Formation and Development of the Concepts of Loyalty and Filial Piety in Tokugawa Japan: Focusing on Military Studies and Yangming Philosophy

Author: Zhang Kunjiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-06-01
Features: Introduction This book is divided into seven chapters, primarily comparing the natural philosophy of Confucianism in China with the Qi theory and natural philosophy in the Tokugawa intellectual circles of Japan. The author first takes a horizontal approach, conducting in-depth analysis and discussion of Chinese thinkers such as Laozi, Zhuangzi, Wang Chong, Mencius, Zhu Xi, and Wang Yangming, alongside Japanese Tokugawa Confucians who emphasized Qi over reason. Subsequently, the book focuses on categorizing the typical thinking of "loyalty" and "filial piety" in Japanese Confucian thought, with the conflicts and unification within these concepts as key research points. It highlights the similarities and differences in the loyalty and filial piety philosophies of Wang Yangming scholars and military strategists. The book upholds the spirit of "taking the path through Japan to return to China," opening a window for the field of Japanese intellectual history, which remains lacking in dialogue within the domestic academic circle.