A Study Of Uchimura Kanzō’s Thought:The Religious Problems Of Modern Intellectuals

• Main Authors: Wan-Yi Kung, 龔婉宜
• Other Authors: Noboru OTA
• Format: Others
• Published: 2013
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/31801637696097985538

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 日本語文學研究所 === 101 === Summary This thesis aims to explore the development of thoughts and religious problems of Uchimura Kanzō (内村 鑑三, March 26, 1861 – March 28, 1930), one of the modern Japanese intellectuals. The Meiji Restoration change Japan''s political and social structure enormously. Under the slogan of "Enrich the country, strengthen the military, the restoration, this campaign accelerated Japan’s industrialization, which led to Japan’s rise as a military power. Japanese proved their national capabilities through winning both the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1985 and the Russo-Japanese War. Uchimura Kanzō was born in a traditional family of samurai. He accepted modern Western education after the Meiji Restoration of 1868. During this period he was converted to the Christianity and determined to dedicate himself to Japan and Jesus Christ. As a samurai and Christian, Uchimura Kanzō’s identity includes both oriental and occidental elements, and can be viewed as an epitome of Japan during the Meiji Restoration. His life is closely related to “bushido,” “Christianity,” and “Japan.” Uchimura Kanzō is famous for his critiques against Japanese foreign policy. Although his writing in English “Justification of the Korean War” supported Japanese government’s campaign, Uchimura Kanzō changed his position after t the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1985. Disappointed at Japanese government’s demands for interests of China, he criticized such behavior turned their military victory into plunder. Uchimura Kanzō was therefore often considered to be the most well-known pre-World War II Japanese pacifist. Uchimura Kanzō’s most famous essay “How I became a Christian” was published in 1895. This article recorded his struggle to develop an accommodable form of Christianity in Japan. However, simultaneously he rejected denominations and all formal church organizations as Western accretions. Instead, he pursued the ideal of “mukyokai” – “we-need-no-church principle.” Such principle accelerated the spread of Christianity in Japan and enlarged the stratifications of loyal disciples, ranging from intellectual elites to unknown farmers. These assertions have a lot of do to with his samurai origin and Christian religion. This thesis also discusses the thoughts of other modern intellectuals, including Nitobe Inazou (新渡戸 稲造1862—1933), Tokutomi Sohō (德富 蘇峰,1863—1957),and Koutoku Shuusui(幸徳 秋水1871—1911).Comparing and contrasting their thoughts and opinions with Uchimura Kanzō’s in response to the transformation of Japan, such as the social changes after the Meiji Restoration and the positions of China and Japan during The First & Second World War, is conducive to our understanding of Uchimura Kanzō’s particularities. Keywords: Uchimura Kanzō, Bushido, Christianity, Jingoism, Pacifism, Non-church movement