Human Nature and the Way in the Philosophy of Dazai Shundai

Abstract

The Japanese Confucian scholar Dazai Shundai (1680–1747) followed Ogyū Sorai (1666–1728), his famous teacher, in arguing that the Confucian Way is not inherent in human nature, but rather must be learned through external teachings, specifically the ritual, music, and other creations of the sage kings of ancient China. Shundai portrayed human nature in much more negative terms than Sorai, though, leading him to see such cultivation through Confucian teachings as a process of struggle with people’s natural inclinations, as opposed to Sorai’s notion of Confucianism as a gentle and nurturing force. This article explores how Shundai formulated his theory of human nature in relation to the ideas of various earlier Confucian thinkers, and argues that his pessimism regarding human nature is reflected in his willingness in certain circumstances to accept a more limited vision of Confucian cultivation on the level of both the individual and the state.