このページでは、これら三つの知的潮流が、それぞれどのような特徴を持ち、どのような問いに取り組み、どのような答えを見出そうとしたのか、そして互いにどのような影響を与え合い、また時には対立したのかを、代表的な思想家や著作とともに比較しながら明らかにしていく。これらの学問が、江戸という時代の中でどのような役割を果たし、そして後の日本に何を残したのかを理解することは、文化史の核心に迫る上で不可欠だ。
【学術的豆知識】「実学」としての蘭学と、その担い手たち
蘭学が比較的スムーズに受け入れられた背景の一つに、その「実用性」があった。医学（人命を救う）、天文学・暦学（正確な暦を作る）、兵学（国防に役立つ）など、具体的な効果が期待できる分野では、幕府や藩も蘭学の導入に比較的寛容だったんだ。そして、蘭学を担ったのは、藩医や幕府の役人、あるいは好奇心旺盛な知識人たちだったが、彼らの多くは、オランダ語の習得や文献の翻訳に大変な苦労を強いられた。辞書も教科書も十分でない時代に、手探りで未知の学問に取り組んだ彼らの情熱と努力が、日本の近代化の扉を開いたと言えるだろう。杉田玄白の『蘭学事始（らんがくことはじめ）』には、その苦闘の様子が生き生きと描かれているよ。
(Click to listen) One reason Rangaku (Dutch Learning) was relatively smoothly accepted was its "practicality." In fields where concrete benefits were expected, such as medicine (saving lives), astronomy/calendrical studies (creating accurate calendars), and military science (useful for national defense), the Shogunate and domains were comparatively tolerant of its introduction. The bearers of Rangaku were often domainal physicians, shogunal officials, or intellectually curious individuals, many of whom faced immense hardship in acquiring Dutch language skills and translating texts. Their passion and effort in tackling unknown academic fields with scarce dictionaries and textbooks can be said to have opened the door to Japan's modernization. Sugita Gempaku's "Rangaku Koto Hajime" vividly depicts these struggles.
This Page's Summary in English (Click to expand and listen to paragraphs)
This page compares the three major intellectual currents of the Edo period: Confucianism (Jugaku), National Learning (Kokugaku), and Dutch Learning (Rangaku). These schools of thought profoundly shaped the worldview, values, and societal norms of the time.
Confucianism, particularly the Zhu Xi school (Shushigaku), was the orthodox ideology of the Tokugawa Shogunate, emphasizing social hierarchy, loyalty, and filial piety, which helped legitimize the Bakuhan system. Key figures include Hayashi Razan and Arai Hakuseki. Other Confucian schools like Wang Yangming school (Yōmeigaku), which stressed intuitive action (e.g., Nakae Tōju, Ōshio Heihachirō), and Kogaku (Ancient Learning), which sought the original teachings of Confucius and Mencius (e.g., Itō Jinsai, Ogyū Sorai), also developed, often critiquing Zhu Xi orthodoxy.
Kokugaku emerged as a movement to rediscover and appreciate Japan's indigenous spirit and culture, free from foreign (Chinese Buddhist/Confucian) influences, by studying Japanese classics like the Kojiki, Nihon Shoki, and Man'yōshū. Key figures include Keichū, Kamo no Mabuchi, Motoori Norinaga (who emphasized "mono no aware" and criticized "karagokoro"), and Hirata Atsutane. Kokugaku contributed to a rising sense of national identity and influenced the Sonnō Jōi movement in the Bakumatsu period.
Rangaku referred to the study of Western sciences and culture introduced through Dutch books via Nagasaki, the sole port open to Dutch traders during Sakoku. Sparked by Shogun Yoshimune's relaxation of the ban on non-religious Western books, it led to significant advancements, notably in medicine (e.g., Sugita Gempaku and Maeno Ryōtaku's translation of "Kaitai Shinsho," an anatomy book), astronomy, geography, and military science. Figures like Ōtsuki Gentaku and Hiraga Gennai were prominent. Despite shogunal control and occasional suppression (e.g., Bansha no Goku), Rangaku played a vital role in introducing modern scientific thought and laying groundwork for Japan's modernization.
These three intellectual currents interacted, influenced each other, and sometimes clashed, creating a rich and complex intellectual landscape. Confucianism provided the ethical framework for the ruling class, Kokugaku fostered national consciousness, and Rangaku introduced practical knowledge and a modern worldview, all contributing in different ways to the fabric of Edo society and its eventual transformation.
江戸時代の三大知的潮流、その特徴と相互の関わりが見えてきただろうか？
次は、これらの学問・思想を背景としつつ、主に町人たちが担い手となって花開いた「元禄文化」の華やかな世界を見ていこう。