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''Chinjugami'' are said to have their origin in the [[Sangharama (Buddhist deity)|Sangharama]] of China. Protective ''kami'' began to be worshipped in Japanese Buddhist temples as well as Buddhism spread throughout Japan and [[Shinbutsu-shūgō|''shinbutsu-shūgō'']] progressed.<ref name="kentaro2"/> Later, such protective ''kami'' became worshipped in not only temples but other buildings as well and even set regions.<ref>{{Cite web|last=日本国語大辞典,世界大百科事典内言及|first=ブリタニカ国際大百科事典 小項目事典,百科事典マイペディア,旺文社日本史事典 三訂版,デジタル大辞泉,精選版|title=鎮守神とは|url=https://kotobank.jp/word/%E9%8E%AE%E5%AE%88%E7%A5%9E-98677|access-date=2022-02-13|website=コトバンク|language=ja}}</ref>
''Chinjugami'' are said to have their origin in the [[Sangharama (Buddhist deity)|Sangharama]] of China. Protective ''kami'' began to be worshipped in Japanese Buddhist temples as well as Buddhism spread throughout Japan and [[Shinbutsu-shūgō|''shinbutsu-shūgō'']] progressed.<ref name="kentaro2"/> Later, such protective ''kami'' became worshipped in not only temples but other buildings as well and even set regions.<ref>{{Cite web|last=日本国語大辞典,世界大百科事典内言及|first=ブリタニカ国際大百科事典 小項目事典,百科事典マイペディア,旺文社日本史事典 三訂版,デジタル大辞泉,精選版|title=鎮守神とは|url=https://kotobank.jp/word/%E9%8E%AE%E5%AE%88%E7%A5%9E-98677|access-date=2022-02-13|website=コトバンク|language=ja}}</ref>


Modern belief often views ''chinjugami'' are {{Nihongo|2=地主神|3=jinushi-no-kami|4=lit. "landlord deity"}}, but ''chinjugami'' were originaly ''kami'' new to that region who were worshiped so that they would oppose former occupant that was the ''jinushi-no-kami'' in order to make them complacent. In short, when people built manmade structures on a land, they would bring in and worship a more powerful ''kami'' than the local ''jinushi-no-kami'' so that no misfortune befell the people or buildings there. It was expected that the ''jinushi-no-kami'' would be subjugated by the ''chinjugami'' and come to serve it, supporting and protecting its activities, though there have been cases in which a ''jinushi-no-kami'' resisted and cursed the region.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}
Modern belief often views ''chinjugami'' are {{Nihongo|2=地主神|3=jinushi-no-kami|4=lit. "landlord deity"}}, but ''chinjugami'' were originally ''kami'' new to that region who were worshiped so that they would oppose former occupant that was the ''jinushi-no-kami'' in order to make them complacent. In short, when people built manmade structures on a land, they would bring in and worship a more powerful ''kami'' than the local ''jinushi-no-kami'' so that no misfortune befell the people or buildings there. It was expected that the ''jinushi-no-kami'' would be subjugated by the ''chinjugami'' and come to serve it, supporting and protecting its activities, though there have been cases in which a ''jinushi-no-kami'' resisted and cursed the region.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}


However, as time passed, this original meaning of the ''chinjugami'' was forgotten and they became conflated with ''jinushi-no-kami''. These ''chinjugami'' have come to be enshrined in temples, mansions, manors, and castles, and eventually even small settlements.<ref>{{Cite web|last=nisinojinnjya|title=2006-04-04|url=https://nisinojinnjya.hatenablog.com/entry/20060404|access-date=2022-02-13|website=西野神社 社務日誌|language=ja}}</ref>
However, as time passed, this original meaning of the ''chinjugami'' was forgotten and they became conflated with ''jinushi-no-kami''. These ''chinjugami'' have come to be enshrined in temples, mansions, manors, and castles, and eventually even small settlements.<ref>{{Cite web|last=nisinojinnjya|title=2006-04-04|url=https://nisinojinnjya.hatenablog.com/entry/20060404|access-date=2022-02-13|website=西野神社 社務日誌|language=ja}}</ref>

