Page:Brinkley - Japan - Volume 5.djvu/201

 Yoshida in that it dispensed with rituals and ceremonials, and from that of Yamasaki in that it totally eschewed the doctrine of the Yang and the Ying. It appealed essentially to the erudite section of the nation, whereas to the eyes of the illiterate it presented a cold, emotionless aspect, supplying neither a formula of worship nor a doctrine that could be connected with the interests of daily life. From that point of view the Shintō of Yamasaki Ansai was preferable for the sake of its association with the Book of Changes, with divination, and with fortune-telling; and the Shintō of Yoshida, since it furnished for every disciple the mechanical refuge of a thousand-times-iterated prayer, and for the pilgrim a supplication to which he could attune his steps as he ascended and descended a sacred mountain. Speaking broadly, Shintō holds its place with the masses for the sake of its superstitions and its polytheism. Originally, a distinction existed between the Ubusuna-no-Kami, or local deity, and the Uji-gami, or household deity. But this difference ultimately ceased to be considered, and daily devotions at the domestic shrine were addressed to whichever deity presided over the worshipper's sphere of occupation or interest. In some cases the attributes of the ancient deities had become confused, and even their names forgotten, but men did not trouble themselves about such things so long as some tutelary power could