"The Invention of a New Religion" by Basil Hall Chamberlain is a thought-provoking analysis of how a unique religious system emerged in Japan during the early 1900s. The book focuses on the growing reverence for the Emperor as a god and the rising tide of nationalistic beliefs, explaining how these ideas were deliberately shaped within Japanese society. Chamberlain, a well-known expert on Japan, explores how political and historical forces came together to form this new religious structure. He claims that the religion was essentially created to unite the country and reinforce the power of those in charge. The book describes how Shinto beliefs were revived to strengthen the Emperor's position and validate governmental control, drawing comparisons to other times when religious identities were manufactured. He questions the way Japanese leaders twisted history and myths, pointing out the inconsistencies in their message of allegiance and strength. Chamberlain shows how this artificial belief system influenced both political events and the Japanese people's sense of self, resulting in a tangled web of real history and current faith.
The Invention of a New Religion
By Basil Hall Chamberlain
Witness the rise of a fabricated faith as political powers manipulate ancient traditions to forge national unity and deify their leader.
Summary
About the AuthorBasil Hall Chamberlain was a British academic and Japanologist. He was a professor of the Japanese language at Tokyo Imperial University and one of the foremost British Japanologists active in Japan during the late 19th century. He also wrote some of the earliest translations of haiku into English. He is perhaps best remembered for his informal and popular one-volume encyclopedia Things Japanese, which first appeared in 1890 and which he revised several times thereafter. His interests were diverse, and his works include an anthology of poetry in French.
Basil Hall Chamberlain was a British academic and Japanologist. He was a professor of the Japanese language at Tokyo Imperial University and one of the foremost British Japanologists active in Japan during the late 19th century. He also wrote some of the earliest translations of haiku into English. He is perhaps best remembered for his informal and popular one-volume encyclopedia Things Japanese, which first appeared in 1890 and which he revised several times thereafter. His interests were diverse, and his works include an anthology of poetry in French.
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