The Establishment Of Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism In Early Modern Japan

As far as the establishment of Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism in early modern Japan is concerned,the process was consciously initiated by Edo Confucian just like the preacher.Accordingly,in a narrow sense the process means establishing the relevancy between Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism and its believers(mostly Edo Confucian);in a broader sense,the process means establishing the relevancy between Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism and the whole society in early modern Japan.In other words,in order to establish that relevancy,Edo Confucian consciously diffused and radiated Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism to the relevant reaches of society in early modern Japan.During the process of diffusing and radiating,Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism established the real and meaningful relevancy with many reaches of society in early modern Japan.The relevancy established by Edo Confucian changed the old doctrines structure of society in early modern Japan;therefore,many reaches of society in early modern Japan became defined or influenced by Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism to some extent.Due to the relevancy between Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism and the whole society in early modern Japan,Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism established the cultural space,social space,even institutional space influenced by it to some extent. Consequently,Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism was not only established in narrow academic sense,but also was established in the broader society.The dissertation explores the establishment of Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism in early modern Japan from the following chapters.Chapterâ… summarize the previous studies and introduce the theory in the dissertation.The previous studies on Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism in early modern Japan always thought that the establishment of Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism in early modern Japan resulted from the changes of social circumstance in early modern Japan. However,although the changes of social circumstance in early modern Japan played important role for the establishment of Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism in early modern Japan,the changes of social circumstance didn't mean the establishment of Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism in early modern Japan spontaneously.So the dissertation tries to resume Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism's own role during the process of its establishment.Chapterâ…¡explores Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism' dependent existence in mediaeval Japan.Due to the Zen-Ju consistence structure,Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism in mediaeval Japan was continued by Zen scholar other than Confucian.In the Zen-Ju consistence structure,Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism was unilaterally defined and predominated by Zen scholar and hakaseka as nothing more than the knowledge.In this regard,Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism' dependent existence mean neither initiating the process of establishing Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism in Japan nor developing the cultural and social space influenced by Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism.Chapterâ…¢focuses on the emergence of individual Edo Confucian.As far as the emergence of Edo Confucian is concerned,it means that the Zen scholar's converting into Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism.In late sengoku,Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism was established in individual's thought such as Fujiwara Seika and Hayashi Razan or within narrow academic community.Since then Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism began to dominate these scholars' thought.However,actually both political leaders and Zen scholar and hakaseka as the intelligentsia continued to keep away from Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism.In other words,many reaches of society in early modern Japan reviewed or responded to the emergence of Edo Confucian negatively.Chapterâ…£describes Edo Confucian's nativism strategy to respond the negative attitudes of society in early modern Japan held for the emergence of Edo Confucian. Edo Confucian consciously established Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism's existence by making full use of Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism to define native doctrines such as Japan's Buddhism and Shinto,which also changed the native doctrines structure,i.e. Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism became the part of doctrines structure.Due to Edo Confucian's nativism strategy,Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism began to pay attention to the native circumstance.Chapterâ…¤explores the relevancy between Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism and the political power.It was Hayashi Razan and his offspring who made Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism exist in the organized and institutional way.In virtue of political power,finally Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism's individual and nongovernmental existence was transformed to the organized and institutional existence to some extent, which caused Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism diffuse and radiate to the relevant reaches of society.Chapterâ…¥concentrates on the relevancy between Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism and Edo Confucian centered on Fujiwara Seika,Hayashi Razan and Yamazaki Ansai. The academic bias which Edo Confucian held was dissimilar with Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism to some extent,which also could reflect Edo Confucian's philosophical consciousness.In other words,Edo Confucian not only quoted Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism,but also chose and adapted Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism.Edo Confucian responded to different Neo-Confucianism after Chu His individually on the base of "experiential spread",which reflected Edo Confucian's philosophical consciousness and mean Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism's establishment in philosophical dimension.However,in early modern Japan,due to Edo Confucian's endeavor,the process of the establishment of Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism means the relevancy between Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism and many reaches of early modern Japan.On the one hand,the process changed the native doctrines structure which was dominated by Buddhism, ended previously slack and close predicament in the native doctrines structure,and made the new cultural space and ideologies' emergence possible.On the other hand, Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism as the secular ethical ideology became thoughtful impetus in early modern Japan,and principle and implement when they realized the world, constructed self-identity and acted in the society.Chu Hsi Neo-Confucianism as the thought power influenced early modern Japan.