ado (1465-1500), Urabe Kanetomo,
professing to interpret his ancestor, Kanenobu, enunciated the
doctrine of Yuiitsu-shinto (unique Shinto), namely, that as between
three creeds, Shinto was the root; Confucianism, the branches, and
Buddhism, the fruit. This was the first explicit differentiation of
Shinto. It found favour, and its propounder's son, Yoshida, asserted
the principles still more strenuously. The fact is notable in the
history of religion in Japan. Yoshida was the forerunner of Motoori,
Hirata, and other comparatively modern philosophers who contended for
the revival of "Pure Shinto." Many Japanese annalists allege that
Shinto owes its religious character solely to the suggestions of
Buddhism, and point to the fact that the Shinto cult has never been
able to inspire a great exponent.

ENGRAVING: BELL TOWER OF TODAI-JI

BUDDHISM

The attitude of the Ashikaga towards Buddhism was even more
reverential. They honoured the Zen sect almost exclusively. Takauji
built the temple Tenryu-ji, in Kyoto, and planned to establish a
group of provincial temples under the name of Ankoku-ji. There
can be little doubt that his animating purpose in thus acting
was to create a counterpoise to the overwhelming strength of the
monasteries of Nara and Hiei-zan. The latter comprised three thousand
buildings--temples and seminaries--and housed a host of soldier-monks
who held Kyoto at their mercy and who had often terrorized the city
and the palace. In the eighth century, when the great temple,
Todai-ji, was established at Nara, affiliated temples were built
throughout the provinces, under the name of Kokubun-ji.

It was in emulation of this system that Takauji erected the Tenryu-ji
and planned a provincial net-work of Ankoku-ji. His zeal in the
matter assumed striking dimensions. On the one hand, he levied heavy
imposts to procure funds; on the other, he sent to China ships--hence
called Tenryuji-bune--to obtain furniture and fittings. Thus, in the
space of five years, the great edifice was completed (1345), and
there remained a substantial sum in the Muromachi treasury. The monks
of Enryaku-ji (Hiei-zan) fathomed Takauji's purpose. They flocked
down to the capital, halberd in hand and sacred car on shoulder, and
truculently demanded of the Emperor that Soseki, high priest of the
new monastery, should be exiled and the edifice destroyed. But the
Ashikaga leader stood firm. He announced that if the soldier-monks
persisted, their