Thursday, July 13, 2006
Japanese origin 2
The Jomon period.
The Jomon period began about 12000 years ago. That age lasted until about B.C. the second century. It is the age when an earthenware begins to be used. The Japanese archipelago were one of the areas where an earthenware was invented in the world first. As for food, it became possible by the earthenware that a food was boiled. They got more food materials by cooking it. A fireplace is being used in the old house of Japan. That is called Irori. The people cook the food materials with the pot hung from the ceiling. A tool to hang from the ceiling is called Jizaikagi. It feels to inherit the structure of the residence in the Jomon period. It is the rational structure that it can be cooked with indoor heating.
A Jyomon-jin lived in the group of the relationship in the Jomon period. That number was about thirty people from twenty people. They lived by the hunting and fishing. And, it was the life which depended on picking such as a nut. It seems that cereals cultivation by slash and burn agriculture and rice farming were being done in a part, too. But, it thinks that efficiency was very bad with a stone implement. Their life depended on the blessing of the nature. Therefore, they were fearful for the nature. Therefore, they worshiped all which existed in the nature. Then, they believed that a soul resided in all which existed in the nature. Such faith is said as natu-ism (nature worship) and the animism. As for the present day as well, natural worship and animism give Japanese faith a great influence. A Japanese has the first visit to the shrine in the New Year. And, the funeral is held in the Buddhist rites. The wedding is held in the church and a Christmas is celebrated, too. A Japanese accepts various God in such cases as Christianity,Taoism, the Zen sect and the Shinto. Polytheism is believed God and a spirit to reside in all which exist in the nature. Therefore, a Japanese accepts various God in the unconsciousness. The animism of the Jomon period exists at the bottom of the modern Japanese heart. They are a stone, a river, a mountain, trees, thunder, rain and illness, the thought that a spirit exists in every phenomenon. God of 8000000 appears for the Japanese myth. This takes the influence of natural worship and the animism strongly, too. Both Christ and Buddha, Allah may be included in God of 8000000 for the Japanese. This is very important when we think about Japanese religion and faith.
