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Rel03


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Power, Praxis, and People: Re-envisioning Political and Religious Realms in Premodern Japan 
Convenors:
Yen-Yi Chan (Academia Sinica)
Mikael Bauer (McGill University)
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Section:
Religion and Religious Thought
Sessions:
Thursday 26 August, -
Time zone: Europe/Brussels

Short Abstract:

This panel foregrounds practice in examining the interdependence between political and religious realms in premodern Japan, investigating how Buddhist activities affected power relations, constructed ideas of governance and legitimacy, and served to obtain political and economic resources.

Long Abstract:

The relationship between religious and political spheres in premodern Japan is a topic that has been addressed by several Japanese and Western scholars. Studies on rituals, doctrine, and monastic institutions have thoroughly explored the intersection of religious and secular power, but all too often religious praxis has been considered as subordinate to economic and political developments. This panel foregrounds practice in examining the interdependence between politics and religion. In what ways did religious practices affect power relations, construct ideas of governance and legitimacy, and serve as a means to gain political and economic resources? To consider this question from various angles, this panel examines a wide range of religious activities from history writing, architectural construction, iconographic creation, to memorial rituals. The proposed papers also approach the question by looking at not only political and religious institutions, but also individuals and groups at the center and periphery. Through these investigations, this panel reconsiders what constituted religious and political realms in ancient and medieval times.

The first paper examines the production of the History of the Fujiwara House (Tōshi Kaden) by Fujiwara no Nakamaro (706-764), a text written to provide legitimacy to the Fujiwara as the sovereign's main servants. In addition, the writing of this history will be connected with the creation of one of largest state rituals, the Yuima'e. The second paper investigates how Retired Emperor Go Shirakawa (1127-1192; r. 1155-1158) formulated a new vision of kingship through the construction of the Sanjūsangendō (Hall of Thirty-Three Bays) in 1164 and its splendid 1'000 sculptures of Thousand-Armed Kannon. The third paper demonstrates how Shingon monks in the twelfth century utilized iconographic illustrations to secure patronage from political power and proclaim their agency in the worship of the icon Fukūkenjaku Kannon at the Kōfukuji Nan'endō (Southern Round Hall), which was considered as the protector of the prominent Northern Fujiwara clan. The fourth paper seeks to understand the ways in which monks from local temples in Echizen Province in the Muromachi period (1336-1573) gained resources and maintained relationships with the military government by performing rituals for the shogun and cooperating with monks in Kyoto.

Accepted papers:

Session 1 Thursday 26 August, 2021, -