902051800-482: A cave, plunging the earth into darkness. The other kami eventually succeeded in coaxing her out. Susanoo was then banished to earth, where he married and had children. According to the Kojiki , Amaterasu then sent her grandson, Ninigi , to rule Japan, giving him curved beads, a mirror, and a sword: the symbols of Japanese imperial authority. Amaterasu remains probably Japan's most venerated kami . In Shinto,
1950-718: A clergyman, and they supposedly will also not provide any preternatural benefit to the bearer who does not have an appropriate disposition . Talisman and amulets have interchangeable meanings. Amulets refer to any object which has the power to avert evil influences or ill luck. An amulet is an object that is generally worn for protection and made from a durable material (metal or hard-stone). Both amulets and talismans can be applied to paper examples as well. Amulets are sometimes confused with pendants , small aesthetic objects that hang from necklaces. Any given pendant may indeed be an amulet but so may any other object that purportedly protects its holder from danger. The use of amulets ( meket )
2100-511: A distinct religious tradition nor to anything uniquely Japanese; the 11th century Konjaku monogatarishui for instance refers to a woman in China practicing Shinto , and also to people in India worshipping kami , indicating these terms were being used to describe religions outside Japan itself. In medieval Japan, kami -worship was generally seen as being part of Japanese Buddhism , with
2250-486: A diverse range of block printed amulets, the lead case should include lugs, which allowed the tiny package to be either sewn onto clothing or suspended from the owner's body. These modest containers were, most likely, kept sealed shut, their printed contents therefore invisible to a possessor who perhaps was not wealthy enough to purchase a non-serialised, handwritten amulet. The Tibetan Buddhists have many kinds of talismanic and shamanistic amulets and ritual tools, including
2400-401: A doctor or seer was unavailable, then everyday people would simply cast their spells on their own without assistance. It was likely commonplace for individuals to memorize spells and incantations for later use. Amulets were particularly prevalent in ancient Roman society, being the inheritor of the ancient Greek tradition, and inextricably linked to Roman religion and magic (see magic in
2550-424: A dove. Shinto cosmology also includes spirits who cause malevolent acts, bakemono , a category including oni , tengu , kappa , mononoke , and yamanba . Japanese folklore also incorporates belief in the goryō or onryō , unquiet or vengeful spirits, particularly of those who died violently and without appropriate funerary rites. These are believed to inflict suffering on
2700-462: A festival or ritual. Various words, termed imi-kotoba , are also regarded as taboo, and people avoid speaking them when at a shrine; these include shi (death), byō (illness), and shishi (meat). A purification ceremony known as misogi involves the use of fresh water, salt water, or salt to remove kegare . Full immersion in the sea is often regarded as the most ancient and efficacious form of purification. This act links with
2850-414: A few minutes. Usually, a worshipper will approach the honden, placing a monetary offering in a box and then ringing a bell to call the kami 's attention. Then, they bow, clap, and stand while silently offering a prayer. The clapping is known as kashiwade or hakushu ; the prayers or supplications as kigan . This individual worship is known as hairei . More broadly, ritual prayers to
3000-607: A holy book placed under part of the bed or cushion. Amulets are plentiful in the Jewish tradition, with examples of Solomon -era amulets existing in many museums . Due to the proscription of idols and other graven images in Judaism , Jewish amulets emphasize text and names. The shape, material, and color of a Jewish amulet makes no difference. Examples of textual amulets include the Silver Scroll ( c. 630 BCE ),
3150-438: A human spirit or soul, the mitama or tamashii , which contains four aspects. While indigenous ideas about an afterlife were probably well-developed prior to Buddhism's arrival, contemporary Japanese people often adopt Buddhist afterlife beliefs. Mythological stories like the Kojiki describe yomi or yomi-no-kuni as a realm of the dead, although this plays no role in modern Shinto. Modern Shinto ideas about
SECTION 20
#17327872902053300-588: A hypothetical invisible planet named Al Tinnin or Jauzahr. It was believed that objects decorated with these astrological signs developed talismanic power to protect. Abstract symbols are also common in Muslim amulets, such as the Seal of Solomon and the Zulfiqar (sword of the aforementioned Ali). Another popular amulet often used to avert the evil gaze is the hamsa (meaning five) or "Hand of Fatima". The symbol
3450-454: A marriage partner. They generally do not live at the shrines. Sometimes they fill other roles, such as being secretaries in the shrine offices or clerks at the information desks, or as waitresses at the naorai feasts. They also assist kannushi in ceremonial rites. Visits to the shrine are termed sankei , or jinja mairi . Some individuals visit the shrines daily, often on their morning route to work; they typically take only
3600-650: A nature-centred spirituality with environmentalist credentials; several shrines have collaborated with local environmentalist campaigns, while an international interfaith conference on environmental sustainability was held at the Ise shrine in 2014. Critical commentators have characterised the presentation of Shinto as an environmentalist movement as a rhetorical ploy rather than a concerted effort by Shinto institutions to become environmentally sustainable. Shinto focuses on ritual behavior rather than doctrine . The philosophers James W. Boyd and Ron G. Williams stated that Shinto
3750-529: A pair, one with its mouth open, the other with its mouth closed. Shrines are often set within gardens or wooded groves called chinju no mori ("forest of the tutelary" kami ), which vary in size from just a few trees to sizeable areas of woodland. Large lanterns, known as tōrō , are often found within these precincts. Shrines often have an office, known as a shamusho , a saikan where priests undergo forms of abstinence and purification prior to conducting rituals, and other buildings such as
3900-487: A particular community is referred to it as their ujigami , while that of a particular house is the yashikigami . Kami are not deemed metaphysically different from humanity, with it being possible for humans to become kami . Dead humans are sometimes venerated as kami , being regarded as protector or ancestral figures. One of the most prominent examples is that of the Emperor Ōjin , who on his death
4050-461: A period of abstinence from sexual relations. Some of those involved in festivals also abstain from a range of other things, such as consuming tea, coffee, or alcohol, immediately prior to the events. The priests are assisted by jinja miko , sometimes referred to as "shrine-maidens" in English. These miko are typically unmarried, although not necessarily virgins. In many cases they are
4200-407: A priest, usually colored black, red, or light blue, is the hō , or the ikan . A white silk version of the ikan , used for formal occasions, is known as the saifuku . Another priestly robe is the kariginu , which is modelled on Heian-style hunting garments. Also part of standard priestly attire is a hiōgi fan, while during rituals, priests carry a flat piece of wood known as
4350-455: A priests' quarters and a storehouse. Various kiosks often sell amulets to visitors. Since the late 1940s, shrines have had to be financially self-sufficient, relying on the donations of worshippers and visitors. These funds are used to pay the wages of the priests, to finance the upkeep of the buildings, to cover the shrine's membership fees of various regional and national Shinto groups, and to contribute to disaster relief funds. In Shinto, it
