An analysis on Nakai Riken’s Opinions of the Sacrifi ce to Ghosts and Gods ― A Japanized way in Explaining the Confucian theory of Ghosts and Gods’ “if exist”

摘要

The scholars of Kaitokudō（懷德堂）― a famous academy in the early modern period of Japan, insist on the opinion of “no ghosts”. Nakai Riken（中井履軒）is one scholar. This paper points out that Nakai Riken’s thought of ghosts and gods’ “not being” is, in fact, insufficient to prove their “not existing”. Conversely speaking, ghosts and gods’ “existing” does not necessarily mean their “being”. In Riken’s annotations of the chapter of Ghosts and Gods in the Doctrine of the Mean（中庸），he divides the ghosts and gods existing both in Yin and Yang and in the rite of sacrifice into two separate ones. And at the same time, he believes there are some wrong compilations in the Doctrine of the Mean in such way that the consistence, between the pronounced human relations and the subtle ghosts and gods, is completely cut off . As a result what Riken says about ghostsand gods are merely what subjectively “think” and “set”. This results in his dilemma in choosing between orthodoxy and heterodoxy. Different from the intense opposition in the theoretical aspect, however, as for practical field, the scholars of Kaitokudō display their acceptance of folk customs and human relationship. Many correct and beneficial factors of communicating with ghosts and gods are preserved in folk customs. Thereby, this paper maintains this attitude of acceptance is actively meaningful.