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Chapter 69 Classics of Modern Japanese Enlightenment Thought
Chapter 68 Classics of Modern Japanese Enlightenment Thought: "A Brief Introduction to Civilization"

As Japan's leading enlightenment thinker in the Meiji era, Fukuzawa Yukichi has played an important role as a pioneer in the history of modern Japanese thought.
status.He was praised as "the Voltaire of Japan" and "the teacher of the Japanese people".From the Meiji era to the present, Fukuzawa thought
As an important topic, it has always been valued by the academic circles in Japan and abroad, and related research works emerge in endlessly.

Advocate reform and civilization

Fukuzawa Yukichi (1834～1901) was an enlightenment thinker in modern Japan.This book is his introduction to capitalist civilization and his discussion of civilization
representative of the theory.After the original book was published in 1875, it became popular all over Japan for a while, and it was called the enlightenment in the history of modern Japanese thought.
A masterpiece of Mongolian thought, which had a great influence on Japanese society and intellectual and cultural circles.

Fukuzawa was born in a low-level samurai family in Japan in the late Edo period (1603-1867).I personally felt the closure when I was a teenager

The suppression of the establishment of a hierarchical system planted the seeds of anti-feudalism in thought.In his youth, he was the first to come into contact with Western thought and culture.

In the 19s, he made three trips to Europe and the United States, visiting the United States, France, Britain, the Netherlands, Germany, Russia, Portugal and other countries.he is in japan

In the comparative thinking with Europe and the United States, the understanding of capitalist civilization has been deepened, and modern Western science and bourgeois political academic thinking have deepened.

I want to have more and more influence on him.At that time, Japan was facing a serious situation of internal and external troubles, and he was determined to get rid of the spiritual shackles of the feudal system.
With the help of Western civilization, and with the mission of seeking national independence and "enriching the country and strengthening the army", he slammed the decadent feudal system
and its ideology, vigorously spread enlightenment ideas, introduced capitalist civilization, and called on the Japanese people to study science and set up industries

, develop capitalism, and build Japan into a modern capitalist civilized country standing shoulder to shoulder with these European and American countries.

He wrote "Western Things", which introduced the social system and social conditions in Europe and America to the Japanese people in detail, and sold hundreds of thousands of copies.
It spread widely and had a profound impact.

In 1868, he founded Keio University to train scientific talents;
Together with the Western Zhou Dynasty and others, they organized the enlightenment group "Ming Liu Society" (because it was established in the sixth year of Meiji), and published "Ming Liu Magazine", which aimed at

He wrote books on the practical problems in Japan at that time, actively carried out enlightenment activities, and advocated capitalist reform.Fukuzawa is known as
It is called "Japan's Voltaire", which shows its far-reaching influence.

"A Brief Introduction to Civilization" was published in 1875 and is the masterpiece of Fukuzawa Yukichi's theory of civilization.

Constructing Civilization Theory Enlightenment Thought Masterpieces

The book "Outline of Civilization" is the representative work of Fukuzawa Yukichi's enlightenment thought.The book is divided into 10 chapters, each discussing the "determined argument"

standards", "taking western civilization as the standard", "discussing the meaning of civilization", "discussing the wisdom and morality of the people of a country (positive, continued)",

"The Difference between Wisdom and Virtue", "On the Time and Space of Wisdom and Virtue", "The Origin of Western Civilization", "The Origin of Japanese Civilization
" and "On the Independence of Our Country". The author tries to establish a theory of civilization through this book, so as to promote capitalism
Established and developed in Japan.

The comparative theory between Western civilization and Japanese civilization constitutes the core of the book.Fukuzawa believes that Western civilization emphasizes intelligence, and various theories can be
Coexist with freedom, while Japan is an autocratic country, power is biased towards one side, "only the government, no citizens", religion and culture

They are all manipulated in the hands of the rulers, and various theories not only cannot coexist and stand side by side, but often use one to eliminate the other.he thinks this

This emphasis on power is the reason why Japanese society is stagnant and the cause of civilization is difficult to carry out.

