Toju Nakae

A Confucian scholar in the early Edo period, and the founder of the Yangming school of Japanese studies. His given name was Gen, and his pen name was Korenaga. He was commonly known as Yoemon. He was also known as Mokuken or Koken. He was born in Ogawa Village, Takashima County, Omi Province (Kamiogawa, Azumigawa Town, Takashima City, Shiga Prefecture). At the age of nine, he was adopted by his grandfather Yoshinaga, who served Lord Kato of Yonago, Hoki Province (Tottori Prefecture). He moved to Ozu, Iyo Province (Ehime Prefecture) following his lord's transfer of his fief. After his grandfather died at the age of 15, he received a stipend of 100 koku. In 1634 (Kan'ei 11), at the age of 27, he applied to retire from his job to show his filial piety to his mother in his hometown, but was not allowed to do so. So he fled the domain and returned to his hometown of Ogawamura, where he continued to serve his mother while devoting himself to learning and teaching. People at the time called him Fujiki Sensei and Omi Saint.

The development of Toju's thought can be divided into three periods. The first period is up until he escaped from Ozu at the age of 27. At the age of 11, he was inspired by the words "Cultivate yourself and make it your true self" in "The Great Learning" and decided to study. He eventually obtained "The Complete Four Books" and became devoted to Neo-Confucianism. He came to believe that the essence of learning is not erudition or knowledge, but the attainment of correctness of mind and action, placing emphasis on virtue. However, he soon came to have doubts about the formalism of Neo-Confucianism, which strictly demands the appropriateness of actions in every situation.

His middle period was from age 31 to 37 (a transitional period from age 27 to 31). After returning home, he continued to meditate on the Five Classics rather than the Four Books that Neo-Confucianism values, and at age 33 he read the "Glossary of Wang Longxi" and came into contact with Yangmingism, breaking away from Neo-Confucianism and forming his own unique philosophy. In the same year, he wrote "Questions and Answers of an Old Man." Particularly noteworthy in his middle period was the beginning of his belief in the god Da Yi and his advocacy of Shingaku. He was convinced of the existence of Da Yi, a mysterious transcendent being who created and governs all things, and he practiced and preached to others the reverence and rituals of Da Yi. He formed a concept of God that was different from the rational concept of God in Neo-Confucianism. He also preached Shingaku, claiming that it was Da Yi's request. He taught that people have excellent moral abilities (myodoku) in their inner selves (minds), and that clarifying this monad (myodoku) is the central task of moral education, and that when people achieve this monadoku, the appropriateness of their actions in any situation is guaranteed. This is the establishment of Toju Shingaku, which places great importance on the inner self (mind) while seeking the appropriateness of external actions.

The later period was from age 37 onwards. At the age of 37, he read the Complete Works of Yangming and resonated with Yangmingism, incorporating it into his own unique philosophy. While his middle period had a practical and dynamic tendency to the outside world, which sought the appropriateness of actions as well as the correctness of the inside, this period showed a notable static tendency to place less emphasis on the appropriateness of external actions and more on the peace of mind brought about by the correctness of the inside, i.e. the mind.

[Hiroyuki Tamakake June 20, 2016]

"Japanese Thought Series 29: Nakae Toju, edited by Yamai Yu, Yamashita Ryuji, and Kaji Nobuyuki (1974, Iwanami Shoten)" ▽ "Japanese Educational Thought Series: Nakae Toju, facsimile, 2 volumes (1979, Japan Library Center)" ▽ "Asahi Biography Selection 17: Nakae Toju, by Yamazumi Masami (1977, Asahi Shimbun)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸初期の儒学者で、日本の陽明学の祖。名は原(げん)、字(あざな)は惟命(これなが)。通称は与右衛門(よえもん)。嘿軒(もくけん)または顧軒(こけん)と号す。近江(おうみ)国高島郡小川村（滋賀県高島市安曇川(あどがわ)町上小川）に生まれる。9歳で、伯耆(ほうき)国米子(よなご)（鳥取県）の加藤侯に仕える祖父吉長の養子となる。主の転封に従って伊予国大洲(おおず)（愛媛県）に移る。15歳で祖父が没したあとは禄(ろく)100石を受けた。1634年（寛永11）27歳のときに、郷里の母への孝養のため致仕を願い出るが許されず、脱藩して郷里小川村に帰り、母に仕えつつ学問と教育に励む。時人、彼を藤樹先生、また近江聖人とよんだ。

　藤樹の思想の展開は3期に分かれる。前期は27歳の大洲脱藩まで。11歳で『大学』の「身ヲ修ムルヲ以(もっ)テ本ト為(な)ス」の語に感激して学に志し、やがて『四書大全』を得て朱子学を奉ずる。学の核心は博学洽聞(こうぶん)にではなく、心と行為の正しさを得るにあるとの徳行重視の見地にたった。しかし、やがてあらゆる場面の行為の妥当性を厳しく求める朱子学の形式主義に疑いを抱くに至る。

　中期は31歳から37歳まで（27歳から31歳までは過渡期）。彼は帰郷すると、朱子学の重んずる四書ではなく五経に拠(よ)って思索を重ね、33歳のときには『王竜渓語録』を読んで陽明学に接し、朱子学から離脱して独自の思想を形成する。同年『翁問答(おきなもんどう)』を著す。中期では大乙(たいいつ)神信仰の開始と心学の提唱とがとくに注目される。彼は、万物を生みかつ主宰する神秘的超越者大乙神の実在を確信し、大乙神の尊崇と祭祀(さいし)とを自ら実践し、また人に説いた。朱子学的合理的神観念とは異なる神観念を形成したのである。彼は、それに伴って、大乙神の要請であるとして心学を説いた。人は内面＝心に優れた道徳的能力（明徳）を備える、この心の明徳を明らかにすること（明明徳）こそが修身の中心課題である、人がこの明明徳を成就(じょうじゅ)するときあらゆる場面の行為の妥当性が保証される、と説いた。内面＝心をあくまで重視しつつ外的行為の妥当性を求める藤樹心学の成立である。

　後期は37歳以後である。彼は37歳で『陽明全集』を読んで陽明学に共鳴し、これを取り入れつつ独自の思想を形成した。中期の思想が、内面の正しさとともに行為の妥当性を求める、外に向けての実践的・動的傾向をもっていたのに比し、この時期では、外的行為の妥当性をあまり重視せず、内面＝心の正しさによりもたらされる心の平安をこそ重視する静的傾向が顕著である。

［玉懸博之　2016年6月20日］

『山井湧・山下龍二・加地伸行校注『日本思想大系 29　中江藤樹』（1974・岩波書店）』▽『『日本教育思想大系　中江藤樹』複製、全2冊（1979・日本図書センター）』▽『山住正己著『朝日評伝選 17　中江藤樹』（1977・朝日新聞社）』

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