Latest revision as of 18:21, 24 December 2024

Chinjugami (鎮守神, lit. guardian deity) is a kami that is worshipped in order to gain its protections for a specific building or region. In modern times, it is often conflated with ujigami and ubusunagami.[1] A shrine enshrining a chinjugami is called a chinjusha.[2][3][4]

Chinjugami differ from ujigami in that the latter is tied to bloodines, while the former is to buildings and regions. Anyone living on the land worships them regardless of blood ties.[5][6]

Overview

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A chinju no mori enshrining a chinjugami (Tamba-Sasayama)

Chinjugami are said to have their origin in the Sangharama of China. Protective kami began to be worshipped in Japanese Buddhist temples as well as Buddhism spread throughout Japan and shinbutsu-shūgō progressed.[3] Later, such protective kami became worshipped in not only temples but other buildings as well and even set regions.[7]

Modern belief often views chinjugami are jinushi-no-kami (地主神, lit. "landlord deity"), but chinjugami were originally kami new to that region who were worshiped so that they would oppose former occupant that was the jinushi-no-kami in order to make them complacent. In short, when people built manmade structures on a land, they would bring in and worship a more powerful kami than the local jinushi-no-kami so that no misfortune befell the people or buildings there. It was expected that the jinushi-no-kami would be subjugated by the chinjugami and come to serve it, supporting and protecting its activities, though there have been cases in which a jinushi-no-kami resisted and cursed the region.[citation needed]

However, as time passed, this original meaning of the chinjugami was forgotten and they became conflated with jinushi-no-kami. These chinjugami have come to be enshrined in temples, mansions, manors, and castles, and eventually even small settlements.[8]

It is believed chinjugami worship began in small settlements where there was conflict between the people and the local gōzoku nobles. The chinjugami were enshrined in the settlement and meant to oppose the clan ujigami worshipped by the nobles.[citation needed]

Chinju shrines

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Shrines erected as adjuncts to Buddhist temples are called chinjusha (鎮守社, lit. "guardian shrine"). The opposite, a temple within a shrine, is called a jingū-ji (神宮寺). In addition, when it is a Buddhist temple functioning as the guardian of an establishment, it was called a chinju-ji (鎮守寺), chinju-dō (鎮守堂), or chinju-den (鎮守殿).

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "神社とまつりの知識 氏神・産土神・鎮守神". Ōsaki Hachimangū. 2004. Archived from the original on 2009-02-20. Retrieved 2009-03-26.
  2. ^ Iwanami Kōjien (広辞苑) Japanese dictionary, 6th edition (2008), DVD version
  3. ^ a b Suzuki, Kentarō: "Chinjugami". Encyclopedia of Shinto, Kokugakuin University, retrieved on 2011-07-20
  4. ^ Parent, Mary Neighbour. "Chinjusha". Japanese Architecture and Art Net Users System. Retrieved July 7, 2001.
  5. ^ "あなたの身近な神様たち…氏神様、鎮守様、産土様それぞれの違いを紹介 : Japaaan". Japaaan - 日本文化と今をつなぐウェブマガジン (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-02-13.
  6. ^ "Jinja to Matsuri no Chishiki". Ujigami, ubusunagami, chinjusha (in Japanese). Hachiman-gū. Retrieved 20 July 2011.
  7. ^ 日本国語大辞典,世界大百科事典内言及, ブリタニカ国際大百科事典 小項目事典,百科事典マイペディア,旺文社日本史事典 三訂版,デジタル大辞泉,精選版. "鎮守神とは". コトバンク (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-02-13.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ nisinojinnjya. "2006-04-04". 西野神社 社務日誌 (in Japanese). Retrieved 2022-02-13.
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