Yangmingism - Yomeigaku

Japanese: 陽明学 - ようめいがく

The scholarship of the Wang Yangming School in the Ming Dynasty in China. Wang Yangming (Shujin) opposed the Neo-Confucianism that was the dominant ideology at the time, inherited the underlying ideological trends of the intellectual world, established a philosophy of respect for subjectivity based on the idea of human equality, and aimed to realize an ideal society in which all things are one. He passionately lectured on the themes of mind is reason, unity of knowledge and action, and realization of conscience.

His disciples included intellectuals as well as Wang Gen, a former salt-worker, and he gained a wide range of followers. Many common people also gathered around Wang Gen, and the Taizhou School, which valued independent practice, was formed. For about 50 years after Yangming's death, the school was deemed a false sect and restrictions were placed on its activities, but his disciples worked hard to promote its teachings, and Yangmingism was eventually officially recognized and had a major influence on the intellectual world at the end of the Ming dynasty.

Various ideological tendencies emerged among his successors, and those who considered the mind to be supremely good and free from evil and valued self-cultivation were called the orthodox or right-wing Yangming school, but among them there were also those who approached the self-cultivation methods of Neo-Confucianism. Wang Qi, who considered the mind to be free from good and evil and sought a way of life for people free from constraints, and Wang Gen, who valued subjective practice, were called the left-wing Yangming school, and among them were those who adopted the unity of the three religions of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism by absorbing Buddhism and Taoist thought in order to recognize the existence of human beings, those who valued social practice and created communal living organizations, and those who made bold social criticisms. At the culmination of this trend appeared Li Zhi, who based his views on everyday life and thoroughly criticized the metaphysical and fictitious nature of the old value system. As a result, against the backdrop of improved economic standards, a sense of individuality rose toward the end of the Ming dynasty, and liberal and critical tendencies became stronger. At the same time, however, these were subject to repression by the authorities and criticism from those who held traditional positions, which became social problems.

During the Qing dynasty, ideological control was once again imposed, with Zhu Xi's philosophy being deemed orthodox, and the impracticality of Yangming's philosophy was pointed out, so its influence rapidly declined and an objectivist academic style that valued empirical evidence emerged. However, the achievements of Yangming's philosophy, such as respect for human subjectivity and a critical attitude toward established values, were passed down as an ideological legacy.

As Yangmingism gradually became more widespread in China, it also spread to the Korean Peninsula, and in the 17th century, followers such as Zheng Qidou (pen name Kakoku) appeared, but at that time Cheng-Zhu school was popular and Yangmingism did not gain much popularity.

[Koji Sano]

The Yangming School in Japan

Yangmingism was first fully introduced to Japan in the early Edo period, but in the wake of the Chinese Zhu Lu (Zhu Xi and Lu Xiangshan) debate, books rejecting Yangmingism, such as Chen Qinglan's (Chen Jian's) "Academic Discussion," had a major influence, and the understanding that "Yangmingism is an erroneous system of thought" took precedence. A typical example is Hayashi Razan. Yangmingism was forced to get off to an unfortunate start. However, it gained followers through books related to Yangmingism that were imported during this period when cultural exchange with mainland China increased dramatically. Nakae Toju was the pioneer of this movement. Toju converted to Yangmingism in rebellion against the late Neo-Confucianism of the Ming Dynasty, and trained many disciples. Famous scholars include Kumazawa Banzan and Fuchikozan. In the mid-17th century, the Toju school was active, and Wang Yangming's major works, "Denshu Roku," "Denshu Zuyan," and "Wang Yangming Sensei Wenlu Sho," were successively printed in Japanese, creating a boom in Yangmingism. Rashan's "Yangming Zhanmei" was a reaction to this.

