Japanese Buddhist journals as a means of supporting missionary activities in the late 19th — early 20th centuries
https://doi.org/10.55105/2500-2872-2025-2-21-37
Abstract
In the late 19th — early 20th centuries, Japanese Buddhism was going through difficult times. Institutional crisis, loss of governmental support, competition with Shinto and Christianity, persecution caused by both political and social factors contributed to the consolidation of Japanese sangha and establishment of close relations with supporters abroad. A significant role in this process was played by the so-called general journals (sôgô zasshi) — multitopic periodicals comprised of articles on politics, science, society and culture, which functioned as a platform for free exchange of opinions, both open and anonymous. Buddhist oriented journals thus attracted both religious activists and scholars of Buddhology to their pages, while simultaneously exchanging contacts with foreign periodicals and promoting cooperation.
The result was an impressive “Buddhist network” of journals, where representatives of various Buddhist schools could discuss pressing issues together, the works of young Japanese Buddhologists were published, and articles by their Western colleagues re printed. Letters from Buddhists from other countries, such as India, Siam, and Ceylon, as well as ones by European sympathizers, were also published. Many such periodicals had a relatively short lifespan, but at least 800 journals are known. These included inter sectarian and individual schools’ bulletins, regional journals, such as People’s Teaching (Kokkyô), and female oriented journals, such as Buddhist Woman ( Bukkyô fujin). All of them served as means of building strong horizontal ties and supporting Japanese Buddhism.
One of the important functions of the “Buddhist network” was to provide information support for missionary work by Japanese Buddhists and coverage of sangha’s participation in important international cultural events. Paradoxically, despite governmental pressure, Japanese Buddhism managed to spread significantly abroad. This article examines said missions and their coverage.
About the Author
E. O. Novoselova
Institute of Oriental Studies RAS
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Novoselova Evgenia O. - postgraduate student
address: 12, Rozhdestvenka Str., Moscow, 107031
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For citations:
Novoselova E.O. Japanese Buddhist journals as a means of supporting missionary activities in the late 19th — early 20th centuries. Japanese Studies in Russia. 2025;(2):21-37. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.55105/2500-2872-2025-2-21-37
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