4500-532: A process known as jinja gappei , while the act of transferring the kami from one building to another is called sengu . Shrines may have legends about their foundation, which are known as en-gi . These sometimes also record miracles associated with the shrine. From the Heian period on, the en-gi were often retold on picture scrolls known as emakimono . Shrines may be cared for by priests, by local communities, or by families on whose property
4650-545: A rug is not a theme: it actually is an amulet, conferring protection by its presence. In his words, "the device in the rug has a materiality, it generates a field of force able to interact with other unseen forces and is not merely an intellectual abstraction." In the Islamic world, material composition and graphic content are important in determining the apotropaic forces of the amulets. The preferred materials employed by amulets are precious and semi-precious materials, because
Imada Puppet Troupe - Misplaced Pages Continue
4800-800: A series of shrines and other sacred sites that are part of an established circuit, is known as a junpai . An individual leading these pilgrims, is sometimes termed a sendatsu . For many centuries, people have also visited the shrines for primarily cultural and recreational reasons, as opposed to spiritual ones. Many of the shrines are recognised as sites of historical importance and some are classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites . Shrines such as Shimogamo Jinja and Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto, Meiji Jingū in Tokyo, and Atsuta Jingū in Nagoya are among Japan's most popular tourist sites. Many shrines have
4950-484: A single entity. This approach can be helpful but begs the question of what is meant by 'Shintō' in each case, particularly since each category incorporates or has incorporated Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist, folk religious and other elements. — Scholar of religion Brian Bocking Scholars of religion have debated how to classify Shinto. Inoue considered it part of "the family of East-Asian religions". The philosopher Stuart D. B. Picken suggested that Shinto be classed as
5100-493: A small pile of salt outside before business commences each day. Fire, also, is perceived as a source of purification. The yaku-barai is a form of harae designed to prevent misfortune, while the oharae , or "ceremony of great purification", is often used for end-of-year purification rites, and is conducted twice a year at many shrines. Before the Meiji period, rites of purification were generally performed by onmyōji ,
5250-424: A source of frequent criticism, especially from those arguing that the religion can readily become a pawn for those wishing to use it to legitimise their authority and power. In Shinto, kannagara ("way of the kami ") is the law of the natural order , with wa ("benign harmony") being inherent in all things. Disrupting wa is deemed bad, contributing to it is thought good; as such, subordination of
5400-514: A specific building. Jinja is usually translated as "shrine" in English, although in earlier literature was sometimes translated as "temple", a term now more commonly reserved for Japan's Buddhist structures. There are around 100,000 public shrines in Japan; about 80,000 are affiliated with the Association of Shinto Shrines, with another 20,000 being unaffiliated. They are found all over
5550-470: A specific place, often a prominent landscape feature such as a waterfall, mountain, large rock, or distinctive tree. Physical objects or places in which the kami are believed to have a presence are termed shintai ; objects inhabited by the kami that are placed in the shrine are known as go-shintai . Objects commonly chosen for this purpose include mirrors, swords, stones, beads, and inscribed tablets. These go-shintai are concealed from
5700-490: A type of diviner whose practices derived from the Chinese yin and yang philosophy. Shinto incorporates morality tales and myths but no codified ethical doctrine, and thus no "unified, systematized code of behaviour". An ethical system nevertheless arises from its practice, with emphasis placed on sincerity ( makoto ), honesty ( tadashii ), hard work ( tsui-shin ), and thanksgiving ( kansha ) directed towards
5850-400: A unique rubber-stamp seal which visitors can get printed into their stamp book, demonstrating the different shrines they have visited. Shinto rituals begin with a process of purification, or harae . Using fresh water or salt water, this is known as misogi . At shrines, this entails sprinkling this water onto the face and hands, a procedure known as temizu , using a font known as
6000-490: Is "first and foremost a ritual tradition", while Picken observed that "Shinto is interested not in credenda but in agenda , not in things that should be believed but in things that should be done." The scholar of religion Clark B. Offner stated that Shinto's focus was on "maintaining communal, ceremonial traditions for the purpose of human (communal) well-being". It is often difficult to distinguish Shinto practices from Japanese customs more broadly, with Picken observing that
6150-477: Is All-Hearing and All-Knowing' (Qur. 20:46). A tension is therefore created between the idea of Allah as protector and the amulet as a material item that encapsulates and transmits this divine energy. Amulets and talismanic objects were used by early Muslims to appeal to God in the first instance. In this respect, these early Islamic amulets differ substantially from Byzantine, Roman, early Iranian, and other pre-Islamic magic which addressed demonic forces or spirits of
Imada Puppet Troupe - Misplaced Pages Continue
6300-580: Is a religion originating in Japan . Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion , its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion . Scholars sometimes call its practitioners Shintoists , although adherents rarely use that term themselves. There is no central authority in control of Shinto, with much diversity of belief and practice evident among practitioners. A polytheistic and animistic religion, Shinto revolves around supernatural entities called
6450-499: Is an act of shirk (idolatry). Other hadith support the use of talismans with some Muslim denominations considering it 'permissible magic', usually under some conditions (for instance, that the wearer believes that the talisman only helps through God's will). Many Muslims do not consider items used against the evil eye to be talismans; these are often kept in the home rather than worn. Examples of worn amulets are necklaces, rings, bracelets, coins, armbands and talismanic shirts . In
6600-423: Is called a hongū . In some shrines, there is a separate building in which to conduct additional ceremonies, such as weddings, known as a gishikiden , or a specific building in which the kagura dance is performed, known as the kagura-den . Collectively, the central buildings of a shrine are known as the shaden , while its precincts are known as the keidaichi or shin'en . This precinct
6750-712: Is called an ofuda . Mamorifuda are gofu amulets. In Korea, where they are called bujeok ( 부적 ) even usually in the tradition of Korean Taoist rituals , they are talismans encased inside in small brocade bags that are carried on the person. In antiquity and the Middle Ages , most Jews , Christians , and Muslims in the Orient believed in the protective and healing power of amulets or blessed objects. Many pagan religions also believe in stone worship. Talismans used by these peoples can be broken down into three main categories: talismans carried or worn on
6900-474: Is defined as referring to " kami or matters pertaining to kami ." The term Shinto became common in the 15th century. During the late Edo period, the kokugaku scholars began using the term Shinto to describe what they believed was an ancient, enduring and indigenous Japanese tradition that predated Buddhism; they argued that Shinto should be used to distinguish kami worship from traditions like Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. This use of
