ASIAN VIEW The Thought Patterns Surrounding doctrine for national governance was Confucianism established. China today views Confucianism as the identity of its peo- By Wang Min ple. Since 2004, it has been aiming to establish 100 Confucius Institutes THE ongoing “politically cold, economi- as a British colony, had emerged from around the world, and the first of these cally hot” situation between Japan and the War of Independence and firmly in Japan has already opened at China, a deepening antagonism in poli- established its national identity, their Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto. The tics and diplomacy that coexists with bur- bilateral relationship involved a long classic texts of Confucianism, The Four geoning economic ties, continues without interaction on an equal basis wherein Books and Five Classics, are now required any sign of abating. No one denies that they affirmed and recognized their dif- reading at Renmin University of China, Sino-Japanese relations are a crucial pillar ferences. Japan and China on the other whose role is to train cadres for the in East Asia, but it remains a regrettable hand, affirm their own identities and do Chinese Communist Party and the fact that no improvement to a favorable, not yield to the other. Needless to say, Chinese government. “politically hot, economically hot” cli- the rancor from the unfortunate war of During the Edo Period under the mate appears to be on the horizon. half a century ago, during which Japan Tokugawa rule (1603-1867), Japan was Sino-Japanese hostility in politics and invaded China and China endured great divided into more than 260 feudal diplomacy is widening the distrust and sacrifices, still lingers, but this contrasts domains known as han. Study of aggravation between the people of with the case of France and Germany, Confucianism was required for the samu- Tneighboring countries. Japan and China which are deepening their amicable ties rai in charge of the government. Each of normalized relations in 1972, and con- by learning from their history of antago- these feudal domains taught cluded a Peace and Friendship Treaty in nism. Confucianism at han schools, while the 1978. In public opinion surveys at that Prior to the Meiji Restoration (1868), bakufu, the Tokugawa Shogunate govern- time, almost 80% of Japanese felt affini- Sino-Japanese relations were fundamen- ment based in Edo (the present Tokyo), ty with China. Today, about 25 years tally friendly. When Japan was under did likewise at the Confucian temple of later, various newspaper surveys report the rule of the samurai warriors it inter- Yushima. Throughout the Tokugawa that only 30% of Japanese feel a close- acted well with China. Why was this Period, the bakufu exchanged emissaries ness to China and those who express a the case? It may be because such leaders with the Yi Dynasty of Korea, with which “dislike” for China vastly outnumber the were able to grasp Chinese ways of it maintained close diplomatic amicable former. The same holds in reverse. In thought well. The Japanese of that era ties. There were such Confucianists as the latest survey in China (conducted by would probably be able to understand Arai Hakuseki (1657-1725) who took Shanghai Searchina Information the Chinese people’s perception of histo- charge of government administration, Consulting Co., with a sample of 2,000 ry which they are asking the Japanese to and Amenomori Hoshu (1668-1755) respondents), 23% of Chinese expressed understand today. This is because the who served the Tsushima han, which a “favorable” view of Japan, while 41% Japanese of the samurai age knew that handled trade with Korea. Korea was had an “unfavorable” view. the patterns of Chinese thinking are viewed as an exemplary Confucian coun- Japan and China have interacted since rooted in Confucianism. try by China, and the samurai regime of before the beginning of Confucianism for Chinese coincides Japan interacted without any trouble recorded history. The with Christianity for Westerners. After with both Confucian countries. Once length of the bilateral China had headed down the path of a this military regime was overthrown and exchanges between socialist country, the tempestuous Great the new Meiji government was estab- Britain and America is Proletarian Cultural Revolution (1966- lished, however, Japan embarked on a nothing compared 1977) tried to banish Confucianism path of modernization modeled on with those between from China. Confucianism, which had Western countries, and removed all Japan and China. Yet penetrated deep in the Chinese soul for Confucianists from the center of the gov- there has been no such over 2000 years since the time of ernment. It rushed ahead with policies of history of antagonism Confucius (551BC-479BC), could not be “Leaving Asia and Joining the West.” between Britain and swept away. Confucianism constitutes Although there remained many talented the United States. China’s ethics and virtues, and is the men well-versed in Confucianism in Once the essence of Chinese thought about how Japan, it was only natural that over time United to live. After Confucianism had been the Japanese would no longer be able to States, systematized as a political philosophy by grasp correctly the characteristic pattern which Zhu Xi (1130-1200) during the Song of Confucian thinking. It must be diffi- originated Dynasty, its status as the fundamental cult for Japan to build friendly relations

