Yangmingism And The Study Of Japanese Modern Moral Education

In the early 17 th century,under the background that Japan defined Zhuxi Doctrine as the official school which ossified social thoughts gradually,Toju Nakae,a Japanese scholar,started from the three main ideas of Yangmingism and combined domestic practice to create a new Yangmingism featured as Japanese culture.The Japanese Yangmingism,which emphasized humanism,practice,as well as reformation,not only inspired the reformists at the end of shogunate period and promoted the progress of Meiji Restoration,but also had a positive effect upon the aspects including orientation and accompanied with falling social ethics in the 20 years after the Meiji Restoration.Yangmingism encouraged individuals to develop modern moral understandings from being honest,kind and patriotic based on their findings,realization and practice regarding conscience,which was used to consolidate the achievement of Meiji Restoration.However,meanwhile,ideas of Yangmingism were also used by right-wingers toact as one of the sources of modern Japanese militarism.This paper is divided into three parts,which startsfrom the dissemination of Yangmingism in Japan,summarizing the background and development of Yangmingism in origin,at the end of shougunate and modern revival periods,with the analysis of its theoretical characteristics in different times.Secondly,this paper analyzes and summarizes Yanmingism's influence upon Japanese modern moral education including its orientation,content system and cultivating ways,by outlining the former's theories and the latter.In this way,the significance and effect upon Japanese modern moral education are shown.At last,on the basis of studying the internal relationship and interaction between Yangmingism and Japanese modern moral education,this paper combines Chinese reality with its findings,to make the best use of its experience and advantages at that historical period,and finally to provide a reasonable reference and enlightenment to the present ideological and moral education in China.