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Quite significant, too, was the compilation by Satsunan school scholar [[Tomari Jochiku]], a student of [[Nanpo Bunshi]], of versions of Zhu Xi's commentaries incorporating his teacher's "Bunshi-ten" assistive markings. Jochiku's Bunshi-ten version of the ''Dakui Sishu jizhu'' ("Commentaries on the Four Books for Acing the Civil Service Exams"), published by Kyoto-based publisher [[Nakano Dohan|Nakano Dôhan]] in [[1626]], made Zhu Xi's commentaries widely available for the first time in a format most educated Japanese could read.<ref>Takatsu, 259-260.</ref>

Quite significant, too, was the compilation by Satsunan school scholar [[Tomari Jochiku]], a student of [[Nanpo Bunshi]], of versions of Zhu Xi's commentaries incorporating his teacher's "Bunshi-ten" assistive markings. Jochiku's Bunshi-ten version of the ''Dakui Sishu jizhu'' ("Commentaries on the Four Books for Acing the Civil Service Exams"), published by Kyoto-based publisher [[Nakano Dohan|Nakano Dôhan]] in [[1626]], made Zhu Xi's commentaries widely available for the first time in a format most educated Japanese could read.<ref>Takatsu, 259-260.</ref>

One of Seika's students, [[Hayashi Razan]], then became the chief Confucian advisor to several shoguns, passing on that position to his son, and establishing the [[Hayashi family]] as the dominant hereditary family in that position, and the dominant school of thought. Scholars such as [[Arai Hakuseki]] interrupted Hayashi dominance at times, making very significant contributions to Tokugawa political philosophy and policy, but the Hayashi generally returned to dominance afterwards. Dubbed ''Hayashi Daigaku-no-kami'' ("Hayashi head of the academy") as their official title, heads of the Hayashi family became heads of the lead Confucian academy in the realm, the Shôheizaka gakumonjo, and the Confucian shrine with which it was associated, the [[Yushima Seido|Yushima Seidô]].<ref>"Shôheikô" 昌平黌。 ''Nihon daihyakka zensho Nipponica'' 日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ). Shogakkan. Accessed via JapanKnowledge online resource, 13 September 2011.; "[http://kotobank.jp/word/%E6%B9%AF%E5%B3%B6%E8%81%96%E5%A0%82 Yushima seidô]." ''Koku shitei shiseki kanzen guide no kaisetsu'' 国指定史跡完全ガイドの解説, Kodansha, 2013.; Plaques on-site at Yushima Seidô.</ref>

One of Seika's students, [[Hayashi Razan]], then became the chief Confucian advisor to several shoguns, passing on that position to his son, and establishing the [[Hayashi clan]] as the dominant hereditary family in that position, and the dominant school of thought. Scholars such as [[Arai Hakuseki]] interrupted Hayashi dominance at times, making very significant contributions to Tokugawa political philosophy and policy, but the Hayashi generally returned to dominance afterwards. Dubbed ''Hayashi Daigaku-no-kami'' ("Hayashi head of the academy") as their official title, heads of the Hayashi family became heads of the lead Confucian academy in the realm, the Shôheizaka gakumonjo, and the Confucian shrine with which it was associated, the [[Yushima Seido|Yushima Seidô]].<ref>"Shôheikô" 昌平黌。 ''Nihon daihyakka zensho Nipponica'' 日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ). Shogakkan. Accessed via JapanKnowledge online resource, 13 September 2011.; "[http://kotobank.jp/word/%E6%B9%AF%E5%B3%B6%E8%81%96%E5%A0%82 Yushima seidô]." ''Koku shitei shiseki kanzen guide no kaisetsu'' 国指定史跡完全ガイドの解説, Kodansha, 2013.; Plaques on-site at Yushima Seidô.</ref>

Neo-Confucianism had its detractors, however, in Japan as well, with figures such as [[Ogyu Sorai|Ogyû Sorai]] gaining considerable currency in intellectual circles.

Neo-Confucianism had its detractors, however, in Japan as well, with figures such as [[Ogyu Sorai|Ogyû Sorai]] gaining considerable currency in intellectual circles.

Members of the scholar-bureaucracy in the Ryûkyû Kingdom were well-educated in Chinese language, and well-read in the Chinese classics, reading them in the original Chinese. Zhu Xi's commentaries likely entered Ryûkyû no later than Japan, and due to the close ties between Ryûkyû and Ming China, we can presume that developments in Neo-Confucian thought in China would have been transmitted to Ryûkyû quite consistently.

Members of the scholar-bureaucracy in the Ryûkyû Kingdom were well-educated in Chinese language, and well-read in the Chinese classics, reading them in the original Chinese. Zhu Xi's commentaries likely entered Ryûkyû no later than Japan, and due to the close ties between Ryûkyû and Ming China, we can presume that developments in Neo-Confucian thought in China would have been transmitted to Ryûkyû quite consistently.

However, as in mainland Japan, it was not until the publication of Tomari Jochiku's Bunshi-ten texts that scholars in Ryûkyû knew how the texts were read in Japanese. Jochiku himself brought a number of copies to the Ryukyuan court in [[1632]] when he traveled there to become an official tutor to the court, and before long it came to be the standard form of the text used in the scholar-aristocracy's schools. Those in [[Kumemura]] taught the Japanese readings of the texts alongside the original Chinese, while those in [[Shuri]] taught only using the Japanese Bunshi-ten texts.<ref name=takatsu263>Takatsu, 263-264.</ref>

However, as in mainland Japan, it was not until the publication of Tomari Jochiku's Bunshi-ten texts that scholars in Ryûkyû knew how the texts were read in Japanese. Jochiku himself brought a number of copies to the Ryukyuan court in [[1632]] when he traveled there to become an official tutor to the court. It was soon afterward officially authorized by the king, and came to be the standard form of the text used in the scholar-aristocracy's schools. Those in [[Kumemura]] taught the Japanese readings of the texts alongside the original Chinese, while those in [[Shuri]] taught only using the Japanese Bunshi-ten texts.<ref name=takatsu263>Takatsu, 263-264.</ref>

Members of the [[1842]] [[Ryukyuan embassy to Edo]] attempted to buy nearly one hundred copies of the Bunshi-ten commentaries in [[Osaka]] - so many that more had to be printed.<ref name=takatsu263/>

Members of the [[1842]] [[Ryukyuan embassy to Edo]] attempted to buy nearly one hundred copies of the Bunshi-ten commentaries in [[Osaka]] - so many that more had to be printed.<ref name=takatsu263/> Historian Takatsu Takashi identifies this ''Dakui sishu jizhu'', deriving from a version published in the late 16th or early 17th century by [[Yu Mingtai]] in [[Fujian province]], and today surviving only in Japanese reprints (and not in China), as "the most important text when we investigate the circulation of the teaching of Zhuzi in seventeenth century East Asia."<ref>Takatsu, 265.</ref>

 

 

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