...Introduction: Shinto, a Japanese based religion, is also considered an ethnic religion. It is so because of the roots of the religion as they connect with Japanese culture and its ability to coexist with other religions, predominately Buddhism (Religions-Shinto at a Glance, 2017 ). It is not a universal religion, as it does not attempt to convert others, nor is it much practiced outside of Japan. It also does not claim to be a religion that attempts to explain the world(Religions-Shinto at a Glance, 2017). Shinto is heavily tied with nature, and has influences of Buddhist significance in some shrines, such as the tori being painted red, a color with significance in mainland China and Buddhism there, rather than orange or black. Shinto is...
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... Abstract Within this paper I will be discuss three religions that have similar characteristic of Christianity. I choose Candomble an Afro-Brazilian that has over a million followers. Candomble is a syncretic religion, meaning it has a combination of beliefs. The core of the religion is the traditional African beliefs of Yoruba, Fon and Bantu. Candomble has elements of Christianity, particularly Catholicism. Candomble means “dance in honor of the gods.” Dancing and music play an important role in the Candomble rituals. The center of Candomble religion is God (Oludumare) and the deities are called Orixas which serves Oludumare. Candomble does not have any holy scriptures. Shinto is an all-pervading indefinable way which is quite universal. Shinto or Kaminomichi is the name of the religion observed by the Japanese from time immemorial. ‘Kami’ means God or deity. Shinto implies the following ‘Way of the Gods’. Shinto is not really an ‘ism’ but only a teaching. Confucianism is a religion found by Confucius influential Chinese philosophers. His idea of social and political harmony is through better governance, a proper human relationship and individual development to shape Chinese though out many centuries. Candomble Candomble is an Afro-Brazilian religion that was brought to Brazil by the African slaves. The majority of the slaves were from West Central Africa (Yoruba, Aja-Fon, and Banhu). The religion was influenced by the chattel slavery and merchantilistic...
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...POINTERS TO REVIEW in MUSIC III I. Philippine Music A. Ethnic Traditions B. Spanish Traditions C. American Traditions D. Original Pilipino Music II. Chinese Music A. North/South Han Chinese B. Musical Style C. Vocal Music D. Instruments III. Japanese Music - Ongaku A. Traditional Music – 2 Forms of Music B. 2 Types of Gagaku C. 3 Musical Styles of the Gagaku D. 3 Forms of Theater and Dance PHILIPPINE MUSIC Ethnic Traditions * Pre-colonial or Pre-Spanish * Common in the mountainous regions of the North and the archipelago of the South * May be instrumental or vocal * Belief of a God that provides to all their needs. Example: bountiful harvest, wedding, etc. * Instruments are made of bronze, bamboo or wood Instruments: 1. Saggeypo/Diwas 2. Tongatong 3. Bungkaka 4. Kubing 5. Gandingan 6. Dabakan 7. Kudyapi 8. Kulintang 9. Babandil Spanish Traditions * Religious influence connected to and outside the Catholic Liturgy * European type of music adapted by the Filipinos. (Opera, Troubadours, Orchestra, Rondalla, etc Examples: * Pabasa/Pasyon * Panunuluyan * Zarswela * Moro-moro * Senakulo American Traditions * American Teachers introduced the singing of Philippine songs in Western Style. * Three types of Music: Classical, Semi-classical and Popular Music Examples: * CLASSICAL MUSIC-art songs, kundiman * SEMI-CLASSICAL MUSIC-folk songs...
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...Together, they have about the identical land area as the state of California. Across the Sea of Japan to its north and west are Russia and South Korea. To the east, where the sun rises, Japan borders the Pacific Ocean. The Japanese call their nation Nippon, which means “Land of the Rising Sun” Japan has a remarkable landscape. Mountains and hills cover most of the land. A chain of mountains runs down the middle of Japan. Snow-capped Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest peak, towers over Honshu Island. Swift streams flow from the mountains into the sea. Thick forests cover the mountainsides where deer and monkeys make their homes in the spring; the countryside is colored pink and white with the blossoms of plum and cherry trees. In southern Japan, summers are long and hot. In the north, winters are cold and snowy. Central Japan has an enjoyable climate, with warm summers and cool winters. The country is often shaken by volcanic explosions and earthquakes. Japan’s first powerful rulers were chiefs from the Yamato region. During the Yamatos’ rule, many visitors from other lands came to Japan. Scholars from china brought the Chinese writing system in the 400s. They also brought the teachings of Confucius. In the 500s, the Chinese introduced the Buddhist religion. The Japanese adopted these and many other Chinese customs. Around the 700s, Japan became a primitive society. In Japan’s primitive society, nobles and warlords lived in great castles and owned large plots of land. Peasant farmers worked...
