活跃于变革期(幕末维新)的日本儒者——楠本端山、硕水兄弟

从幕末到明治期间,虽然是朱子学的活跃时期,但是儒学却处于解体之中,"如何应对这种危局"成为日本知识分子所要面对的重要课题。作为山崎暗斋学派的朱子学者,楠本端山(1828—1883)和楠本硕水(1833—1916)兄弟几乎很少被人提及。然而,楠本端山的学问以深潜缜密、体认自得而被视为当时朱子学者中的佼佼者;楠本硕水在山崎暗斋学派的朱子学者中却以重名分而为世人所称道。楠本俩兄弟以儒学者的身份活跃在幕末维新时期的历史舞台上,那么,他们是如何应对儒学与时代的这种变局的?对此进行检讨,可以说对于认识处在剧烈振荡时期的知识分子、特别是儒学者的时代观,解读日本遭遇危机时的民族性格,以及探索变革时期日本思想文化的变化,都具有重要的意义。

The Kusumoto Brothers: Two Outstanding Confucian Scholars at the Bakumatsu Period

Zhu Xi scholarship did not yet lose its momentum during the Bakumastu period and the first years of the Meiji period.However,during the same time Confucianism in general was waning in Japan.The main concern of Japanese intellectuals at the moment was how to meet this challenge.As important members of the Yamazaki Ansai School,the Kusumoto brothers,Kusumoto Tanzan(1828—1883)and Kusumoto Sekisui(1833—1916),though rarely mentioned today,enjoyed extremely high reputations as Zhu Xi scholars at that time.Profound and subtle,Kusumoto Tanzan came up with original interpretations of Zhu Xi through his own reading and practice,whereas Kusumoto Sekisui was well known as a Zhu Xi Scholar in the Yamazaki Ansai School for his theory about rights and duties.The Kusumoto brothers stood out as the key Confucian scholars during the Bakumatsu period to cope with the fast changing historical situation.It is of great significance to examine this unique process and to learn how the intellectuals,particularly Confucian scholars,looked at their own time when faced with cultural repercussions.Because this would definitely help us better understand the Japanese national character as manifested in the time of crisis and the evolution of Japanese intellectual culture against the backdrop of reform.