7050-484: Is done to cultivate harmony between humans and kami and to solicit the latter's blessing. Other common rituals include the kagura dances, rites of passage , and kami festivals. Public shrines facilitate forms of divination and supply religious objects, such as amulets , to the religion's adherents. Shinto places a major conceptual focus on ensuring purity, largely by cleaning practices such as ritual washing and bathing, especially before worship. Little emphasis
7200-469: Is made here between singular and plural, and hence the term kami refers both to individual kami and the collective group of kami . Although lacking a direct English translation, the term kami has sometimes been rendered as "god" or "spirit". The historian of religion Joseph Kitagawa deemed these English translations "quite unsatisfactory and misleading", and various scholars urge against translating kami into English. In Japanese, it
7350-424: Is often said that there are eight million kami , a term which connotes an infinite number, and Shinto practitioners believe that they are present everywhere. They are not regarded as omnipotent , omniscient , or necessarily immortal . The term kami is "conceptually fluid", being "vague and imprecise". In Japanese it is often applied to the power of phenomena that inspire a sense of wonder and awe in
7500-509: Is often viewed as a form of purification. More broadly, torii are internationally recognised symbols of Japan. Their architectural form is distinctly Japanese, although the decision to paint most of them in vermillion reflects a Chinese influence dating from the Nara period . Also set at the entrances to many shrines are komainu , statues of lion or dog like animals perceived to scare off malevolent spirits; typically these will come as
7650-467: Is placed on specific moral codes or particular afterlife beliefs, although the dead are deemed capable of becoming kami . The religion has no single creator or specific doctrine, and instead exists in a diverse range of local and regional forms. Although historians debate at what point it is suitable to refer to Shinto as a distinct religion, kami veneration has been traced back to Japan's Yayoi period (300 BC to 300 AD). Buddhism entered Japan at
SECTION 50
#17327872902057800-443: Is pre-Islamic, known from Punic times. In Central and West Asia, amulets (often in the form of triangular packages containing a sacred verse) were traditionally attached to the clothing of babies and young children to give them protection from forces such as the evil eye . Triangular amulet motifs were often also woven into oriental carpets such as kilims . The carpet expert Jon Thompson explains that such an amulet woven into
7950-677: Is present in many facets of Japanese culture, such as the focus it places on bathing. Purification is for instance regarded as important in preparation for the planting season, while performers of noh theatre undergo a purification rite before they carry out their performances. Among the things regarded as particular pollutants in Shinto are death, disease, witchcraft, the flaying alive of an animal, incest, bestiality, excrement, and blood associated with either menstruation or childbirth. To avoid kegare , priests and other practitioners may engage in abstinence and avoid various activities prior to
8100-565: Is seen as important that the places in which kami are venerated be kept clean and not neglected. Through to the Edo period, it was common for kami shrines to be demolished and rebuilt at a nearby location in order to remove any pollutants and ensure purity. This has continued into recent times at certain sites, such as the Ise Grand Shrine, which is moved to an adjacent site every two decades. Separate shrines can also be merged in
8250-414: Is surrounded by the tamagaki fence, with entry via a shinmon gate, which can be closed at night. Shrine entrances are marked by a two-post gateway with either one or two crossbeams atop it, known as torii . The exact details of these torii varies and there are at least twenty different styles. These are regarded as demarcating the area where the kami resides; passing under them
8400-428: Is the avoidance of kegare ("pollution" or "impurity"), while ensuring harae ("purity"). In Japanese thought, humans are seen as fundamentally pure. Kegare is therefore seen as being a temporary condition that can be corrected through achieving harae . Rites of purification are conducted so as to restore an individual to "spiritual" health and render them useful to society. This notion of purity
8550-752: Is therefore highly pluralistic . Shinto is often cited alongside Buddhism as one of Japan's two main religions, and the two often differ in focus, with Buddhism emphasising the idea of the cessation of suffering, while Shinto focuses on adapting to life's pragmatic requirements. Shinto has integrated elements from religions imported from mainland Asia, such as Buddhism, Confucianism , Taoism , and Chinese divination practices, and shares features like its polytheism with other East Asian religions . Some scholars suggest we talk about types of Shintō such as popular Shintō, folk Shintō, domestic Shintō, sectarian Shintō, imperial house Shintō, shrine Shintō, state Shintō, new Shintō religions, etc. rather than regard Shintō as
8700-405: The kami (神). The kami are believed to inhabit all things, including forces of nature and prominent landscape locations. The kami are worshipped at kamidana household shrines, family shrines, and jinja public shrines . The latter are staffed by priests, known as kannushi , who oversee offerings of food and drink to the specific kami enshrined at that location. This
8850-731: The Kojiki and Nihon Shoki portray multiple realms in Shinto cosmology. These present a universe divided into three parts: the Plane of High Heaven ( Takama-no-hara ), where the kami live; the Phenomenal or Manifested World ( Utsushi-yo ), where humans dwell; and the Nether World ( Yomotsu-kuni ), where unclean spirits reside. The mythological texts nevertheless do not draw firm demarcations between these realms. Modern Shinto places greater emphasis on this life than on any afterlife, although it does espouse belief in
9000-440: The honden can sometimes be found a subsidiary shrine, the bekkū , to another kami ; the kami inhabiting this shrine is not necessarily perceived as being inferior to that in the honden . At some places, halls of worship have been erected, termed haiden . On a lower level can be found the hall of offerings, known as a heiden . Together, the building housing the honden , haiden , and heiden
9150-486: The kami are called norito , while the coins offered are saisen . At the shrine, individuals offering prayers are not necessarily praying to a specific kami . A worshipper may not know the name of a kami residing at the shrine nor how many kami are believed to dwell there. Unlike in certain other religions, Shinto shrines do not have weekly services that practitioners are expected to attend. Some Shinto practitioners do not offer their prayers to
SECTION 60
#17327872902059300-417: The kami directly, but rather request that a priest offer them on their behalf; these prayers are known as kitō . Many individuals approach the kami asking for pragmatic requests. Requests for rain, known as amagoi ("rain-soliciting") have been found across Japan, with Inari a popular choice for such requests. Other prayers reflect more contemporary concerns. For instance, people may ask that
9450-477: The kami religion of Japan, which lived symbiotically with organized Buddhism, and only later was institutionalized as Shinto." While several institutions and practices now associated with Shinto existed in Japan by the 8th century, various scholars have argued that Shinto as a distinct religion was essentially "invented" during the 19th century, in Japan's Meiji era . The scholar of religion Brian Bocking stressed that, especially when dealing with periods before
