The purpose of this article is to examine shishi gyōji 獅子行寧 (“lion dance performance”),an example of a Japanese celebration of the coming of spring, and to discuss the symbolism of this ritual and its relation to the community as a folk event. My conclusion is that this ritual is a reconfirmation of community order and has the ritual function of transforming young men into full members of society. The significance of this event depends to a great extent on the role of the shishi as an extraordinary animal with a strange and unusual form. In the article, the community I am dealing with is a “village” (mura), not necessarily in the sense of an administrative entity,but as a common, local social unit which shares the same daily activities,culture, and traditions.
Information
- Publication
Information - -
- Item Type
- -
- Language
- English
- Author
- SAKURAI Haruo
- Journal or Publication Title
- -
- Volume
- -
- Page Range
- 1 - 17
- Year
- -
- Publisher
- -
- ISSN
- -