神農在德川日本與神道神祇習合的文獻考察

A Textual Study of Syncretizing Shennong with Shinto Deities in Tokugawa Japan

神農信仰自傳入日本後一直經歷在地化的洗禮。在佛教興盛的平安及中世時期，神農被認為是佛教菩薩在中國的垂跡。到了德川時期（1603-1868），神農卻成為日本神祇的化身。這種從佛系本地垂跡至神道系本地垂跡的過渡，反映不同宗教思想的角力及日本主體意識的冒起。
一些德川神道家、國學家及儒者嘗試建立以日本為中心的本地垂跡說，將漢神配對不同的日本神祇。德川日本出現三種有關神農與神道神祇習合的主張：素盞嗚尊說、少彥名命說及多伎都比古命與宇賀之御魂神說，它們反映三種不同的習合形式與程度。和漢神祇習合成為德川日本神農信仰的最大特色之一。本研究以日本原始文獻為基礎，探討神農在德川日本與神道神祇習合的現象及其在思想史的意義。

The Shennong belief had been localized since its introduction to Japan. In the Heian and medieval periods when Buddhism reached the peak of its influence, Shennong was considered an incarnation of Buddhist bodhisattvas in China. However, in the Tokugawa period (1603-1868), Shennong was regarded as a manifestation of Japanese deities in China. The transition from the Buddhist model to the Shinto model reflects the tug-of-war among religious forces and the rise of national consciousness in Tokugawa Japan.
Some Tokugawa Shintoists, kokugaku (national learning) scholars and Confucians attempted to establish a Japan-centric theory of local manifestation, pairing Chinese deities with different Shinto gods. Three theories regarding the syncretism of Shinnong with Shinto gods emerged in Tokugawa Japan: the Susanoo-no-Mikoto theory, the Sukunahikona-no-Mikoto theory, and the Takitsuhiko-no-Mikoto/Ukanomitama-no-Mikoto theory, each showing different forms and levels of syncretism. The Sino-Japanese religious syncretism was one of the most important features of the Shennong belief in Tokugawa Japan. Based on Japanese primary sources, this paper examines how Shennong was syncretized with Shinto gods and the significance of this phenomenon.