9600-481: The kami themselves often interpreted as Buddhas . At this point, the term Shinto increasingly referred to "the authority, power, or activity of a kami , being a kami , or, in short, the state or attributes of a kami ." It appears in this form in texts such as Nakatomi no harai kunge and Shintōshū tales. In the Japanese Portuguese Dictionary of 1603, Shinto
9750-421: The kami to gain their blessings and to dissuade them from destructive actions. Shinto seeks to cultivate and ensure a harmonious relationship between humans and the kami and thus with the natural world. More localised kami may be subject to feelings of intimacy and familiarity from members of the local community that are not directed towards more widespread kami like Amaterasu. The kami of
9900-474: The kami to offset any ill-fortune associated with being this age. Certain directions can also be seen as being inauspicious for certain people at certain times and thus people can approach the kami asking them to offset this problem if they have to travel in one of these unlucky directions. Pilgrimage has long been important in Japanese religion, with pilgrimages to Shinto shrines called junrei . A round of pilgrimages, whereby individuals visit
10050-529: The kami while priests generally offer them food, drink, and sprigs of the sacred sakaki tree. Animal sacrifices are not considered appropriate offerings, as the shedding of blood is seen as a polluting act that necessitates purification. The offerings presented are sometimes simple and sometimes more elaborate; at the Grand Shrine of Ise, for instance, 100 styles of food are laid out as offerings. The choice of offerings will often be tailored to
10200-524: The kami "), kannagara no michi ( 神ながらの道 , also written 随神の道 or 惟神の道 , "the way of the kami from time immemorial"), Kodō ( 古道 , "the ancient way"), Daidō ( 大道 , "the great way"), and Teidō ( 帝道 , "the imperial way"). The term Shinto derives from the combination of two Chinese characters: shin ( 神 ), which means "spirit" or "god", and tō ( 道 ), which means "way", "road" or "path". "Shintō" ( 神道 , "the Way of
10350-441: The kami . Shojiki is regarded as a virtue, encompassing honesty, uprightness, veracity, and frankness. Shinto sometimes includes reference to four virtues known as the akaki kiyoki kokoro or sei-mei-shin , meaning "purity and cheerfulness of heart", which are linked to the state of harae . Attitudes to sex and fertility tend to be forthright in Shinto. Shinto's flexibility regarding morality and ethics has been
10500-469: The kami . This is followed by an appearance by the miko , who commence in a slow circular motion before the main altar. Offerings are then presented to the kami by being placed on a table. This act is known as hōbei ; the offerings themselves as saimotsu or sonae-mono . Historically, the offerings given the kami included food, cloth, swords, and horses. In the contemporary period, lay worshippers usually give gifts of money to
10650-597: The Chai necklace (though this is also worn simply to indicate Jewish identity), and inscriptions of one of the names of the god of Judaism - such as ה (He), יה (YaH), or שדי ( Shaddai ) - on a piece of parchment or metal, usually silver. Counter-examples, however, include the Hamsa (an outline of a human hand) and the Seal of Solomon . During the Middle Ages, Maimonides and Sherira Gaon (and his son Hai Gaon ) opposed
10800-524: The Japanese Empire in the early 20th century, Shinto was exported to other areas of East Asia. Following Japan's defeat in World War II , Shinto was formally separated from the state . Shinto is primarily found in Japan, where there are around 100,000 public shrines, although practitioners are also found abroad. Numerically, it is Japan's largest religion, the second being Buddhism. Most of
10950-457: The Quran , hadiths (recorded oral histories of early Islam) and religious narratives, and religious names. The word "Allah" (God) is especially popular, as many believe that touching or seeing it wards off evil. The ninety-nine names of God , and the names of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his companions, are also used. The names of prophets and religious figures are felt to connect the wearer to
11100-816: The University of Chicago and the University of Missouri jointly with Bunraku Bay Puppet Troupe . The Imada Puppet Troupe traveled to Taiwan to perform in late August 2009, and to the United States to perform in Oregon, Colorado, Missouri, and New Jersey in October 2009. The Imada Puppet Troupe performs a range of pieces from the repertoire common to the traditional puppet theater such as Hidakagawa Iriaizakura , Yaoya Oshichi , Kotobuki Shiki Sanbaso , Tsubosaka Kannon Reigenki , Tokaidochu Hizakurige , and many others. The Imada Troupe has also created new pieces for
11250-585: The Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, devoted to Japan's war dead. In 1979 it enshrined 14 men who had been declared Class-A defendants at the 1946 Tokyo War Crimes Trials , generating domestic and international condemnation, particularly from China and Korea. Shinto priests face ethical conundrums. In the 1980s, for instance, priests at the Suwa Shrine in Nagasaki debated whether to invite the crew of
11400-651: The blessing of the Church in the name of Jesus . The crucifix , and the associated sign of the cross , is one of the key sacramentals used by Christians to ward off evil since the time of the Early Church Fathers ; as such, many Christians wear a cross necklace . The imperial cross of Conrad II (1024–1039) referred to the power of the cross against evil. A well-known amulet associated with Benedictine spirituality present in Christianity of
11550-414: The dorje , the bell, and many kinds of portable amulets. The Tibetan Buddhists enclose prayers on a parchment scroll within a prayer wheel, which is then spun around, each rotation being one recitation of all of the stanzas within the prayer wheel. The people of Thailand, with Buddhist and animist beliefs, also have a vast pantheon of amulets, which are still popular and in common use by most people even in
11700-421: The "worldview of Shinto" provided the "principal source of self-understanding within the Japanese way of life". Nelson stated that "Shinto-based orientations and values [...] lie at the core of Japanese culture, society, and character". Public spaces in which the kami are worshipped are often known under the generic term jinja (" kami -place"); this term applies to the location rather than to
11850-551: The 'magic'vocabulary used and the heavy implementation of the Qur'an. The regional variations of these amulets each are unique; however, they are tied together through the Quranic inscriptions, images of Muhammad, astrological signs, and religious narratives. Such text amulets were originally housed within a lead case imprinted with surat al-Ikhlas (Qur. n2: 1-4), a verse that instructs the worshipper to proclaim God's sanctity. As seen in
12000-689: The Catholic, Lutheran and Anglican traditions is the Saint Benedict medal which includes the Vade Retro Satana formula to ward off Satan. This medal has been in use at least since the 1700s, and in 1742 it received the approval of Pope Benedict XIV . It later became part of the Roman Ritual . Several Christian saints have written about the power of holy water as a force that repels evil; as such in Christianity (especially in
12150-522: The Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran, and Anglican denominations), holy water is used in the dominical sacrament of baptism , as well as for devotional use in the home. Saint Teresa of Avila , a Doctor of the Church who reported visions of Jesus and Mary , was a strong believer in the power of holy water and wrote that she used it with success to repel evil and temptations. Lay Catholics are not permitted to perform solemn exorcisms , but they can use holy water , blessed salt, and other sacramentals, such as
