noun
temple certification of affiliation; temple-issued certificate proving Buddhist sect membership
Historical term from the Edo period. Under the danka system, every household was required to register with a Buddhist temple, and this certificate served as proof of affiliation and, indirectly, that the holder was not Christian.
江戸時代には、寺請証文が戸籍の役割を果たしていた。
In the Edo period, the temple certification served as a form of family registry.
寺請制度は、キリシタン禁制と深く結びついていた。
The temple certification system was closely tied to the prohibition of Christianity.
Compound of 寺 (temple) and 請 (certification, guarantee). The term arose from the Edo-period practice of requiring temple certification to prove religious affiliation.