What is the relationship between Chinese Taoism and Japanese Shintoism?

As long as an independent civilization, will inevitably be derived from a set of their own unique mythological belief system, the world's countries and civilizations of the mythological beliefs of the rich and colorful, which is also a reflection of the cultural heritage, China does not need to say, today say a few words about Japan's native beliefs.

Because of the output of Japanese animation, games and other products, many people have a certain understanding of Japanese mythology, we know that China's native religion is Taoism, and Japan's native religion is called Shintoism, the two names are extremely similar, is there any relationship?

As we all know, Japan has been influenced by traditional Chinese culture since ancient times, the Chinese element, covering all aspects of Japan, myths, religious aspects of the Chinese influence, but also inevitable, so many people see the name Shintoism, subconsciously will feel and Chinese Taoism relationship is very shallow.

In fact, this is the name of the misleading, the name Shinto, in detail, is indeed from China, but many Japanese characters look like the same as the Chinese characters on the outside, but the meaning of the representation may be completely different, so although Shintoism and Taoism is just one word difference, but the essence of the meaning of the difference is not the same.

So what kind of religion is Japanese Shintoism? Japanese Shintoism initially did not have a name, and then Buddhism was introduced to Japan, which was so influential that the name Shintoism was formally invented in order to compete with Buddhism. The earliest version is from the Nihon Shoki, in which the emperor believed in Buddhism and honored Shinto.

Japanese Shintoism is a pan-spiritual multi-god faith religion, depending on the nature of all things as gods, so Shintoism is very much, claiming that there are eight million, visible Shintoism's gods how low the threshold.

In fact, this kind of pan-spirit worship, Taoism also has a similar argument, the Jin Dynasty hold Park Zi Ge Hong, has put forward a thing old into the essence of the concept, saying that everything can become essence, but and Japanese Shintoism what cow ghosts and snakes and gods are honored unlike in China into the essence of the general have been beaten to death.

Here we can also see the difference between Japanese Shintoism and Chinese Taoism, Taoism is not what small temperament can be immortal, the moral realm of thought requirements, and Shintoism regardless of the good and evil beauty and ugliness of the demons and monsters, are gods. And the main point is that the religion of God does not believe in the three Qing dynasty.