12300-589: The Gods") was a term already used in the Book of Changes referring to the divine order of nature. Around the time of the spread of Buddhism in the Han dynasty (206 BCE – 220 CE), it was used to distinguish indigenous Chinese religions from the imported religion. Ge Hong used it in his Baopuzi as a synonym for Taoism . The Chinese term 神道 ( MC zyin daw ) was originally adopted into Japanese as Jindō ; this
12450-467: The Graeco-Roman world ). Amulets are usually outside of the normal sphere of religious experience, though associations between certain gemstones and gods has been suggested. For example, Jupiter is represented on milky chalcedony , Sol on heliotrope , Mars on red jasper , Ceres on green jasper , and Bacchus on amethyst . Amulets are worn to imbue the wearer with the associated powers of
12600-565: The Greek Orthodox tradition, wear the filakto , an Eastern Christian sacramental that is pinned to one's clothing to ward off Satan. There is a long cultural tradition of using amulets in Islam, and in many Muslim-majority countries , tens of percent of the population use them. Some hadith condemn the wearing of talismans, and some Muslims (notably Salafis ) believe that amulets and talismans are forbidden in Islam, and using them
12750-752: The Imada Puppet Troupe also train students at Ryukyo Middle School, where a large wooden stage has been constructed specifically for the use of the school's traditional puppetry club. The Troupe also has hosted summer puppetry training programs many times for American students at the Imada Puppetry Hall in conjunction with the University of Missouri and the American-based Japanese traditional puppet theater group, Bunraku Bay Puppet Troupe . Shinto Shinto ( Japanese : 神道 , romanized : Shintō )
12900-515: The Islamic context they can also be referred to as hafiz or protector or himala meaning pendant. Amulet is interchangeable with the term talisman. An amulet is an object that is generally worn for protection and most often made from a durable material such as metal or a hard-stone. Amulet can also be applied to paper examples, although talisman is often used to describe these less robust and usually individualized forms. In Muslim cultures, amulets often include texts, particularly prayers, texts from
13050-435: The Meiji era, the term Shinto should "be approached with caution". Inoue Nobutaka stated that "Shinto cannot be considered as a single religious system that existed from the ancient to the modern period", while the historian Kuroda Toshio noted that "before modern times Shinto did not exist as an independent religion". Many scholars describe Shinto as a religion , a term first translated into Japanese as shūkyō around
13200-538: The Mesopotamians, the ancient Egyptians had no distinction between the categories magic and medicine. Indeed for them "...religion was a potent and legitimate tool for affecting magical cures". Each treatment was a complementary combination of practical medicine and magical spells. Magical spells against snakebite are the oldest magical remedies known from Egypt. The Egyptians believed that diseases stemmed from both supernatural and natural causes. The symptoms of
13350-514: The Ottoman Empire with Qur'anic verses such as 'victory is from God and conquest is near' (Qur. 6I:13) found on ta'wiz worn in combat. Texts packaged in ta'wiz were most often pre-made when used by the public, but literate wearers could change the verse upon their discretion. While criticized by some denominations, Sunni Muslims are permitted to wear ta'wiz as long as it consciously strengthens their bond with Allah and does not come from
13500-526: The Saint Benedict medal or the crucifix , for warding off evil. Some Catholic sacramentals are believed to defend against evil, by virtue of their association with a specific saint or archangel. The scapular of St. Michael the Archangel is a Roman Catholic devotional scapular associated with Archangel Michael , the chief enemy of Satan. Pope Pius IX gave this scapular his blessing, but it
13650-559: The Second World War, women were again allowed to become priests to fill the void caused by large numbers of men being enlisted in the military. By the late 1990s, around 90% of priests were male, 10% female, contributing to accusations that Shinto discriminates against women. Priests are free to marry and have children. At smaller shrines, priests often have other full-time jobs, and serve only as priests during special occasions. Before certain major festivals, priests may undergo
13800-475: The State Shinto system of the Meiji era, the emperor of Japan was declared to be a kami , while several Shinto sects have also viewed their leaders as living kami . Although some kami are venerated only in a single location, others have shrines across many areas. Hachiman for instance has around 25,000 shrines dedicated to him, while Inari has 40,000. The act of establishing a new shrine to
13950-677: The Troupe, headed by puppeteer Tamon Sawayanagi, performs regularly on tour and in its own theater, the Imada Puppetry Hall, which was completed in 1993 on the grounds of the Omiya Hachimangu Shrine in Iida. The Troupe traveled abroad in 1993 to perform in France and again in 2003 for performances in Taiwan . In 2007 members of the Troupe traveled to the United States to participate in workshops, demonstrations, and offer performances at
14100-471: The afterlife largely revolve around the idea that the spirit survives bodily death and continues to assist the living. After 33 years, it then becomes part of the family kami . These ancestral spirits are sometimes thought to reside in the mountains, from where they descend to take part in agricultural events. Shinto's afterlife beliefs also include the obake , restless spirits who died in bad circumstances and often seek revenge. A key theme in Shinto
14250-480: The amulet, praising Allah as the ultimate bestower of security and power and as the provider of the Qur'an and Muhammad. Diminutive amulets made in the medieval Mediterranean Islamic world include prayers executed with a block print or die ( tarsh ). Through folding, these miniature paper amulets are often even further reduced in size in order to fit into a tiny wearable box or tubular pendant cases. In other cases, however, these protective objects remain fully loyal to
14400-637: The ancient Celts , the clover , if it has four leaves, symbolizes good luck (not the Irish shamrock , which symbolizes the Christian Trinity ). In Bolivia , the god Ekeko furnishes a standard amulet, to whom one should offer at least one banknote or a cigarette to obtain fortune and welfare. In certain areas of India , Nepal , and Sri Lanka , it is traditionally believed that the jackal's horn can grant wishes and reappear to its owner at its own accord when lost. Some Sinhalese believe that
14550-469: The architectural styles of shrines having largely developed by the Heian period . The inner sanctuary in which the kami lives is the honden . Inside the honden may be stored material belonging to the kami ; known as shinpo , this can include artworks, clothing, weapons, musical instruments, bells, and mirrors. Typically, worshippers carry out their acts outside of the honden . Near
14700-545: The beholder. Kitagawa referred to this as "the kami nature", stating that he thought it "somewhat analogous" to the Western ideas of the numinous and the sacred . Kami are seen to inhabit both the living and the dead, organic and inorganic matter, and natural disasters like earthquakes, droughts, and plagues; their presence is seen in natural forces such as the wind, rain, fire, and sunshine. Accordingly, Nelson commented that Shinto regards "the actual phenomena of
14850-413: The body, talismans hung upon or above the bed of an infirm person, and medicinal talismans. This third category can be further divided into external and internal talismans. For example, an external amulet can be placed in a bath. Jews, Christians, and Muslims have also at times used their holy books in a talisman-like manner in grave situations. For example, a bedridden and seriously ill person would have
