Nakae Toju

• Born: 1608
• Died: 1648
• Japanese: 中江藤樹 (Nakae Touju)

Nakae Tôju was a prominent Confucian scholar of the Edo period, credited with advancing the thought of Wang Yangming in Japan.

Though Nakae began his studies of Confucianism with devoted attention to the school of Zhu Xi, he later shifted to a focus and dedication to the Wang Yangming (J: Ôyômei) school of thought. He is said to have been particularly interested in "Wang's notions of extending one's intuitive knowledge (ryôchi, C: liang zhi) and of unity of knowledge and action."

Kumazawa Banzan was among Nakae's most prominent disciples.

References

• Arai Hakuseki, Joyce Ackroyd (trans.), Told Round a Brushwood Fire, University of Tokyo Press (1979), 282n61.