1709 Japanese Kumazawa Ronin Handwritten Woodblock Print Japan Neo Confucianism



An interesting 18th century woodblock-print of a ‘Collection of Foreign Righteousness Letters’ by Kumazawa Banzan. Kumazawa Banzan, a Japanese Ronin Confucianist of the Wang Yangming school. Kumazawa became a scholar and in 1642 Nakae taught him the doctrine of "innate knowledge" and cultivation of the mind. Kumazawa entered the service of Lord Ikeda Mitsumasa of Okayama. He successfully brought forth administrative reforms that transformed Okayama into a model fief. Paramount among his accomplishments was his role in organizing the Okayama college. However, Banzan's goal was to reform the Japanese government by advocating the introduction of a political system based on merit rather than heredity and the employment of political principles to strengthen the merit system. His critique of the powers at large to resist imposing corrupt politics and bureaucratic burdens on ordinary people had him leave the service of Okayama Castle and live in hiding until his death at Koga Castle.



This collection of 8 volumes is one of Banzan’s personal writing upon which he discusses his moral philosophies and how the theories of Neo-Confucianism could simplify and facilitate health in society particularly for commoners. In this work he argues things such as “though laws are conditioned by time, place, and circumstances, the Way is comprehensive and unconditional.”



This rare 1709 edition is written in the typical column handwritten format!



Item number: #8739

Price: $750



熊沢蕃山KUMAZAWA, Banzan



Collection of foreign righteousness letters (Shuugigaisho) 集義外書 (しゅうぎがいしょ)



Japan: Hoei 5 [1709].



Details:

Collation: Complete with all pages; 8 volumes

References: Iwanami, Kokusho So Mokuroku 3929; Confucianism and Tokugawa Culture edited by Peter Nosco;

Language: Japanese

Binding: Softcover; tight & secure

Size: ~10.5in X 7in (26cm x 18cm)

Very rare and desirable



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8739

Excellent.