15000-469: The book format as miniature Qur'ans, protected by illuminated metal cases. In the Aga Khan Museum, Toronto, rests an example of an Egyptian block printed amulet, made during the tenth or eleventh century. Here, one can notice the minuscule ink on paper script of the size of 7.2 x 5.5 cm. Its text's final line is a verse from the Qur'an that proclaims: 'So God will safeguard you from them. He
15150-429: The construction company to employ a Shinto priest to come to the land being developed and perform the jichinsai , or earth sanctification ritual. This purifies the site and asks the kami to bless it. People often ask the kami to help offset inauspicious events that may affect them. For instance, in Japanese culture, the age 33 is seen as being unlucky for women and the age 42 for men, and thus people can ask
15300-474: The country's population takes part in both Shinto and Buddhist activities, especially festivals, reflecting a common view in Japanese culture that the beliefs and practices of different religions need not be exclusive. Aspects of Shinto have been incorporated into various Japanese new religious movements . There is no universally agreed definition of Shinto. According to Joseph Cali and John Dougill, if there
15450-445: The country, from isolated rural areas to dense metropolitan ones. More specific terms are sometimes used for certain shrines depending on their function; some of the grand shrines with imperial associations are termed jingū , those devoted to the war dead are termed shokonsha , and those linked to mountains deemed to be inhabited by kami are yama-miya . Jinja typically consist of complexes of multiple buildings, with
15600-421: The creative principle permeating all life is known as musubi , and is associated with its own kami . Within traditional Japanese thought, there is no concept of an overarching duality between good and evil. The concept of aki encompasses misfortune, unhappiness, and disaster, although it does not correspond precisely with the Western concept of evil. There is no eschatology in Shinto. Texts such as
15750-414: The daughters of a priest or a practitioner. They are subordinate to the priests in the shrine hierarchy. Their most important role is in the kagura dance, known as otome-mai . Miko receive only a small salary but gain respect from members of the local community and learn skills such as cooking, calligraphy, painting, and etiquette which can benefit them when later searching for employment or
15900-420: The dead. The main function of amulets was to ward off misfortune, "evil eye", and the jinn. They were meant to promote health, longevity, fertility, and potency. Despite regional variations, what unites these objects is that they are characterized by the use of particular and distinctive vocabulary of writings and symbols. These can appear in a multitude of combinations. The important elements to these amulets are
16050-493: The disease determined which deity the doctor needed to invoke in order to cure it. Doctors were extremely expensive, therefore, for most everyday purposes, the average Egyptian would have relied on individuals who were not professional doctors, but who possessed some form of medical training or knowledge. Among these individuals were folk healers and seers, who could set broken bones, aid mothers in giving birth, prescribe herbal remedies for common ailments, and interpret dreams. If
16200-407: The early 20th century the government proclaimed that their accounts were factual. The Kojiki recounts that the universe started with ame-tsuchi , the separation of light and pure elements ( ame , "heaven") from heavy elements ( tsuchi , "earth"). Three kami then appeared: Amenominakanushi , Takamimusuhi no Mikoto , and Kamimusuhi no Mikoto . Other kami followed, including
16350-531: The end of the Kofun period (300 to 538 AD) and spread rapidly. Religious syncretization made kami worship and Buddhism functionally inseparable, a process called shinbutsu-shūgō . The kami came to be viewed as part of Buddhist cosmology and were increasingly depicted anthropomorphically . The earliest written tradition regarding kami worship was recorded in the 8th-century Kojiki and Nihon Shoki . In ensuing centuries, shinbutsu-shūgō
16500-421: The evil eye away from the boys, thus serving as a form of protection. This practice continued until the early 20th century. The mezuzah and tefillin have been interpreted by some to be forms of amulet, but others disagree. Rabbi and kabbalist Naphtali Cohen (1645–1719) was said to be an expert in the magical use of amulets. He was accused of causing a fire that broke out in his house and then destroyed
16650-523: The form of flat sheets made of silver, gold, copper, and lead were also popular in Late Antiquity in Palestine and Syria as well as their adjacent countries ( Mesopotamia , Asia Minor , and Iran ). Usually, they were rolled up and placed in a metal container with loops to be carried by a necklace. They were incised with a needle with manifold incantation formulars and citations and references to
16800-611: The gods rather than for any reasons of piety. The intrinsic power of the amulet is also evident from others bearing inscriptions, such as vterfexix (utere fexix) or "good luck to the user." Amulet boxes could also be used, such as the example from part of the Thetford treasure , Norfolk, UK, where a gold box intended for suspension around the neck was found to contain sulphur for its apotropaic (evil-repelling) qualities. Children wore bullas and lunulas , and could be protected by amulet-chains known as Crepundia . Metal amulets in
16950-474: The head of a lion and the body of a dwarf, was believed to be the protector of children. After giving birth, a mother would remove her Taweret amulet and put on a new amulet representing Bes. Amulets depicted specific symbols, among the most common are the ankh and the Eye of Horus , which represented the new eye given to Horus by the god Thoth as a replacement for his old eye, which had been destroyed during
17100-575: The horn can grant the holder invulnerability in any lawsuit . The Native American movement of the Ghost Dance wore ghost shirts to protect them from bullets. In the Philippines , amulets are called agimat or anting-anting . According to folklore, the most powerful anting-anting is the hiyas ng saging (directly translated as pearl or gem of the banana). The hiyas must come from a mature banana and only comes out during midnight. Before
17250-554: The idea that Shinto's origins were prehistoric and that it represented something like the "underlying will of Japanese culture". The prominent Shinto theologian Sokyo Ono, for instance, said kami worship was "an expression" of the Japanese "native racial faith which arose in the mystic days of remote antiquity" and that it was "as indigenous as the people that brought the Japanese nation into existence". Many scholars regard this classification as inaccurate. Earhart noted that Shinto, in having absorbed much Chinese and Buddhist influence,
17400-491: The individual to the larger social unit has long been a characteristic of the religion. Throughout Japanese history, the notion of saisei-itchi , or the union of religious authority and political authority, has long been prominent. In the modern world, Shinto has tended toward conservatism, as well as nationalism, an association that results in various Japanese civil liberties groups and neighboring countries regarding Shinto suspiciously. Particularly controversial has been
17550-555: The inherent protective values of these materials depend hugely upon their natural rarity, monetary value, and symbolic implications. Among the semi-precious materials, carnelian ('aqiq) is often favoured because it was considered as the stone of Muhammad, who was said to have worn a carnelian seal set in silver on the little finger of his right hand. Besides, materials such as jade and jasper are regarded as to possess protective and medicinal properties, including assuring victory in battles, protection from lightning and treating diseases of
