Shinto: The ancient religion of Japan by W. G. Aston

"Shinto: The Ancient Religion of Japan" by W. G. Aston is a historical account written in the early 20th century. The work delves into the origins, characteristics, and evolution of Shinto, the indigenous belief system of Japan, exploring its deities, rituals, and cultural significance. Readers can expect a comprehensive examination of the religion's fundamental concepts and historical development. At the start of the text, the author introduces the origins of the Japanese people, tracing their lineage and suggesting connections to Northern Asia and Korea. He emphasizes the lack of historical records regarding Japan's early religious practices and explores the influences from neighboring cultures, while positing that Shinto has largely developed independently. The introduction sets the stage for a detailed exploration of Shinto's kami (gods), the nature of worship, and the importance of purity and morality within the faith, hinting at complex interactions between Shinto and later introduced religions like Buddhism. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

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About this eBook

Author Aston, W. G. (William George), 1841-1911
Title Shinto: The ancient religion of Japan
Credits Produced by MFR, Les Galloway and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This file was
produced from images generously made available by The
Internet Archive)
Reading Level Reading ease score: 61.8 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.
Language English
LoC Class BL: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Religion: General, Miscellaneous and Atheism
Subject Shinto
Category Text
eBook-No. 55973
Release Date
Last Update Oct 23, 2024
Copyright Public domain in the USA.
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