From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The
Engishiki
(
延喜式
, "Procedures of the Engi Era")
is a
Japanese
book about laws and customs. It was mostly finished in 927.
[1]
In 905, Emperor Daigo gave an order for the compilation of the Engishiki. While there were previous attempts at codifying such information, the Konin and the Jogan Gishiki no longer exist,
[2]
making the Engishiki an essential source for early Japanese historical and religious studies.
[3]
The task of revising the Engishiki was initiated by
Fujiwara no Tokihira
. However, the work was left incomplete when he died four years later in 909. His brother,
Fujiwara no Tadahira
, continued the task in 912 and was able to complete the revisions in 927..
The Engishiki underwent several revisions, and after these revisions, it served as a basis for reform initiatives that began in 967..
[
source?
]
The Engishiki is a text that is composed of 50 volumes. These volumes are organized by department. The text contains information on various topics such as worship, state, ministries, and laws.
- The first 10 volumes of the Engishiki, which falls under the
Department of Divinities
, are responsible for regulating various ceremonies, such as the Daijy?-sai and worship at the
Ise Grand Shrine
and
Saik?
. It also recorded liturgical texts, listed all the 2,861
Shinto shrines
that existed at that time, and identified the 3,131 officially-recognized and enshrined
Kami
.
[4]
In 1970, Felicia Gressitt Bock published a two-volume annotated English language translation, titled "Engi-shiki; procedures of the Engi Era," which included an introduction.
- Volumes 11 to 40 belong to the
Daij?-kan
and
Eight Ministries
.
- Volumes 41 to 49 fall under other departments
- Volume 50 contains miscellaneous laws.
- ↑
Nussbaum, Louis-Frederic
. (2005).
"
Engi-shiki
"
in
Japan Encyclopedia
, p. 178.
- ↑
"Jogan Gishiki" in Stuart D. B. Pecken, ed.,
Historical Dictionary of Shinto
. Second edition. (Lanham, MD, USA: Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2011) p. 139.
- ↑
" Engishiki" in Stuart D. B. Pecken, ed.,
Historical Dictionary of Shinto
. Second edition. (Lanham, MD, USA: Scarecrow Press, Inv, 2011) p. 92.
- ↑
" Engishiki" in Stuart D. B. Pecken, ed.,
Historical Dictionary of Shinto
. Second edition. (Lanham, MD, USA: Scarecrow Press, Inc., 2011) p. 92.