Wang Gen - Golden

A commoner thinker of the Ming Dynasty in China. His first name was Yin, later he changed it to Gen. His pen name was Ruzhi, and his pen name was Xinsai. He was from Anfengba, Taizhou, Jiangsu Province. He was born into a family of salt producers, later gained wealth through commerce, and then aspired to study. At the age of 38, he met Wang Shouren (Yangming) and was influenced by him, and he began lecturing himself. He was a leader of the left wing of the Wang school, known as the Two Kings along with Wang Ji (Ryūkei). He advocated pragmatism with the aim of saving the world and saving the people, and interpreted Yangming's theory of realizing one's innate knowledge of good from the perspective of the common people, stating that all people are saints and sages, and that the way is the everyday life of all people, and sought to liberate learning from the monopoly of the scholar-officials. Common people also attended the lectures, and Shinsai's passion led to the formation of a distinctive school of thought. It is called the Taishu School. In later generations, Shinsai was criticized for deviating from the Confucian norm, but his theory of Huainan study of things was highly praised even during the Qing Dynasty. He will not be forgotten for his contributions to maintaining the Yangming School after Yangming's death.

[Koji Sano February 17, 2016]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、明(みん)代の庶民思想家。初名は銀、のちに艮と改名。字(あざな)は汝止(じょし)、号は心斎。江蘇(こうそ)省泰州(たいしゅう)安豊場の人。製塩業者の家に生まれ、のちに商業を行って富を得、学問に志す。38歳で王守仁(しゅじん)（陽明）に会見して感化され、自らも講学活動を行う。王畿(おうき)（竜渓）とともに二王と称された王門左派の領袖(りょうしゅう)。救世済民を目ざす実践主義を唱え、陽明の致良知説を庶民の立場に即してとらえ、人はすべて聖賢であり、万民の日用現在こそが道にほかならぬとして、学問を士大夫(したいふ)の独占から解放しようとした。講筵(こうえん)には庶民も参列し、心斎の情熱によって特徴ある学派が形成された。泰州学派とよばれる。後世、儒教規範から逸脱する者も現れたと非難されたが、心斎の淮南(わいなん)格物説は清(しん)代でも高く評価された。陽明没後、陽明学派の維持に貢献した点も忘れられない。

［佐野公治　2016年2月17日］

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