从“Religion”到“宗教”——明治前期日本人的一些思考和理解

From “Religion”to “Shukyo”——The Comprehensions and Thoughts of “Religion”in Early Meiji Period

本文旨在讨论19世纪后半期,日本知识分子如何认识和理解欧美的"religion",以及当这个词被译作"宗教"后,日本人又在何种意义上使用这一词汇。根据外国使节的观察,当时的日本人尤其是上层社会有关"religion"的意识甚为薄弱;明治时代前往欧美学习的日本人,也震惊于西方"religion"的繁盛。在明治初期众多"religion"的译词当中,"宗教"一词最终脱颖而出。"宗教"一词意指拥有"宗旨"形式的"教",或者各种各样"宗"派的"教";其中的"教",来源于儒学意义上的"教化"。基于江户时代的传统以及当时追求"文明"的需求,明治知识分子将"宗教"视作维持臣民道德的工具而加以特别重视,出现了有关日本应当采纳何种宗教的种种讨论。这些探索最终导致了明治天皇制国家的成立。这一体制是拥有中国思维模式的明治知识分子以西方为榜样构造出来的,是一种将中国与西方风格折衷而形成的奇特的"教育·宗教"国家。

In the later part of the 19th century, how did Japanese intellectuals comprehend the ＂religion＂ which was introduced then from the West？ And how did Japanese use the word after it was adapted into their language？ According to the observation of diplomatic envoy, the contemporary Japanese, especially the Upper Class, got weak religious mind. While Japanese were surprised at the prevalence of religion when they went to study in Europe. The word ＂sukyo＂ stood out among many translations of ＂religion＂ in the early Meiji Period. Shukyo originally mean the religion with principle （ kyo）, or various schools of religion （shfi）. And the stem ＂kyo＂ originated from cultivation in Confucian dimension. Out of the tradition and the request of cultivation in the Edo period, the intellectuals draw attention to ＂religion＂ as tools to maintain the social morals. And there were debates on which kind of religion should be advocated, which finally led to the establishment of the Emperor system in the Meiji period. It was constructed out of the Western example by Meiji intellectuals who had the Chinese wisdom. It is proved to be a special ＂educative religion＂ system balanced of the East and the West.