17700-942: The inscription " Quis ut Deus? " meaning "Who is like God?". Since the 19th century, devout Spanish soldiers, especially Carlist units, have worn a patch with an image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the inscription detente bala ("stop, bullet"). Early Egyptian Christians made textual amulets with scriptural incipits , especially the opening words of the Gospels , the Lord's Prayer and Psalm 91 . These amulets have survived from late antiquity (c. 300–700 C.E.), mostly from Egypt. They were written in Greek and Coptic on strips of papyrus , parchment and other materials in order to cure bodily illnesses and/or to protect individuals from demons. Some believers, especially those of
17850-424: The internal organs. Sometimes, amulets combine different materials to achieve multiple protective effects. A combination of jade and carnelian, for instance, connotes fertility and embryogenesis. The reddish, transcalent quality of the cornelian resembles blood, which echoes the clot of congealed blood from which Allah created human (Qur. 96:2). Additionally, recurring apotropaic Qur'anic verses are often inscribed on
18000-612: The living, meaning that they must be pacified, usually through Buddhist rites but sometimes through enshrining them as a kami . Other Japanese supernatural figures include the tanuki , animal-like creatures who can take human form. Although the narratives differ in detail, the origin of the kami and of Japan itself are recounted in two 8th-century texts, Kojiki and Nihon Shoki . Drawing heavily on Chinese influence, these texts were commissioned by ruling elites to legitimize and consolidate their rule. Although never of great importance to Japanese religious life, in
18150-413: The master class, there is also a forgery market in existence, which ensures that the experts of the scene maintain a monopoly on the market. With so many fakes, experts are needed for collectors to trust for obtaining authentic amulets, and not selling them fakes. Amulets vary considerably according to their time and place of origin. In many societies, religious objects serve as amulets, e.g. deriving from
18300-416: The mythological tale in which Izanagi immersed himself in the sea to purify himself after discovering his deceased wife; it was from this act that other kami sprang from his body. An alternative is immersion beneath a waterfall. Salt is often regarded as a purifying substance; some Shinto practitioners will for instance sprinkle salt on themselves after a funeral, while those running restaurants may put
18450-452: The name of God ( Tetragrammaton ). Most of them are composed in various kinds of Aramaic ( Jewish Aramaic , Samaritan Aramaic , Christian Palestinian Aramaic , Mandaic , Syriac ) and Hebrew , but there exist also sometimes combinations with Greek . In China, Taoist specialists developed a special style of calligraphy called fulu , which they say is able to protect against evil spirits. The equivalent type of amulet in Japan
18600-750: The named person, protecting the wearer. The written stories of these people are also considered effective, and are sometimes illustrated with images of the religious figure or omens associated with them. Favoured figures include Solomon , Ali ibn Abi Talib and his sons Hasan and Husain, and the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus . Devotional manuals sometimes also promise that those reading them will be protected from demons and jinn . Apotropaic texts may even be incorporated into clothing. Weapons might also be inscribed with religious texts thought to confer protective powers. Scrolls with Qur'anic quotations, prophetic references and sacred symbols were common during war in
18750-583: The past, there was also a " State Shinto ", in which Shinto beliefs and practices were closely interlinked with the Japanese state. In representing "a portmanteau term" for many varied traditions across Japan, the term "Shinto" is similar to the term " Hinduism ", used to describe varied traditions across South Asia. The term Shinto is often translated into English as "the way of the kami ", although its meaning has varied throughout Japanese history. Other terms are sometimes used synonymously with "Shinto"; these include kami no michi ( 神の道 , "the way of
18900-661: The present day. The belief in magic is impregnated into Thai culture and religious beliefs and folk superstitions, and this is reflected in the fact that we can still see commonplace use of amulets and magical rituals in everyday life. Some of the more commonly known amulets are of course the Buddhist votive tablets, such as the Pra Somdej Buddha image, and guru monk coins. But Thailand has an immensely large number of magical traditions, and thousands of different types of amulet and occult charm can be found in use, ranging from
19050-406: The priest approaches the kami so as to purify their car in the hope that this will prevent it from being involved in an accident; the kotsu anzen harai ("purification for road safety"). Similarly, transport companies often request purification rites for new buses or airplanes which are about to go into service. Before a building is constructed, it is common for either private individuals or
19200-452: The purification is carried out with an o-nusa , a branch of evergreen to which strips of paper have been attached. The waving of the haraigushi is often followed by an additional act of purification, the shubatsu , in which the priest sprinkles water, salt, or brine over those assembled from a wooden box called the 'en-to-oke or magemono . The acts of purification accomplished, petitions known as norito are spoken to
19350-522: The ranks over the course of their careers. The number of priests at a particular shrine can vary; some shrines can have dozens, and others have none, instead being administered by local lay volunteers. Some priests administer to multiple small shrines, sometimes over ten. Priestly regalia is largely based on the clothes worn at the imperial court during the Heian period. It includes a tall, rounded hat known as an eboshi , and black lacquered wooden clogs known as asagutsu . The outer garment worn by
19500-613: The shrine is found. Shinto priests are known in Japanese as kannushi , meaning "proprietor of kami ", or alternatively as shinshoku or shinkan . Many kannushi take on the role in a line of hereditary succession traced down specific families. In contemporary Japan, there are two main training universities for those wishing to become kannushi , at Kokugakuin University in Tokyo and at Kogakkan University in Mie Prefecture . Priests can rise through
19650-925: The specific kami and occasion. Amulet An amulet , also known as a good luck charm or phylactery, is an object believed to confer protection upon its possessor. The word "amulet" comes from the Latin word amuletum , which Pliny's Natural History describes as "an object that protects a person from trouble". Anything can function as an amulet; items commonly so used include statues, coins, drawings, plant parts, animal parts, and written words. Amulets which are said to derive their extraordinary properties and powers from magic or those which impart luck are typically part of folk religion or paganism , whereas amulets or sacred objects of formalised mainstream religion as in Christianity are believed to have no power of their own without faith in Jesus and being blessed by
19800-479: The study of them, and collection. Thai amulets are still immensely popular both with Thai folk as well as with foreigners, and in recent years, a massive increase in foreign interest has caused the subject of Thai Buddhist amulets to become a commonly known topic around the world. Amulets can fetch prices ranging from a few dollars right up to millions of dollars for a single amulet. Due to the money that can be made with sorcery services, and with rare collector amulets of
19950-526: The takrut scroll spell, to the necromantic Ban Neng Chin Aathan, which uses the bones or flesh of the corpse of a 'hoeng prai' ghost (a person who died unnaturally, screaming, or in other strange premature circumstances), to reanimate the spirit of the dead, to dwell within the bone as a spirit, and assist the owner to achieve their goals. The list of Thai Buddhist amulets in existence is a lifetime study in its own right, and indeed, many people devote their lives to