Like Toju, Yamazaki Ansai, Yamaga Sokou, and Ito Jinsai also appeared in opposition to the late Neo-Confucian school. Ansai wrote the "Daika Shouryōshū" (The Great Master's Collection) and criticized Lu Xiangshan and Wang Yangming based on the original Neo-Confucian school, while Soko and Jinsai established the ancient school of thought in addition to Cheng, Lu, and Wang. In a world of thought where non-Neo-Confucianism was dominant, Miwa Shissai, who studied Neo-Confucianism under Sato Naokata, one of the three great men of the Kimon school, converted to Neo-Confucianism and wrote the "Hyōchū Denshuroku" (Annotated Records of the Literature) in 1712 (the second year of Shōtoku), which caused a great sensation, and he published a series of books related to Neo-Confucianism, reviving Neo-Confucianism. Kawada Okoto (Kinkei) appeared as one of his disciples. As soon as signs of the rise of Yangmingism appeared, the Sakimon school, which had some of its own converts, launched an all-out attack on Yangmingism. The result of this was the Wanggaku Benshu, edited by Toyoda Nobusada. In the early 18th century, Miwa Shusai was active, and Ogyu Sorai, who advocated Kobunjigaku, appeared, and the four great schools of the Cheng-Zhu school, Yangmingism (Luwangism), Kogaku, and Kobunjigaku were all in place, but the Yangming school was the only one that was in decline.

It was during the Meiji Restoration that Yangmingism flourished in Japan. Its pioneer was Sato Issai, who lectured on Neo-Confucianism as the head of the Hayashi family school, but was a personal believer in Yangmingism. As a leading figure in the academic and intellectual circles of the late Edo period, Issai attracted talented scholars from all over the country to study under him, and his influence was extraordinary. Unlike Issai, who was a public and private king, Oshio Heihachiro wrote Senshindo Sakki in sharp opposition to the anti-Yangmingism movement represented by Lu Longqi at the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty. Famous Yangming scholars of this period included Yoshimura Shuyo, Hayashi Ryosai, Yamada Hokoku, Kasuga Sen'an, Ikeda Soan, and Higashi Takusha. A distinctive feature of Yangmingism in the Meiji period was that it was carried out in an organized manner, with Toseido, Yoshimoto Jo and others playing central roles, and the activities of this period served as a catalyst to stimulate the Yangmingism movement in China.

[Kouhei Tanaka]

"Wang Yangming" by Onishi Harutaka (1979, Kodansha)" ▽ "Wang Yangming" by Yamashita Ryuji (1984, Shueisha)" ▽ "Neo-Confucianism and Yangmingism" by Shimada Kenji (1967, Iwanami Shoten)" ▽ "The World of Yangmingism" edited by Okada Takehiko (1986, Meitoku Publishing)" ▽ "Study of the Japanese Yangming School - The ideas of the Fujiki School and its materials" by Kimura Mitsunori (1986, Meitoku Publishing)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

中国、明(みん)代の王陽明学派の学問。王陽明（守仁(しゅじん)）は、当時の支配思想であった朱子学に対抗して、思想界の底流にあった思想傾向を継承し、人間平等観に基づいた主体性尊重の哲学をたて、万物一体の理想社会の実現を目ざし、心即理、知行合一(ちこうごういつ)、致良知(ちりょうち)のテーマによって情熱的な講学活動を行った。

　門下には知識人のほか製塩労働者出身の王艮(おうごん)なども参加し、幅広い信奉者が得られた。王艮のもとには多くの庶民も参集し、主体的実践を重んずる泰州(たいしゅう)学派が形成された。陽明の生前死後の約50年間は、偽学とされて陽明学派の活動に制約が加えられたが、門下は教説の宣伝に努め、やがて陽明学は公認されて、明代末期の思想界に大きな影響を及ぼした。

　後継者の間にはさまざまな思想傾向が生まれ、心を至善無悪とみなし、修養を重んずる一派は陽明学正統派、右派などとよばれるが、そのなかには朱子学の修養法に接近する者も現れた。心を無善無悪とみなし、束縛を脱した絶対自由な人間の生き方を求めた王畿(おうき)や、主体的実践を重んじた王艮などは陽明学左派とよばれ、そのなかには人間の存在性の認識のために、仏教や老荘思想を摂取して儒仏道の三教(さんぎょう)一致の立場をとる者、社会的実践を重んじて共同生活組織をつくる者、大胆な社会批判を行う者などが現れた。この傾向の到達点に李贄(りし)が現れ、日常感覚に立脚して旧来の価値体系の形而上(けいじじょう)学性、虚構性を徹底して批判した。この結果、経済生活の向上を背景にして、明代末期には主体意識が高揚し、自由主義的、批判主義的傾向が強まる一方で、官憲による弾圧、伝統的立場をとる者からの批判が加えられ、社会的な問題となった。

