top of page
Writer's pictureAkiko Murakami

"Shintoism" in Chinese characters


Shin tou

shin to

Bushi dou /Sa dou/Ka dou/Juu dou/Kyuu dou/Sho dou

"Shinto" is usually written with 2 kanji or Chinese characters as「神道」.(Chinese (shén dào)

⚪️「神」(shin):god, deity = in Japanese, this single kanji can be read as "kami", meaning shinto deities.

 ⚪️「道」(tou) :way, path, study =in Chinese, this single kanji can be pronouced as "Tao" or dào , as in Taoism. (道教)

Therefore, SHINTO literally means, "they ways of kami ".

They way is not simply the code of conduct, but also includes moral or spiritual discipline.

Especially Shinto,

"The ancient Japanese never divided spiritual and material existence, but considered that both were inseparable, seeing everything in a spiritual sense."In other words, they did not draw a border between a certain object and the work of that object.According to Shinto cosmology, the world is created with the appearance of a single kami who represents the universe, next to appear are the kami of birth and growth. From heaven, a male kami and a female kami appear who give birth to various deities, the land of Japan and her nature as well as her people. The Shinto faith begins with a belief in this mythology. Therefore, Shinto does not recognize the difference or discontinuation between kami, nature or human beings.

(from Jinja Hon Chou site: http://www.jinjahoncho.or.jp/en/shinto/index.html)

⚪️ 「武士道」(bushi dou):The way /path of bushi(=samurai)

Bushido literally means "The Way of Bushi" and refers to the Japanese warrior's code of chivalry of the feudal period.

This code embodied the spirit and principles of morality to which the samurai warriors were supposed to adhere. It emphasized loyalty, courage and honor.

There are many Japanese cultures and martial arts widely known in the international society today has "道”. This symbolic mean in order to be good at something, you need to be a master of body, mind, and spirit.

⚪️  「茶道」(sa dou) : tea ceremony

⚪️  「華道」(ka dou) : Japanese flower arrangement

⚪️  「柔道」(Ju dou)

⚪️  「弓道」(Kyu dou) : Japanese archery

⚪️  「合気道」(Aiki dou)

⚪️  「書道」 (sho dou) : Japanese calligraphy


0 comments

Recent Posts

See All
bottom of page