Changes

*''Japanese'': [[西川]] 如見 ''(Nishikawa Joken)''

*''Japanese'': [[西川]] 如見 ''(Nishikawa Joken)''

Nishikawa Joken was a prominent scholar of the 17th and early 18th centuries, known for his writings on ''tengaku'' (celestial sciences) and on the peoples of the world. Joken is regarded as one of the earliest Japanese scholars to engage with and promote European observational approaches to astronomy.

Nishikawa Joken was a prominent scholar of the 17th and early 18th centuries, known for his writings on ''tengaku'' (celestial sciences) and on the peoples of the world. Joken is regarded as one of the earliest Japanese scholars to engage with and promote European observational approaches to astronomy. In addition to his work on astronomical subjects, Joken also made efforts to advance and spread knowledge on geography and the peoples of the world, "Heaven, Earth, and Man" (J: ''Tenchijin'') being a classical conception of the three chief categories of knowledge. While much of his work was based closely on expertise with Chinese sources, Joken generally wrote in a relatively accessible manner, and without extensive direct quotes from classical Chinese sources.

Joken was born into a townsman (''chônin'') family in [[Nagasaki]]. He is believed to have studied astronomy under [[Kobayashi Kentei]] ([[1601]]-[[1684]])<!--小林謙貞-->, and other Confucian studies with [[Nanbu Soju|Nanbu Sôju]] ([[1637]]-[[1688]])<!--南部草壽-->.

Joken was born into a townsman (''chônin'') family in [[Nagasaki]]. He is believed to have studied astronomy under [[Kobayashi Kentei]] ([[1601]]-[[1684]])<!--小林謙貞-->, and other Confucian studies with [[Nanbu Soju|Nanbu Sôju]] ([[1637]]-[[1688]])<!--南部草壽-->.