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...development that constantly pushes back the boudaries of the possible. It could therefore be said that Japan is a country of stark contradictions and is in part this that makes it such a fascinating country to visit and unique tourist destination. If you are looking for something different you are sure to find it here! People One people, one race? Japanese people appear at first glance to be one of the most socially and ethnically homogenous groups in the world. It is reasonable to equate Japan’s rapid post-war economic development to the 1990s with social solidarity and conformism. Despite labour shortages since the 1960s, authorities resisted officially sanctioning foreign workers until the 1980s, relying on increased mechanization and an expanded female workforce instead (1). Until recently, Japanese workers have associated themselves primarily with the company they work for – a businessman will introduce himself as ‘Nissan no Takahashi-san’ (I am Nissan’s Mr Takahashi). By extension, we might get the idea that a Japanese person subordinates the self to the objectives of society. In 2008, however, long-serving Japanese politician Nariaki Nakayama resigned after declaring that Japan is ‘ethnically homogenous’, showing that the old ‘one people, one race’ idea has become politically incorrect. Criticism of Mr Nakayama’s statement focused on its disregard for the indigenous Ryukyukan people of southern...
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...was a distinctive social class. The samurai tradition was mainly about war. The samurai tradition consisted of singling out a worthy opponent for a challenge. They would wait until enemy lines were broken and then enter into single combat. People began to develop battlefields to fight and would have battles several times to establish territory. (Clode, 2011) This was the beginning of the fighting and war that continued in Japan for centuries to come. Throughout Japan’s history it saw the rise and fall of many emperors that ruled the country. Through most of the history of Japan they had a policy that their borders were locked to the outside world and they did not allow foreigners in their country. This same policy applied to the Japanese people and they were not allowed to leave the country. The early emperors in Japan ruled the country by engaging in wars and the country was primarily run as an imperial and military rule. (Facts About Japan, 2013) After many years of declaring war on countries in nineteen thirty seven Japan declared war on China. This war led to the nineteen forty two attack that Japan launched in the United States on Pearl Harbor. After almost eight years of war atomic bombs were dropped on Japan bringing this war to an end. After Japan surrendered Allied Forces entered the country and it was the first time in history that Japan was occupied by foreign powers. The end of this war brought Japan to renounce its right to declare war on other countries...
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...Religious and Ethnic Groups Paper Kevin M. Ford ETH-125 9/22/2013 Tamira Moon Week 4 Assignment Religious and Ethnic Groups Paper Throughout time, individuals have been classified into distinguishable groups based on many characteristics like physical appearance, ethnicity, religious beliefs, region of origin, and economic status. The intent of this paper is to provide background on how these groups are differ from each other, how they interact with each other, and what these groups have contributed to American culture. Whatever the classification people may fall into, it is almost certain that they have faced difficult choices regarding their beliefs, culture, and well-being. They have also faced scrutiny and discrimination from other groups. How they have adapted and persevered during these times contributes to their cultural history. Buddhism is a religion practiced by nearly 300 million people around the world, but is a little known religion to westerners. It is gaining popularity in western countries because its philosophies lend to the minimalistic trends that are becoming popular in America. More than just a religion, Buddhism differs from other religions because does not worship idols or gods, instead it is designed to teach its followers a deep understanding of the human mind, and to find the path to enlightenment. Another unique characteristic of Buddhism is that it has historically been a tolerant religion, which cannot be said for most other religions. Buddhism...
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...I. Essentially, contact with China began when Japan sent diplomatic envoys to the Sui dynasty. Later on, contact with Tang dynasty China increased during the Nara period and reached its peak during the Heian period. As such Japanese ambassadors to China were continually dispatched, in turn bringing back with them some Chinese culture. Buddhism was then introduced and because of that there were now decrees on the taboos of meat consumption, making Japan a fish-eating country at the time. However, aside from Buddhism as a Chinese influence on Japanese dietary culture, rice, barley, wheat, buckwheat, noodle making, soybeans and soy products such as tofu, soy sauce and miso paste and most importantly tea which are now considered as staples of...
