Ancient Learning vs National Learning

• People who read Confucian Thought in the Edo Period and felt that something was different.

  • They wondered if the teachings of Zhu Xi had lost their focus on love and human nature.

• Kokugaku (National Learning)

  • Yamaga Soko and others who wanted to reexamine the teachings of the past in their original form.
    • Kokugaku: Reevaluating the teachings of Zhou Gong and Confucius.
  • Ito Jinsai
    • Kogigaku (Ancient Meaning Learning): A focus on studying and interpreting the Analects and Mencius.
  • Ogyu Sorai
    • Kobun Jigaku (Ancient Text and Rhetoric Learning): Reading original texts in their original language.
    • Designing accuracy that is appropriate for the times.

• Kokugaku (National Learning)

  • Studying the ancient Japanese way of thinking.
  • Kamo no Mabuchi
    • Studying the Manyoshu and discovering the masculine spirit called Masurao-buri.
  • Motoori Norinaga
    • Conducting various studies and emphasizing the feminine spirit (Taoyame-buri).
    • Later, focusing on the idea of reclaiming Japan’s unique spirit.
  • Hirata Atsutane
    • Fukko Shinto: Trying to remove Buddhism and Confucianism from Shinto.
      • A strong ideology of submitting to the emperor as a god.