Exploring Japanese Neo-Confucianism: Cosmology & Cultivation - Essay Sample

Introduction

Cosmology and cultivation are the frameworks of Japanese Confucianism. It is from this basis that two examples are used of neo Confucian Japanese religiosity. However, the two models used are not intended to be exhaustive; rather, they are designed just to be an example of the Japanese religion of Confucian.

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Neo-Confucian thoughts are thought to constitute the historical thoughts of the Japanese period before modernity. Confucianism marked the development and change in the social and political sphere of the Japanese Zen monastery. Sung, Yuan, and Ming had their impacts through the education and political system practiced in Japan.

Reappraisal of neo-Confucianism has been made possible by opening up of Japan to the west. At the time, Japan was embracing modernization, and neon-Confucianism was taking shape. Over time, Confucianism has experienced polarized interpretations of either being feudalistic or unprogressive. Confucianism is also appropriate for political ideology, and that explains its varied use in Japan. Either during the Tokugawa period or the Bakufu government, Confucianism has taken a political angle.

Neo-Confucianism is not widely studied in the west; books in the west have looked into the wisdom of thought associated with Confucianism. Scholars have dug dipper into the field of inquiry about Japanese Confucianism by bringing in scholars from japan and china who ex-lain help in explaining Japanese Confucianism.

The Tokugawa period is the period that has been defined most by west scholars. The medieval Buddhism made the Japanese Confucianism more spiritual and religious. However, western scholars have helped in the growth of pre-modern Confucianism, which reflects more in the Japanese culture and the way of life, which gives it a more secular angle. It is noted that such an attempt to divide Japanese Confucianism into either religious or secular is insufficient. Japanese Confucianism is more than the given dichotomy. It involves other aspects such as political thought, the common way of life, and self-religious cultivation, all of which are interweaved in Confucianism.

Neo Confucianism has a significant impact on education and modernization. The ideas of Confucian and neo-Confucian were easily spread through education in classes. It helped Japan growth in social and economic spheres during the Meiji period. However, the modern books have made it look like Confucianism had an impact only on the political ideology of the Period of the Tokugawa period. Through books like the Tokugawa ideology by Herman Ooms have set to rewrite this kind of distortion. The book, among others, makes it clear that Tokugawa Confucian was more than the political angle. Confucianism was meant to promote cosmology. The aspect of this was explained by Japanese scholars who were interested in the growth of Japanese citizens in their political, social, and religious growth. These scholars were never political advisors, and thus their analysis of Confucianism was diverse.

Yamazaki Ansai and Kaibara Ekken were some of the individuals who had a cosmological impact. Yamazaki lived in 1618-1682. He was born in Kyoto as the last of four children. He was inflicted by Mr. Hiei to study in the Ryuko Temple There. At Ryuko, he was persuaded to consider Tani Jichu. After he became a Confucian, at age 30, he even regretted having delayed his journey to becoming a Confucian. As a Confucian, he began to see ways in which Buddhism was contradictory. His main argument against Buddhism was that Buddhism had abandoned the moral principles that guided human behavior. Yamazaki's writings on Confucianism were highly influenced by the works of Chu His and Yi Toegye. Yamazaki later became a teacher at Masayuki, where his influence grew until his death. His conversation with Hoshina marks his self-confidence in the path he had taken of Confucianism. Yamazaki had more followers of the neo-Confucianism school of thought compared to the other scholars of his time. His influence continued into the 20th century. He considered himself as having an opportunity during his time to influence the political and scholarly spheres through his Confucianism teachings.

Yamazaki's approach, guided by Chu Hsi ideas, focused on self-realization and personal practice. He focused his teachings on three major components, including the cosmological part, the social and spiritual impact, and importance. The cosmological component, social and religious spheres are discussed under three significant subheadings, which include Moral practice and cosmological change, the principles of education and training of duty, and the idea of quit sitting and activation of relevance.

Moral Practice and Cosmological Change

Yamazaki saw inner reverence and outward change as the Confucian way of living. He intimated that there is a connection between human virtues and the universe. Yamazaki demonstrated his understanding of the natural transformation of the natural and social order of things. His elaboration of the world and social laws was meant to show connectedness between the two and how it helped in the growth of morality.

Yamazaki relates the human mind to the soil. If soil is not compacted together to create a suitable environment for the growth of plants, nothing can grow, nor can't metal be made from the soil. The human mind is compared to soil steadfastness, where only a steadfast spirit can remain faithful to God's ways. Yamazaki contrasted the mental development with the cosmological transformations and metaphysics and connection with Chinese cosmology. The cultivation of morality, according to Yamazaki, has a link to the natural order. He thus advocated for personal integration to form one body with all the other things.