Illustrations: Iwasawa Akio

36 JAPAN SPOTLIGHT • January / February 2006 ASIAN VIEW

with China without an understanding of death at the age of 39 in the line of his and the Joruri (traditional puppet the- Confucianism. Both Japan and China great cause, subsequent generations of ater), the fox secretly slipped into Japan believe that they are homogeneous coun- Chinese bestowed the title of “King” on on the boat of Kibino Makibi, the tries that share the same Chinese charac- this military commander. They built Japanese emissary to the Tang Dynasty. ters, without ever being aware that there “King Yue Fei’s Temple” in Hangzhou, The fox took possession of Lady is a fundamental gap in their patterns of which was the capital of the Southern Tamamo-no-mae, who was beloved by thinking. Song Dynasty. By contrast, they the retired Emperor Toba at the end of What is “Confucian thought” then? despised and dishonored the name of the Heian Period, and caused him great It is impossible to describe it in a few Qin Hui. They created statues of Qin distress. The evil spirit was exposed and words, but it is a way of thought that Hui and his wife kneeling towards Yue it fled to Nasuno (the present Tochigi emphasizes ethics. It strictly seeks to Fei’s tombstone, with their hands tied Prefecture), but was tracked down and judge right and wrong in both human behind their backs surrounded by an killed. Nonetheless, its magical powers actions and the state’s activities. It iron fence, right in front of the entrance did not disappear and it became the so- esteems noble causes. of Yue’s Fei Temple. More than 900 called death rock that afflicted suffering In China, an individual’s death exerts years have not been enough to make the on all who touched it. It is said that the an effect not only on one’s immediate Chinese people forget their revulsion. magical powers of the nine-tailed fox family but even on one’s descendants. A “Flogging the dead” like this comes natu- were finally extinguished by the force of respectable death means “righteousness” rally to the Chinese. Buddhism. Even though the fox had or “trust” to oneself, “loyalty” to one’s In Japan, there is a tradition of taking caused no end of evil deeds in Japan, it country, “filial piety” to one’s ancestors death to be a form of “purification” or was chosen for the name of a boxed lunch and “benevolence” to one’s descendants. “cleansing.” The famous Buddhist monk sold at local train stations that is known In the words of Confucius, “The deter- Shinran preached that even an evil person as “Nine-tailed sushi.” The seller of this mined scholar and the man of virtue will could become a Buddha if he awakened boxed lunch chose this name in the hope not seek to live at the expense of injur- to the faith, saying, “If even a good per- that it would be loved forever, just as the ing their virtue. They will even sacrifice son can be purified by rebirth into the fox in the guise of Lady Tamamo-no-mae their lives to preserve their virtue com- Pure Land, it goes without saying that an had been loved by the retired Emperor plete.” The Chinese film The Emperor evil person can.” From the Chinese view- Toba. The Japanese habit for flexible and the Assassin depicts Jing Ke, who point though, evil people are evil and reassessment is fully displayed here. It is failed in his attempt to assassinate the good people are good. Confucianism impossible to imagine the fox’s rehabilita- emperor and was killed. His name was, does not budge when it comes to dis- tion in China, where it has become firmly however, preserved in the famous histor- criminating right from wrong. entrenched as the embodiment of evil. ical chronicle by Sima Qian, Shiji The legend of the nine-tailed golden It is small wonder that there is such a (Records of the Great Historian), since fox highlights the differences between gap between Japan and China about the he died for a noble cause. Japan and China. In China, the nine- visits to Yasukuni Shrine by the Japanese For Chinese people, the classic con- tailed fox was treated as a demon. prime minister. Class-A war criminals, trasting cases of right and wrong are Yue During the time of King Zhou, the last who bear responsibility for the last Fei and Qin Hui of the Southern Song ruler of the Yin Dynasty, the fox pos- world war, are treated as deities of the Dynasty. The Song Dynasty was sessed the king’s beloved lady, Su Da Ji. shrine. From the standpoint of the attacked by the northern Jurchen Jin To please her, the King did anything she Chinese people’s sense of right and Dynasty, and retreated to the south to asked. Since she was now the embodi- wrong, such people remain “evil” for all establish the Southern Song Dynasty. ment of the fox, which loved blood, she time. When Prime Minister Koizumi While the Song general Yue Fei called committed many horrible deeds, such as Junichiro adheres to the Japanese tradi- for all-out battle with the Jin, Qin Hui, starting a fire under a copper sheet and tion that an evil person may also become the Southern Song court official, making the king’s retainers walk over it. a deity or a Buddha when he or she dies, instead attempted to reach peace with This alienated the people, and the Yin he has not noticed that this is a pattern the Jin, and forced the high-spirited Yue Dynasty collapsed. The nine-tailed fox of thought that exceeds the understand- Fei, who was continuing his successful reappeared during the time of King You ing of the Chinese. We must conclude battle, to withdraw from the battlefield. of the Zhou Dynasty, and destroyed the that the cost of this disparity in mutual In the end, Yue Fei was arrested and Western Zhou. The fox’s image is per- understanding between Japan and China poisoned in prison. manently fixed in China as a thoroughly has been far too great. Yue Fei, who was from a peasant back- iniquitous and monstrous creature. ground, aspired to save the Song and The Japanese, on the other hand, have rose through the ranks to become a great received this nine-tailed fox with open Wang Min is a professor of Hosei University general. In order to reward his tragic arms. According to the songs of Noh play and is a specialist in Japanese literature.

JAPAN SPOTLIGHT • January / February 2006 37