일본적 유학의 성립과 그 의미

Abstract

This thesis examines how neo-Confucianism in Japan was accepted and developed in the Japanese society in 17th century, and how Yamaga Soko formed his own ethos appropriate for the Japanese society. In the process of this study, it was intended to naturally expose the features of Japanese society and the characteristics of Kogaku in the 17th century. The Japanese society in the 17th century, that is, the first half of Edo period, was at the time when the Confucian theory made its appearance, which is against neo-Confucianism. The tendency is obviously different from that of Chosun or China. However, this academic tendency is on the assumption of accepting and developing neo-Confucianism. I paid attention to the ethos of Soko among other Kogaku scholars. Soko is a scholar who criticized neo-Confucianism in earnest and formed his own ethos. He was fully aware of the necessity of Confucianism matching the culture and history of Japan. Soko’s confrontation with neo-Confucianism was inevitable. Examination of Soko’s ethos is one of useful methods of studying the process of Japanization. The mid 17th century was the period when the Japanese society was established. The society of Japanese samurai who were the statesmen had a distinctive political system different from that of Chosun or China. In the 17th century, secularism made its appearance, and the atmosphere to admit human desires as they were was formed in the mid 17th century. While merchants came into economic power, mammonism prevailed. In particular, Japan supremacy started to take root. Neo-Confucianism was deflected and experienced the process of resistance and troubles while passing through the prism of the Japanese society in the 17th century. The first half of 17th century was the period of learning and understanding neo-Confucianism, and the mid 17th century was the period that scholars raised question about the ethos of neo-Confucianism. As a result, neo-Confucianism could not develop into a ethos system, but was disintegrated. The disintegration process of neo-Confucianism is described as the process of Japanizing Confucianism in the history of Japan. Yamaga Soko was the first person who criticized neo-Confucianism in Japan. Soko was a scholar who had an academic background different from other Confucianists. He made Bushido an object of criticism, and Bushido is a traditional value of Japan, and made an attempt to find out ‘unique Japanese things’ in the process of emphasizing that samurai of Japan are fundamentally different from statesmen of Chosun and China. While Soko subjectively understood the social order of Japan, he tried to present studies and logics appropriate for Japanese and the Japanese society. In the process, Soko criticized neo-Confucianism which is an academic study originated from other country. Soko excluded discussion out of the doctrines of Confucius who was a ‘sage’. He criticized that neo-Confucianism, the method of moral culture in the doctrines of Wang Yang-ming, and the method of self-discipline in Buddhism were not useful for real life. Soko’s study did not jump to the world of idea beyond the real world, and did not go deep into metaphysical discussions. Soko’s interest was based on the dimension of specific ‘日用卑近’. As described above, Soko’s learning is called ‘ Kogaku’, which was developed by Ito Jinsai and Ogyu Sorai.