The Principles of Education and the Practice of Duty

The principle of integration, according to Yamazaki, does not only relate to the cosmos but also society. The impact was made possible through education and serving one's purpose. Yamazaki felt that the aim of education should be to promote respect and relationships between human beings; hence there was a need to understand the concentric circle pattern of learning.

The emphasis was on Chu Hsi's five relationship ideals. The student should also follow the five steps, which include reading widely, questioning thoroughly, deliberate carefully, and analyze and act conscientiously. There was stress for duty by Yamazaki compared to humanness. He went to the extent of demonstrating the difference between virtue and norm. He argued that the result of education was social commitment supported by moral discipline and spirituality.

Quiet Setting and Activation of Virtue

The teaching about quiet session and activation of virtue was Yamazaki's center field. In the process of silent session, Yamazaki advocated for self-respect and moral principles. Though Okada Takehiko argued that Yamazaki and other followers were only Chinese or Japanese neo-Confucians, Yamazaki argued that humanness and knowledge interact. Knowledge was considered a hidden storehouse. Kusumoto Tanzan explained that the store of knowledge is imperceptible to senses and the ground to life and activity. In the stillness of silence, therein is the infinite creativity. It is the process through which the inner mind space of the mind becomes the external world. Thus, sitting quietness cultivates profound knowledge. Linking the Chu Hsi Thoughts to quiet sitting, Yamazaki argued that there is a connection between cosmology and cultivation.

Kaibara Ekken lived between 1630 and 1714. He was a scholar just like Yamazaki Ansai. Born in Chikuzen to a physician father, he studied Medicine. Despite his knowledge of Buddhism, his interest in Chinese classics grew at the age of 14. He became a physician at the age of 26. However, two years later, he went to Kyoto to study Confucian. Together with Kinoshita and Nakamura, they studied Chu Hsi. Despite attending Yamazaki's lectures, Ekken remained critical of him. They later parted ways.

In the same years, Ekken was also studying Hsiang-shan wang Yang-Ming but rejected their ideas for being too Buddhist. At 30 Years, he became a follower of Chu Hsi. However, just like other scholars such as Lo, he became critical of Chu Hsi. Okada, who was also a scholar, argued that Ekken was introducing his school of thought.

Practical Learning: Content and Methods

Practical learning was introduced by Ekken, which focused on humanity and nature abroad way. His scholarly interests were diverse, which was influenced by Chu Hsi's teachings of investigating things and exploring the principles behind them. Ekken argued that it was erroneous to suggest that one should not regard any information that has been hard in the process of learning as accurate without following the correct methodology of valuing broad knowledge and experience. He suggested that one should be a credulous, fair, and objective and careful investigation. Ekken felt there was a need to study the customs to transfer Confucian values to the ordinary man.

Ekken felt that observation of objectivity and rationality was necessary for the analysis of principles. The view was driven by his need to bridge the gap between humanities and sciences. In the history of Tokugawa thought, Ekken's contribution was the effort to encourage studies that do not promote the widening of the gap between nature and humanity.

The Ethical and Empirical Paths: Bridging the Humanities and the Sciences

Ekken gave a warning that the limitation of methods in both sciences and humanities was not right. Maintaining a contemplative posture and reflective skills was important when reading classical texts. In terms of content, Ekken advocated for practical learning that brought together humanity's approach and scientific approach. Healthy life, according to Ekken, should involve a plan for understanding. The unity of principle helped promote the particularization of nature and humanity. Both Lo and Ekken rejected the distinction of human heavenly and physical environment.

The Creative Principles of Filiality and Humaneness

Filial Piety and doctrine of humaneness inspired Ekken's practical learning. Following the principle of formation of one body and it is through this that Ekken understood the necessity of assisting in the transformative powers of heaven and earth. Nakae Toju saw filiality while Ekken stressed the importance of activating filial reverence. His point was based on the fact that all people are children of heaven and earth.

Conclusion

Ekken argued that we ought to have sympathy for both men and natural things. Just as birth is the origin of greatest attribute, the counterpart is humaneness. Becoming is the heart of heaven. Heaven helps in nourishing all things in the universe. The creative dynamics of heaven are to be reciprocated by human beings' creativity. Thus, according to Ekken, human beings become the soul of the world. Ekken states that we are lucky to be born as human beings, and that should never be wasted. We should interact with nature. Human beings should participate in the process of transformation by adopting the Chu Hsi doctrine of total substance and great learning.

Ekken helps in transforming Ansai's views about the methodology to a more suitable empirical method that is related to nature. The essay about the Confucian scholars aimed at helping to understand the nature of neo-Confucian religious practices and its connectedness to nature. The different scholars had different views that attempted to align with the Confucian kind of cultivating the relationship between nature and humanity. Confucianism was observed to be more than a political system but also a religious order that determined the interaction of humanity and nature. However, the essay also argues that it is essential to examine...