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...Culture Identification Paper Japanese Culture April Bane Culture is a way of life. It is invisible like the air, but as obvious as the ground below. It is dynamic and evolving. Culture is defined as an accumulated pattern of values, beliefs, and behaviors, shared by an identifiable group of people with a common history and verbal and nonverbal symbol systems (Neulip, 2012). One such identifiable group is the Japanese. They have selectively adapted to outside influences yet their evolving culture constantly remains sensitive to nature, time, space, honor, loyalty and sincerity. As a result of this adaptive style, the Japanese culture is distinctive and as a group they are survivors. Japan is a very homogenous culture with 98.5 percent of the population being ethnic Japanese (Martin, 2012). This factor alone identifies the Japanese as a macroculture, or group, which is not to be confused with a microculture. Microcultures are those identifiable groups of people who share a set of values, beliefs, behaviors and who possess a common history and a verbal and nonverbal symbol system that is similar to the dominant culture but varies in some way, perhaps subtly. Microcultures can be different from the larger culture in a variety of ways, most often because of race, ethnicity, language, or behavior. Generally, they are the result of immigration, annexation or colonization. Microcultures also inhabit the same geographical area as the macroculture. It is...
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...Between the 12th and 19th centuries, feudal Japan had an elaborate four tier class system. Unlike European feudal society, in which the peasants (or serfs) were at the bottom, the Japanese feudal class structure placed merchants on the lowest rung. Confucian ideals emphasized the importance of productive members of society, so farmers and fishermen had higher status than shop-keepers in Japan. At the top of the heap was the samurai class. The Samurai Class: Feudal Japanese society was dominated by the samurai warrior class. Although they made up only about 10% of the population, samurai and their daimyo lords wielded enormous power. When a samurai passed, members of the lower classes were required to bow and show respect. If a farmer or artisan refused to bow, the samurai was legally entitled to chop off the recalcitrant person's head. Samurai answered only to the daimyo for whom they worked. The daimyo, in turn, answered only to the shogun. There were about 260 daimyo by the end of the feudal era. Each daimyo controlled a broad area of land, and had an army of samurai. The Farmers / Peasants: Just below the samurai on the social ladder were the farmers or peasants. According to Confucian ideals, farmers were superior to artisans and merchants because they produced the food that all the other classes depended upon. Although technically they were considered an honored class, the farmers lived under a crushing tax burden for much of the feudal era. During the reign of...
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...soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally. It is generally considered to be a gendai budō (a modern Japanese martial art), though this definition is incorrect as the sport has a history spanning many centuries. Many ancient traditions have been preserved in sumo, and even today the sport includes many ritual elements, such as the use of salt purification, from the days when sumo was used in the Shinto religion. Life as a rikishi is highly regimented, with rules laid down by the Sumo Association. Most sumo wrestlers are required to live in communal "sumo training stables" known in Japanese as heya where all aspects of their daily lives—from meals to their manner of dress—are dictated by strict tradition. In addition to its use as a trial of strength in combat, sumo has also been associated with Shinto ritual, and even certain shrines carry out forms of ritual dance where a human is said to wrestle with a kami (a Shinto divine spirit). It was an important ritual at the imperial court. Representatives of each province were ordered to attend the contest at the court and fight. They were required to pay for their travels themselves. The contest was known as sumai no sechie, or "sumai party." Sumo wrestler Somagahana Fuchiemon, c. 1850 Over the rest of Japanese recorded history, sumo's popularity has changed according to the whims of its rulers and the need for its use as a training tool in periods of civil strife. The...
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...1. Introduction Korea and Japan have close relationship ever since their ancient histories to this day. Because of this reason, their economic growth and development have similarities but on the other hand, due to their different characteristics, they also have differences. This paper will discuss some of the two countries’ major characteristics including geographic, social, and political characteristics and look at their histories and economies. 2. Geography Korea - Korea extends about 1,000 kilometers to the south from the northeast part of the Asian continent. It consists of the Korean Peninsula and over 3,400 islands. Since 1945, as a result of the WWII, Korea has been divided into North Korea, and South Korea. The total area is 221,607 square kilometers. South Korea owns 99,237 square kilometers and 45% of the total land, while North Korea owns 122,370 square kilometers, the remaining 55%. Korea is mostly consisted of mountain range with 70 percent. The Mountains Taebaek connects the full length of the east coast. Japan - Japan has four main islands - Honshu, Hokkaido, Shikoku, and Kyushu - and more than 3,000 small islands cover an area of 377,727 square kilometers. These islands extend over 3,000km in total length, and it spreads about 300km in width. Japan is covered with mountains about three-fourths of the national land. Mt. Fuji divides the center of Honshu with 3,000-meter high, the main island. Japan has around 200 volcanoes, among them about 60 volcanoes...