20100-404: The term Shinto became increasingly popular from the 18th century. The term Shinto has been commonly used only since the early 20th century, when it superseded the term taikyō ('great religion') as the name for the Japanese state religion. Shinto is polytheistic , involving the veneration of many deities known as kami , or sometimes as jingi (神祇). In Japanese, no distinction
20250-859: The time of the Meiji Restoration . Some practitioners instead view Shinto as a "way", thus characterising it more as custom or tradition , partly as an attempt to circumvent the modern separation of religion and state and restore Shinto's historical links with the Japanese state. Moreover, many of the categories of religion and religiosity defined in Western culture "do not readily apply" to Shinto. Unlike religions familiar in Western countries, such as Christianity and Islam , Shinto has no single founder, nor any single canonical text. Western religions tend to stress exclusivity, but in Japan, it has long been considered acceptable to practice different religious traditions simultaneously. Japanese religion
20400-631: The traditional theater, including Kotaro Monogatari , which premiered in 1983 and was revived for the 30th Iida Puppetry Festival in 2008. Although written new for the Imada Troupe, Kotaro Monogatari is based on legendary material from the Ina Valley, in which the Imada Troupe is located. The Imada Puppet Troupe is actively nurturing the next generation of traditional puppeteers by providing puppetry training and performance opportunities for young adults and for students at local schools. Members of
20550-480: The use of sacramentals in its proper disposition is encouraged only by a firm faith and devotion to the Triune God, and not by any magical or superstitious belief bestowed on the sacramental. In this regard, prayer cloths , holy oil , prayer beads , cords , scapulars , medals, and other devotional religious paraphernalia derive their power, not simply from the symbolism displayed in the object, but rather from
20700-710: The use of amulets and derided the "folly of amulet writers." Other rabbis, however, approved the use of amulets. Regional traditions surrounding the birth of children often included amulets to ward off the devil, the evil eye, or demons such as Lilith . So-called miracle rabbi ( Ba’al Shem ) would be responsible for writing text amulets and conjuring up the names of God and protective angels. Midwives would also create amulets, often filled with herbs, to protect mothers and their young children. In Southern Germany , Alsace and areas of Switzerland , young Jewish boys wore textile neckbands or collars for their Brit Milah . Coins or coral stones on these neckbands were meant to distract
20850-484: The view of visitors, and may be hidden inside boxes so that even the priests do not know what they look like. Kami are deemed capable of both benevolent and destructive deeds; if warnings about good conduct are ignored, the kami can mete out punishment, often illness or sudden death, called shinbatsu . Some kami , referred to as the magatsuhi-no-kami or araburu kami , are regarded as malevolent and destructive. Offerings and prayers are given to
21000-577: The whole Jewish quarter of Frankfurt , and of preventing the extinguishing of the fire by conventional means because he wanted to test the power of his amulets; he was imprisoned and forced to resign his post and leave the city. In Christianity , regularly attending church, frequently receiving Holy Communion , Bible study , and a consistent prayer life are taught as being among the best ways to ward against demonic influence. The Catholic , Oriental Orthodox , Eastern Orthodox , Lutheran , Anglican and Pentecostal denominations of Christianity hold that
21150-461: The world itself" as being "divine". This perspective has been characterised as being animistic . In Japan, kami have been venerated since prehistory. During the Yayoi period they were regarded as being formless and invisible, later coming to be depicted anthropomorphically under Buddhist influence. Now, statues of the kami are known as shinzo . Kami are usually associated with
21300-447: Was "not a unified, monolithic entity that has a single center and system all its own". Different types of Shinto have been identified. "Shrine Shinto" refers to the practices centred around shrines, and "Domestic Shinto" to the ways in which kami are venerated in the home. Some scholars have used the term "Folk Shinto" to designate localised Shinto practices, or practices outside of an institutionalised setting. In various eras of
21450-445: Was "often used" in "reference to kami worship and related theologies, rituals and practices". Various scholars have referred to practitioners of Shinto as Shintoists , although this term has no direct translation in the Japanese language . Scholars have debated at what point in history it is legitimate to start talking about Shinto as a specific phenomenon. The scholar of religion Ninian Smart suggested that one could "speak of
21600-408: Was "one single, broad definition of Shinto" that could be put forward, it would be that "Shinto is a belief in kami ", the supernatural entities at the centre of the religion. The Japanologist Helen Hardacre wrote that "Shinto encompasses doctrines, institutions, ritual, and communal life based on kami worship", while the scholar of religion Inoue Nobutaka observed that the term "Shinto"
21750-400: Was "too complex to be labelled simply [as an] indigenous religion". In the early 21st century it became increasingly common for practitioners to call Shinto a nature religion , which critics saw as a strategy to disassociate the tradition from controversial issues surrounding militarism and imperialism. Shinto displays substantial local variation; the anthropologist John K. Nelson noted it
21900-461: Was adopted by Japan's Imperial household. During the Meiji era (1868 to 1912), Japan's nationalist leadership expelled Buddhist influence from kami worship and formed State Shinto , which some historians regard as the origin of Shinto as a distinct religion. Shrines came under growing government influence, and citizens were encouraged to worship the emperor as a kami . With the formation of
22050-412: Was enshrined as the kami Hachiman , believed to be a protector of Japan and a kami of war. In Japanese culture, ancestors can be viewed as a form of kami . In Western Japan, the term jigami is used to describe the enshrined kami of a village founder. In some cases, living human beings were also viewed as kami ; these were called akitsumi kami or arahito-gami . In
22200-471: Was first formally approved under Pope Leo XIII . The form of this scapular is somewhat distinct, in that the two segments of cloth that constitute it have the form of a small shield; one is made of blue and the other of black cloth, and one of the bands likewise is blue and the other black. Both portions of the scapular bear the well-known representation of the Archangel St. Michael slaying the dragon and
22350-418: Was possibly first used as a Buddhist term to refer to non-Buddhist deities. Among the earliest known appearances of the term Shinto in Japan is in the 8th-century text, Nihon Shoki . Here, it may be a generic term for popular belief, or alternatively reference Taoism, as many Taoist practices had recently been imported from mainland Asia. In these early Japanese uses, the word Shinto did not apply to
22500-437: Was widespread among both living and dead ancient Egyptians. They were used for protection and as a means of "...reaffirming the fundamental fairness of the universe". The oldest amulets found are from the predynastic Badarian Period, and they persisted all the way through to Roman times. Pregnant women would wear amulets depicting Taweret , the goddess of childbirth, to protect against miscarriage. The god Bes , who had
#204795