Yamato-damashii

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The Japanese cherry blossom ( sakura ) is commonly used in art to symbolize the Yamato-damashii.

The term Yamato-damashii ( Japanese. 大 和 魂 , dt. "Spirit of the Yamato") describes the Japanese folk spirit or the essence of the Japanese people per se as assumed within the framework of the essentialist theory of the nation . It is used synonymously with the term "Yamato-gokoro" ( Eng. "Heart of Yamato").

The Yamato-damashii accordingly occupies a central position within Japanese conservatism and nationalism , but also within the Shinto belief.

Content provisions

The concept of Yamato-damashii ties in with the mythology of Shintō, in that the values ​​of the culture of the Yamato empire , from which today's Japan emerged, are accepted via the Jimmu myth as generally binding and timeless values ​​of divine origin.

In terms of content, these are very much based on the Bushidō (cf. code of conduct and philosophy ), but also include the emphasis on the importance of cultural traditions as well as the classical aesthetics and art of the country. These include in particular the fine arts formerly practiced by the samurai , such as B. Calligraphy , the tea ceremony , haiku poetry, Ikebana and the various forms of Budo understood.

According to the essentialist justification of the Yamato-damashii, these values ​​apply exclusively as essential features of the Japanese people; d. That is, it is not possible for foreigners or Gaijin to fully grasp or learn these, as they are inspired by a different folk spirit.

On this basis, in the period between the end of the 19th century and the end of the Pacific War in 1945, a second, now not only purely descriptive, but nationalist interpretation developed, through which the exclusive claim to other peoples was made over the Yamato-damashii to be. In this context, the term Volksgeist is used analogously with the terms “national character” or “racial character” in the theories of western right-wing extremists .

criticism

The essentialist theory of the nation has been falsified by modern psychology , thus the Yamato-damashii is currently considered non-existent from a scientific point of view.

use

Apart from its historical meaning, the term is now used almost exclusively by authors with a corresponding political or religious orientation.

Yamato-damashii is still a popular label on T-shirts and headbands, e.g. B. be worn by Japanese fans at international sporting events.

literature

  • Abegg, Lilly; Yamato - the belief in mission of the Japanese people; Frankfurt / M. 1936 (Societäts-Verlag)
  • Inazo Nitobe: Bushido. The soul of Japan . Extended edition. Angkor Verlag, 2003. ISBN 3-936018-16-2

Web links