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...THE CLASH OF CIVILIZATIONS AND RADICALISM Dr. M. LAL GOEL Also known as Dr. Madan Lal Goel University of West Florida lgoel@uwf.edu Abstract. The notion of a clash of civilizations has gained notoriety since the terrorist attack on WTC on 9/11/2001. Professor Samuel P. Huntington has popularized the view that the coming global conflict will be among major civilizations, not among different political ideologies. He identifies eight major civilizations: the Western (Europe and North America), Slavic (Russia and Eastern Europe), Islamic, Confucian, Hindu, Japanese, Latin American, and the African. Of particular focus in the present paper is the threat to civilization from radical Islam. Three factors that foment radicalism are described: the Islamic theology of exclusiveness, the nostalgic memory of a Muslim empire that lasted nearly 1,000 years, and the consequences of oil boom in the Middle East. Population estimates for different civilizations are provided at the end. Introduction The theory of a clash of civilizations has been with us for some time. British historian Arnold Toynbee used the term in a series of lectures he delivered in 1953. The Middle East specialist Bernard Lewis wrote in 1990 that the Muslim rage against the West is “no less than a clash of civilizations” (Lewis, 1990, p 60). Samuel P. Huntington, a Harvard University political science professor, has given new currency to the notion of a clash of civilizations. His 1993 article in Foreign...
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...Perspectives 9/3/2013 Elizabeth Glasser Japanese Culture I am choosing to do my session long project on Japan. I think Japan is a very interesting and beautiful place. No other country in the world has experienced such a confluence of tradition, technology, and circumstance. Japan is the hub for cutting edge technology; it is the only country that has witnessed the wrath of the atomic bomb, and it has the most massive economy in the world. The Japanese have interesting and amazing traditions that have been passed on from generation to generation for thousands of years. Japanese people can be very modern but till hold onto traditions that have been passed on for centuries. They wear amazingly beautiful clothes, have interesting art techniques and have one the largest markets for music. Japan is also known for their Geisha girls, martial arts, and bizarre foods. Origins “The Japanese Archipelago includes more than 3,000 islands, covering a total area of 377,835 square kilometers. The four main islands, from north to south, are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu” (Szczepanski, n.d.). There is evidence that people inhabited Japan 30,000 years ago. According to Szczepanski (n.d.), these people were called Jomon and were hunter and gatherers who lived off the land. Japan first appears in the historical records of China in about 300 BC. There are many theories regarding the evolution of Japan. The most popular is that “Japanese gradually evolved from ancient Ice...
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...THE HANDY RELIGION AN SWE R BOOK JOHN RENARD Detroit The Handy Religion Answer Book™ C O P Y R I G H T © 2002 BY VI S I B LE I N K PRE SS® This publication is a creative work fully protected by all applicable copyright laws, as well as by misappropriation, trade secret, unfair competition, and other applicable laws. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine or newspaper. All rights to this publication will be vigorously defended. Visible Ink Press® 43311 Joy Rd. #414 Canton, MI 48187-2075 Visible Ink Press and The Handy Religion Answer Book are trademarks of Visible Ink Press LLC. Most Visible Ink Press books are available at special quantity discounts when purchased in bulk by corporations, organizations, or groups. Customized printings, special imprints, messages, and excerpts can be produced to meet your needs. For more information, contact Special Markets Director, Visible Ink Press, at www.visibleink.com or (734) 667-3211. Art Director: Mary Claire Krzewinski Typesetting: Graphix Group Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Renard, John, 1944The handy religion answer book / John Renard. p. cm. ISBN 1-57859-125-2 (pbk.) 1. Religions--Miscellanea. I. Title. BL80.2 .R46 2001 291--dc21 Printed in the United States of America All rights reserved ...
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