A Comparative Study of the Religious Traditions and Beliefs of Iranians during the Qajar Era from the Perspective of French and Japanese Travel Writers

Abstract

The present study was conducted with the aim of comparatively examining the manner in which the religious traditions and beliefs of Iranians during the Qajar era were represented in the travel accounts of French and Japanese travelers. The research method employed in this study is descriptive-analytical and comparative, based on a close examination of the texts of travel narratives. The findings of the study indicate that French travelers, influenced by Orientalist discourse and Enlightenment thought, adopted a critical and at times superiority-oriented approach, focusing primarily on the structure of religious power, the role of the clergy, and the prevalence of superstition. In contrast, Japanese travelers, due to the absence of a colonial background, displayed a descriptive, detail-oriented, and empathetic perspective, recording religion as an important component of cultural identity and the lived experience of the people through Muharram mourning ceremonies, pilgrimage practices, and popular beliefs. The results demonstrate that the differences in the representation of religious rituals stem from the distinct historical, political, and cultural contexts of these two groups of travelers. In addition to addressing the lack of research on Japanese travel accounts, this study reveals the distinction between colonial and cultural perspectives in encounters with the religion of Iranians.