Journal of East China Normal University (Philosoph ›› 2014, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (2): 33-40.

• 儒学研究 • Previous Articles     Next Articles

The De-metaphysicalizing of the “Dao”: Ogyu Sorai’s Attempt at Constructing Politicized Confucianism during the Tokugawa Period in Japan

WU Zhen   

  • Online:2014-03-15 Published:2014-04-01
  • Contact: WU Zhen
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Abstract: The Ogyu Sorai School in the intellectual history of Tokugawa takes it as its mission to revive the Dao of Confucian sages and subvert the Neo-Confucian metaphysics. In deconstructing the Neo-Confucian concept of Tiandao, Sorai claims that “the Dao is a general name”, the Dao “is created by former kings”, the Dao is diverse, etc. In this way, he emphasizes that the Dao is a posteriori, artificial and concrete so as to subvert the a priori, abstract and metaphysical Dao. After the de-metaphysicalization and de-moralization of the “Dao”, he attempts to construct a Japanese type of politicized Confucianism. Ogyu Sorai is against the opinion of rejecting the Dao of Confucian sages since cultures of different lands are different. He argues that the ritual and music system from Dao has universal applicability in achieving virtue. On the other hand, he claims a principle which is also suitable for Japanese society: the system even arranged by sages should change with time because of the historical diversity of the Dao. In this sense, Ogyu Sorai’s doctrine of the Dao is characterized by concrete universality.