The book first expounds the meaning of civilization.The author considers the word civilized.In a narrow sense, it is to increase the material needs of human beings.
In other words, it is not only to pursue the enjoyment of food, clothing and housing, but also to develop intelligence, improve moral standards, and raise human beings to a noble state.

realm.That is to say, the scope of civilization is as wide as possible, and all material wealth and spiritual wealth of human society are included in it.

in the concept of civilization.Fukuzawa Yukichi particularly emphasized the importance of improving the moral intelligence of the people. He believed that a country with a high degree of civilization

Low, it can be measured by the moral intelligence level of the people.Therefore, in order to promote civilization, it is necessary to improve the morality and intelligence of the people
, and there is no limit to the improvement of the people's moral intelligence, so there is no limit to the progress of civilization.

The original book divides the development process of civilization into three stages: barbarism, semi-civilization and civilization.while acknowledging that these names are relative references

.The author believes that Europe and the United States are civilized countries, Asian countries are semi-civilized countries, and Africa and Australia are considered "barbaric" countries.

Fukuzawa emphasized that no matter what state or position the countries in the world are in, if they want to make their own civilization progress, they must use the European

American civilization is the goal.

The author often connects with the reality of Japan in his discussion. He analyzes and compares Western civilization and Japanese civilization historically, and affirms that Japan

Backward, Western advanced.The book emphasizes that Japan should learn from the West in order to catch up quickly.Although the book admits

Western civilization is higher than Japanese civilization, but does not think that Western civilization has been perfect, on the contrary, the author believes that Western civilization has shortcomings

Many, not all.To say that its civilization is only relative to backward countries.Thousands of years later, the moral intelligence of the people of all countries
After great improvement, if we look back at today's Western civilization, we may sigh at its barbarity and backwardness.The author does not refer to Western civilization
Seeing it as something perfect and eternal, but as a product of a certain historical development stage, this is a common practice among Japanese thinkers.

Very commendable.

Fukuzawa Yukichi wrote this book and did not stop at simple abstract discussions, but faced the reality of Japan and focused on discussing Japan's

problem.The author believes that there are both advanced and backward civilizations, so the advanced must suppress the backward, and the backward must be suppressed by the first.

suppressed by the advance.Since Japan was facing internal and external troubles at that time, people were all worried about the independence of the country. Therefore, how to promote

The development of one's own civilization, in order to maintain one's own independence, has become a real problem.The author believes that the independence of the country is the end

At this stage, the civilization and enlightenment of Japan is the means to achieve this goal.Fukuzawa Yukichi emphasized in the book: the "human beings" of the Meiji Restoration
Heart turmoil" is the spirit of the people of the whole country to march towards civilization, it is the people who are not satisfied with our country's inherent civilization and demand to learn from Western
enthusiasm for foreign civilizations.Therefore, the ideal of the people is to make our country's civilization catch up with or exceed the level of Western civilization, and not reach the level of Western civilization.
The purpose never stops.So the conclusion drawn in the book is: "The independence of a country is also civilization, without which civilization cannot be maintained.

independence of the country. "

Although Fukuzawa's view of society and history is idealistic as a whole, there are also reasonable elements in his views on many issues.

For example, Fukuzawa believes that civilization includes two aspects: "external things" and "inner spirit", and puts forward the appearance of civilization (
Refers to the acquisition of advanced technology, the improvement of living standards) is easy to obtain, and the spirit of civilization (referring to the improvement of people's cultural quality, social atmosphere
Qi improvement, etc.) famous assertions that are hard to find.Fukuzawa also believes that neither purely material civilization nor spiritual civilization can be counted as civilization.

A civilization is a civilization that includes both material and spiritual aspects.Liang Qichao absorbed Fuze's thought and became the leader of modern Chinese history.

He was the first person in the world to put forward the theory of "two civilizations".

In short, "Introduction to Civilization" is a masterpiece that introduces capitalist civilization and discusses civilization theory.After the original book was published in 1875,

It was popular all over Japan for a while, and it is known as the masterpiece of enlightenment thought in the history of modern Japanese thought. It has great influence on Japanese society and intellectual and cultural circles.
Great impact. "Introduction to Civilization" does not simply introduce Western civilization, but promotes the promotion of Western civilization by absorbing Western science and culture.

into the civilization of Japanese capitalism.He called on the Japanese people to carry forward the spirit of independence and self-reliance, and strive to make Japan catch up with the advanced Western countries.
country.

(End of this chapter)