　清(しん)代に至ると、ふたたび朱子学を正統とする思想統制が加えられ、また陽明学の非実用性が指摘されて、その勢力は急速に衰え、実証を尊ぶ客観主義的学風が生まれたが、人間の主体性の尊重、既成の価値に対する批判意識などの陽明学の成果は、思想的遺産として継承されていった。

　中国で陽明学がしだいに普及するようになったころ、朝鮮半島にも伝えられ、17世紀の鄭齊斗(ていせいと)（号は霞谷(かこく)）などの信奉者が現れたが、そのころは程朱学が盛んであって、陽明学はあまり振るわなかった。

［佐野公治］

日本における陽明学派

日本に陽明学が本格的に紹介されたのは江戸初期であるが、中国の朱陸（朱子(しゅし)と陸象山(りくしょうざん)）論争のあおりを受けて、陳清瀾(ちんせいらん)（陳建(けん)）の『学蔀通辨(がくほうつうべん)』など陽明学排斥の書の影響が大きく、「陽明学は誤れる思想体系である」という理解が先行した。その典型は林羅山(はやしらざん)である。陽明学は不幸な出発を強いられたのである。しかし、中国大陸との文物交流が飛躍的に増大したこの時期に輸入された陽明学関係書を介して信奉者が生まれる。中江藤樹(とうじゅ)がその先駆者である。藤樹は明(みん)代の末流朱子学に反発して陽明学に転向し、数多くの門人を養成した。熊沢蕃山(ばんざん)、淵岡山(ふちこうざん)などが著名である。17世紀中葉は、藤樹一門の活躍をはじめ、王陽明の主著『伝習録(でんしゅうろく)』『伝習則言』『王陽明先生文録鈔(しょう)』が相次いで和刻されて、陽明学ブームを将来した。これに反発したのが羅山の『陽明攅眉(さんび)』である。

　藤樹同様に末流朱子学に反発して山崎闇斎(あんさい)、山鹿素行(やまがそこう)、伊藤仁斎が登場する。闇斎は『大家商量集』を著して原朱子学を基に陸象山・王陽明を批判し、素行、仁斎は程朱陸王の外に古学をおこした。非陽明学が優勢であった思想界のなかで、崎門(きもん)三傑の一人佐藤直方(なおかた)に朱子学を学んだ三輪執斎(みわしっさい)が陽明学に転向し、『標註(ひょうちゅう)伝習録』を1712年（正徳2）に著して大反響をよび、陽明学関係書を次々に刊行して陽明学を中興した。その門下に川田雄琴(かわだおこと)（琴卿(きんけい)）が出た。陽明学の隆盛する兆しがみえるや、身内から転向者を出した崎門一派は陽明学に対する総攻撃を敢行した。その所産が豊田信貞(とよたのぶさだ)が編集した『王学弁集』である。18世紀初期に三輪執斎が活躍し、古文辞(こぶんじ)学を提唱した荻生徂徠(おぎゅうそらい)が登場し、程朱学派・陽明学（陸王学）派・古学派・古文辞学派の四大学派が勢ぞろいしたが、ひとり陽明学派が不振であった。

　日本で陽明学が隆盛を誇ったのは幕末維新期である。その先駆者は佐藤一斎で、林家の塾頭として朱子学を講じたが、個人的信念としては陽明学の信奉者であった。幕末期の学術思想界の大御所であった一斎の門には全国から俊秀が馳(は)せ参じ、その影響力は破格のものがあった。公朱私王の一斎と異なり、大塩平八郎は明末清(しん)初の陸隴其(りくろうき)に代表される陽明学排斥論に鋭く反発して『洗心洞箚記(せんしんどうさっき)』を著した。この時期の著名な陽明学者は吉村秋陽、林良斎、山田方谷(ほうこく)、春日潜庵(かすがせんあん)、池田草庵、東沢瀉(ひがしたくしゃ)などである。陽明学運動が組織的に行われたのが明治期の陽明学の特色で、東正堂、吉本譲などが中心的役割を果たし、この期の活動が契機となって逆に中国の陽明学運動を刺激した。

［田公平］

『大西晴隆著『王陽明』（1979・講談社）』▽『山下龍二著『王陽明』（1984・集英社）』▽『島田虔次著『朱子学と陽明学』（1967・岩波書店）』▽『岡田武彦編著『陽明学の世界』（1986・明徳出版社）』▽『木村光徳著『日本陽明学派の研究――藤樹学派の思想とその資料』（1986・明徳出版社）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例

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