Meiji Restoration's Anti-Buddhist Campaign Scattered Sacred Treasures Worldwide
Between 1868 and 1912, Japan underwent the Meiji Restoration, which transformed the country into a modern nation-state and significantly impacted its Buddhist practices. In 1868, the government introduced the Edict on the Separation of Shintō and Buddhism, leading to the breakdown of their long-standing connection. This sparked an anti-Buddhist movement called haibutsu kishaku, resulting in the loss of many temples, statues, and sacred texts. Financially struggling temples began to sell their sacred items, attracting Western collectors; for instance, Henri Cernuschi bought the Amida Buddha in 1871 for a low price. In reaction, Ernest Fenollosa and Okakura Kakuzō launched a campaign to protect cultural heritage, leading to the 1897 law aimed at preserving ancient temples and shrines.
Key facts
- The Meiji Restoration began in 1868, ending Japan's sakoku isolation policy that lasted from 1639 to 1853.
- The 1868 Edict on the Separation of Shintō and Buddhism (Shinbutsu Bunrei) dismantled the syncretic religious tradition.
- The anti-Buddhist movement haibutsu kishaku led to destruction and dispersal of Buddhist temples and artifacts.
- Kōfuku-ji temple in Nara was disestablished; its five-story pagoda was nearly sold for 250 yen to be burned for metal fittings.
- Henri Cernuschi acquired the Amida Buddha in 1871 for 500 gold ryō; it is now at the Musée Cernuschi in Paris.
- Ernest Fenollosa and Okakura Kakuzō advocated for the preservation of Buddhist objects as national treasures.
- The 1897 Law for the Preservation of Ancient Temples and Shrines (Koshaji Hozon Hō) provided legal protection for cultural properties.
- Many Japanese Buddhist artifacts are now in Western museums, including the Art Institute of Chicago and the National Gallery of Art.
Entities
Artists
- Henri Cernuschi
- Ernest Fenollosa
- Okakura Kakuzō
Institutions
- Kōfuku-ji
- Musée Cernuschi
- Art Institute of Chicago
- National Gallery of Art
Locations
- Japan
- Nara
- Tokyo
- Paris
- France
- Kyoto
- Europe
- North America
- United States