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Ogyū Sorai (1666-1728 , 荻生徂徠) Letter
To Uno Shiro 宇野士朗
Main 25×69,5cm
Hanging scroll / Kakejiku
Accessary:wood box
Included in *Sorai-shū* 『徂徠集』
A Confucian scholar of the early Edo period and the founder of the Kobunji school. His original surname was Mononobe, and he is also known as Butsu Sorai; he used the literary name Ken'en. A native of Edo, he initially studied Neo-Confucianism (Zhu Xi's philosophy) but later established the Kobunji school. He advocated reading Chinese classics using Tang-style pronunciation and interpreting the Confucian scriptures based on research into the language of the Qin and Han dynasties; he also argued that the "Way" (Dao) resides in governance and should be separated from personal morality. Furthermore, by acknowledging the liberation of human emotion and championing the poetry and prose of the Ming dynasty writers Li Yulin and Wang Shizhen, he fostered a flourishing of Chinese-style literature and exerted a profound influence on the literary world that followed. He opened a private academy near Zōjō-ji Temple in Shiba, but his scholarly ability was soon recognized; in 1696, at the age of 31, he entered the service of Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu and gained opportunities to come into contact with Shogun Tsunayoshi. As a retainer of the Yanagisawa family, he engaged in tasks such as the collation, annotation, and publication of Chinese historical texts—including the *Book of Jin* (*Jinshu*)—and the compilation of *Kenbyō Jitsuroku*, a biography of Tsunayoshi; in recognition of these achievements, his stipend was raised to 500 *koku*. Later, following Tsunayoshi's death in 1709, his lord Yoshiyasu—who had lost his political influence within the shogunate—arranged for Sorai to leave the clan residence and operate as an independent scholar in Edo while retaining his status as a retainer.His disciples included Dazai Shundai and Hattori Nankaku, who together formed the Ken'en school.
【読み】
The letter is addressed to Uno Shirō, the younger brother of Uno Meika; both brothers studied under Sorai in Edo and were active in Kyoto. Written in response to a letter from his elder brother Meika, the missive notes Shirō’s diligence in his lectures and expresses joy at the way the brothers spur each other on to greater heights—a bond others might well envy. It further celebrates the fact that, thanks to the presence of the Uno brothers, Kyoto is flourishing with the "spirit of the divine land" (Shinshū no ki) that has endured through the ages.
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Price: 220,000yen(tax included)
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