Lanterna Rally

Author: Robert Cornell Armstrong

Publisher: CreateSpace

Published: 2014-07-31

Total Pages: 364

ISBN-13: 9781500702670

From the FOREWORD: BEFORE the introduction of Confucianism and Buddhism there was almost no philosophy in Japan, although the peculiar teaching of the Japanese spirit which was already in process of development cannot be entirely overlooked. What Confucianism taught was already in practice in Japan, but it was thenceforth authorized and corroborated by the precepts of the great Chinese sage. The influence of Confucianism which has been eagerly studied by the Japanese scholars for more than a thousand years since its first introduction is really immense and incalculable, especially in the sphere of moral culture. But before the Tokugawa age the influence of Buddhism was very great, spiritually far greater than that of Confucianism, producing several illustrious reformers and religious thinkers. From the beginning of the Tokugawa age, however, Confucianism took a more prominent position than Buddhism. Since the education of all the provinces at that time was based on Confucian principles, its teaching was more widely propagated than ever. Several eminent philosophers arose among the Confucian scholars who contributed a great deal to intellectual development as well as moral culture before the Reformation. For those foreigners who do not understand the gradual preparation made by Confucianism and Buddhism, the sudden uprise of Japan since the Restoration will appear to be but a miracle or at least an inexplicable wonder. But if they understand thoroughly well what Confucianism has taught, then the sudden uprise of Japan will be held no more as a miracle but as a natural and necessary transition. Since the Restoration Confucianism seems to be almost extinguished, but it is only apparently so. The teaching of the great Chinese sage is so widely diffused and deeply rooted in Japan that it must be considered to be part and parcel of Japanese culture itself. Besides that, we must not forget that the Japanese spirit began from earlier times to assimilate Confucianism to itself, that is to say, to Japanize it. As a consequence of that process Confucianism was, during the Tokugawa age, almost entirely Japanized, and in that way it was made far more vigorous and efficacious than in China and elsewhere. To understand well Confucianism of the Tokugawa age is, therefore, at the same time to understand partly Japanese culture itself. So I think that the publication of "Light from the East" which contains largely the Confucian philosophy of the Tokugawa age, written by Mr. R. C. Armstrong, who has devoted many years to the study of intellectual development in Japan, will serve for the promotion of the knowledge of Japanese culture, and disperse also, I hope, the doubt about the miraculous uprise of the Japanese nation. TETSUJIRO INOUYE, Professor of Philosophy in the Imperial University.