Fumie

A "fumie" (踏み絵, 'step-on picture') was a likeness of Jesus or Mary upon which the religious authorities of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan required suspected Christians to step on in order to prove that they were not members of that outlawed religion. The use of "fumie" began with the persecution of Christians in Nagasaki in 1629. Their use was officially abandoned for ports open to foreigners in April 13, 1856, but some remained in use until Christian teaching was placed under formal protection during the Meiji period.

The Japanese government used "fumie" to reveal practicing Catholics and sympathizers. "Fumie" were pictures of the Virgin Mary and Christ. Government officials made everybody trample on these pictures. People reluctant to step on the pictures were identified as Catholics and were sent to Nagasaki. The policy of the Edo government was to turn them from their faith, Catholicism. However, if the Catholics refused to change their religion, they were tortured. But as many of them still refused to abandon their faith, they were killed by the government. Executions sometimes took place at Nagasaki's Mount Unzen, where some were dumped into the volcano.

"Fumie" were usually carved out of stone, but others were painted and some were wooden block prints. Many, if not all, these works were made with care, and they reflected the high artistic standards of the Edo period. There are very few existing "fumie", as most were simply thrown away or recycled into other uses.

Many theologians have tried to contemplate the role of the "fumie" to Japanese Christians, some seeing the treading of the "fumie" as a sign of the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.Fact|date=September 2008

ee also

*Catholicism in Japan