A Study of the Taiwan Grand Shrine during the Period of Japanese Rule to the Ritual Artifacts and Offerings
| Autor: | Hsiang-Yun Huang, 黃翔韻 |
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| Rok vydání: | 2014 |
| Druh dokumentu: | 學位論文 ; thesis |
| Popis: | 102 In the early days of Japanese rule, the Office of the Governor-General of Taiwan adopted a laissez-faire approach to Taiwan’s religions and temples. Moreover, it took advantage of the veneration of Koxinga among Taiwanese commoners to communicate goodwill through religious activity and dilute anti-Japanese sentiment. Through the goals of education and ideological management, the concept of the Japanese emperor’s centrality was likewise promoted among the Taiwanese, and simultaneously, the Shinto thought was introduced in Taiwan. When Prince Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa died from an illness following from his takeover of Taiwan, the Japanese government decided to build a shrine in Taiwan to spread Shinto and commemorate the achievements of the prince. The prince would be worshipped in the shrine alongside the three deities of land cultivation (Kaitaku Sanjin) that symbolized the expansion of the national territory. Officials and members of the gentry at home and abroad presented various types of ceremonial objects as gifts during the opening ceremony held for the Taiwan Grand Shrine. Thereafter, the number of ceremonial objects offered to the shrine increased as many important events that were held there over time. In particular, the shrine with the most representative ties to Shinto, the Ise Grand Shrine, contributed ceremonial objects that were taken down every twenty years during its rebuilding (Shikinen Sengu) to the Taiwan Grand Shrine, which shows the significance of the Taiwan Grand Shrine to Shinto at that time. Moreover, because of its prominence, a large number of ceremonial objects and related records have been preserved there through the years; in fact they even form the most complete collection. This paper takes such a subject matter and organizes and analyzes the artifacts from that time and performs a field investigation of the current state of their preservation. These two methods form the framework of research. In addition to studying the nature of the artifacts, the statuses and backgrounds of the offerings, offerors, and people with relationships to the shrine that are mentioned in the related records are discerned through an examination of the literature. The interactions between the Taiwan Grand Shrine and the imperial family, the aristocracy, the local gentry, and the commercial associations can thus be better understood. Through the organization of relevant documents within the Taiwan Grand Shrine Record and the Taiwan Nichinichi Shinpo, it is apparent that the offerings for the annual ceremony have been affected by factors such as the economic prosperity and imminent war. This enables us to make explicit connections between the historical background of the Taiwan Grand Shrine and the lives of the commoners of that time. The Taiwan Grand Shrine’s status in the colonial structure and national symbolism can be determined through the above-described organization and analysis from clues in the nature of the ceremonial objects and offerings, as well as the background of those who presented the offerings. These offerings not only promoted the fundamental beliefs of Japanese Shinto but were also a distinct display of imperial power. They also evidenced Japan’s desire to utilize religion to cultivate a symbolic concept that would gradually inspire identification and obedience among the Taiwanese. It is believed that this paper, through the summary and analysis of the offerings, can offer a more complete understanding of the Taiwan Grand Shrine. |
| Databáze: | Networked Digital Library of Theses & Dissertations |
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