Ito Jinsai

Itō Jinsai (1627–1705), also known by his pen name Keisai, was a prominent Japanese Confucian philosopher during the Tokugawa period. He is recognized as one of the most significant Confucian scholars of 17th-century Japan. Jinsai's school, known as Kogigaku, challenged the prevailing interpretations of Confucianism by Chinese philosopher Zhu Xi. Instead, Jinsai advocated for a return to the original meanings of key terms found in the *Analects* and the *Mencius*, advocating for a practical, ethical philosophy rooted in everyday life. His work is often associated with the Kogaku ('ancient learning') movement, though he maintained a distinct philosophical stance. Jinsai is particularly noted for his affirmation of human emotions and his concept of a "unitary generative force" (*ichigenki*). His writings, especially the *Gomō jigi* (*The Meanings of Philosophical Terms in the* Analects *and* Mencius), bear similarities in theme and method to the work of the Qing dynasty scholar Dai Zhen. Jinsai established the Kogidō private school in Kyoto in 1662, which attracted a large number of students from diverse backgrounds. He passed away in Kyoto in 1705, with his son Tōgai succeeding him at the Kogidō.