- Seminars and Symposiums
Seven Years in France (1882-1889): The Shin Buddhist Monk Fujishima Ryōon and His Views on Christianity
2026/10/10
16:00–17:30
If you would like to attend, please register using the link at the bottom of the page. We look forward to seeing you there.
| Date and Time | 2026/10/10 16:00–17:30 |
|---|---|
| Title | 『Seven Years in France (1882-1889): The Shin Buddhist Monk Fujishima Ryōon and His Views on Christianity』 |
| Lecturer | Bernat Martí-Oroval (Waseda University) |
| Entrance Fee | Free |
| Venue | Toyo Bunko (2F Lecture Room) and Online |
| Abstract | Although overlooked in Meiji historiography, Fujishima Ryōon played a significant role in Meiji Buddhism. A representative of the Honganji branch of Shin Buddhism, he participated in interdenominational Buddhist associations and negotiations with political authorities. He was also one of the leading ideologues of the movement to establish a system of officially recognized religions as a means of regulating relations between the Japanese state and the various religious traditions. Fujishima was, moreover, a pioneer in Franco-Japanese relations: he spent seven years studying in France and translated several East Asian Buddhist works into French. Much of Fujishima’s intellectual production and many of his activities were closely connected with politics, a matter of fundamental importance during the Meiji period. Fujishima devoted several writings to Christianity, which many Buddhists regarded as a threat, combining strong criticism with occasional positive assessments. This talk examines his understanding of Christianity during his years in France, the content of his anti-Christian writings, and the relationship between Christianity and his proposal for a system of officially recognized religions, which was based on the French Concordat model. |
| Speaker Bio | Bernat MARTI-OROVAL is an Associate Professor at Waseda University. His research focuses on the history of Japanese thought and the influence of Western philosophy on Buddhism during the Meiji period. He also studies the activities of missionaries in America and Japan during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, examining their approaches to anthropology as well as their interpretations of local cultures and religions. His publications include two monographs: Kiyozawa Manshi. Escritos sobre el espiritualismo (2017) and A Missionary Dispute over Confirmation under the Japanese Persecution of Christianity (2023). |
| Co-organizers | École française d’Extrême-Orient and Toyo Bunko |
| Language | English |
| Contact | Martin Nogueira Ramos (EFEO) Bo Tao (Chiba University) (Please refer to the poster image for the respective e-mail addresses.) |
Attendance at the lecture is free, but a separate admission fee is required to visit the museum.
