Explore each form from the oldest known stage to today.
The character 社 evolved from ancient pictographs representing earth gods and altars. In oracle bone script, it depicted an altar for worshiping earth deities. The modern form combines the '示' radical (meaning altar/religious matters) with '土' (earth/soil), symbolizing 'earth altar' or 'land god.' Originally referring to local earth deities and their shrines, its meaning expanded to include 'community,' 'society,' and 'company' - reflecting how traditional village organizations centered around local shrines. Arrived in Japan: The character 社 arrived in Japan around the 5th-6th centuries CE during the period of cultural importation from China, likely through Buddhist texts and Confucian classics. It was incorporated into the Japanese writing system and appears in early Japanese texts like the Kojiki (712 CE) and Manyoshu (8th century), taking on meanings such as 'shrine' (yashiro) and later 'company' (kaisha) in modern usage.