page_title: Ogyū Sorai
hierarchical_section_title: Ogyū Sorai
caption_attribution_description: Ogyuh Sorai (荻生 徂徠), also known by the pen name Butsu Sorai, was a Japanese Confucian philosopher.
context_page_description: Ogyū Sorai was a Japanese philosopher who used the pen name Butsu Sorai in many of his writings. He has been described as the most influential Confucian scholar during the Tokugawa period. His main field of study was how Confucius' teachings could be used in government, and how they could influence the order of society as a whole. At the time, Japan had problems with the government. The economic model of mercantilism was used, but was not successful. Japan was still using old institutions, but they had become weak because their members were extravagant. Still, these institutions were dominant in society. In Sorai's opinion, they used teachings such as The Way to justify their actions.
  Sorai rejected the moral ways of Song Confucianism and looked at the older works instead. He argued that allowing human emotions to express themselves was important. For this reason, he tried to strengthen the position that Chinese literature had in Japan. Sorai had a large following with his teachings and created the Sorai school, which would become an influential force in Japanese Confucian scholarship.
context_section_description: Ogyū Sorai (荻生 徂徠) (March 21, 1666, Edo, Japan – February 28, 1728, Edo) was a Japanese philosopher who used the pen name Butsu Sorai in many of his writings. He has been described as the most influential Confucian scholar during the Tokugawa period. His main field of study was how Confucius' teachings could be used in government, and how they could influence the order of society as a whole. At the time, Japan had problems with the government. The economic model of mercantilism was used, but was not successful. Japan was still using old institutions, but they had become weak because their members were extravagant (excessive).  Still, these institutions were dominant in society. In Sorai's opinion, they used teachings such as The Way to justify their actions.
  Sorai rejected the moral ways of Song Confucianism and looked at the older works instead. He argued that allowing human emotions to express themselves was important. For this reason, he tried to strengthen the position that Chinese literature had in Japan. Sorai had a large following with his teachings and created the Sorai school, which would become an influential force in Japanese Confucian scholarship.
caption: Ogyū Sorai from Japanese book 『先哲像伝』
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