Andō Shōeki's Agrarian Utopianism: An East Asian Philosophical Contextualization

Title

Andō Shōeki's Agrarian Utopianism: An East Asian Philosophical Contextualization

Author

John A. TUCKER

Page

53-86

DOI

10.6163/tjeas.2013.10(1)53

Abstract

This paper seeks to interpret the often enigmatic ideas of Andō Shōeki 安藤 昌益 (1703-1762) in relation to an interpretive field broader than that of Japanese traditions. Simply put, this paper attempts to contextualize Shōeki's thinking within East Asian philosophical contexts. The paper suggests that three classical Chinese philosophical texts are exceptionally pertinent for understanding the theoretical foundations of Shōeki's ideas. These texts also shed light on why Shōeki's thought achieved some cultural broadcast, greater or lesser, in his day and thereafter. The three texts, fairly well known throughout Japanese history among the educated elite, are: 1). a Daoist classic, the Zhuangzi 莊子 (J: Sōshi), especially its "Yangist" and "primitivists" writings; 2). the masterwork of the Mohist tradition, the Mozi 墨子 (J: Bokushi); and 3). an important Confucian text, the Mencius 孟子 (C: Mengzi J: Mōshi).

Keyword

Andō Shōeki, Mozi, Zhuangzi, Mencius, Herbert Norman, Maruyama Masao, Tokugawa Japan

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