BD203002 History of Chinese Scientific Thoughts

Hiroshima University Syllabus

Japanese

Academic Year 2026Year School/Graduate School School of Letters

Lecture Code BD203002 Subject Classification Specialized Education

Subject Name 中国学術思想史

Subject Name
（Katakana）チュウゴクガクジュツシソウシ

Subject Name in
English History of Chinese Scientific Thoughts

Instructor AOYAMA DAISUKE

Instructor
(Katakana) アオヤマ　ダイスケ

Campus Higashi-Hiroshima Semester/Term 3rd-Year,  First Semester,  2Term

Days, Periods, and Classrooms (2T) Tues1-4：LET B153

Lesson Style Lecture Lesson Style
(More Details) Face-to-face

Credits 2.0 Class Hours/Week 4 Language of Instruction J : Japanese

Course Level 2 : Undergraduate Low-Intermediate

Course Area（Area） 23 : Arts and Humanities

Course Area（Discipline） 01 : Philosophy

Eligible Students

Keywords Chinese thought; Confucian learning; Confucianism; Japanese thought; Japanese Kangaku (Sinological scholarship); the Bakumatsu–Meiji Restoration period; samurai; modernization.

Special Subject for Teacher Education 　 Special Subject 　

Class Status
within Educational
Program
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced
Evaluation
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students) Philosophy and Thought
（Knowledge and Understanding）
・Basic understanding of Philosophy and Thoughts (including Liberal Arts Education)
・Acquisition of basic knowledge about Philosophy and Thoughts

Class Objectives
/Class Outline From what intellectual context did the Meiji Restoration emerge? This course focuses on the Japanese Confucian scholar Yasui Sokken  (安井息軒:1799, Miyazaki – 1876, Tokyo), who was active during the late Edo(江戸) and early Meiji (明治) periods. Through examining his life, writings, and activities, students will deepen their understanding of how intellectuals of the time thought and interpreted the world.

Class Schedule lesson1　Guidance: Why Yasui Sokken? Evaluations by modern literary figures
lesson2　Sokken as a character: personality, appearance, and hobbies; the fictional elements in Mori Ōgai’s (森鴎外)"Mrs.Yasui”(安井夫人)
lesson3　Sokken’s intellectual formation (educational background): his father; Shinozaki Shōchiku; Koga Tōan; Matsuzaki Kōdō; the scholarly climate of the late Edo period
lesson4　Sokken’s intellectual formation (reading history): the Keio University Shidō Bunko (斯道文庫) collection
lesson5　Sokken’s commentaries on Chinese classics and diplomacy with Qing China: "Kanshi Sankō"(管子纂詁), "Saden Shūshaku"(左伝輯釈), "Rongo Shūsetsu"(論語集説)
lesson6　Sokken’s educational thought: active learning and practical studies
lesson7　Sokken’s disciples: from prisoners to high officials
lesson8　Sokken and regional development: sericulture, vaccination, and double cropping
lesson9　Sokken’s institutional reforms: Was the Meiji Restoration simply Westernization?
lesson10　Sokken’s diplomatic thought: responses to Perry; analyses of the U.S., Russia, Britain, and France
lesson11　Sokken’s view of religion: critique of Christianity in "Benmō"(弁妄)
lesson12　Sokken’s view of nature: heliocentrism and astrology; scientific thought in the late Edo period
lesson13　Sokken’s travel writings: "Dokushō Yotekki" (読書余適)and "Tōkō Nisshō"(東行日抄)
lesson14　Sokken’s daughter: women’s education in the Edo period
lesson15　Conclusion

A final examination (short essay) "or" a final paper"

Text/Reference
Books,etc. No textbook is required. Reference materials will be specified during the course.

PC or AV used in
Class,etc. Text, Microsoft Teams, moodle

(More Details)

Learning techniques to be incorporated Discussions

Suggestions on
Preparation and
Review The course emphasizes discussion-based learning. While grounded in historical materials, lectures will intentionally connect ideas to contemporary social issues and real-world contexts rather than remaining purely abstract.

Requirements

Grading Method 1. Weekly minute papers (handwritten): 40%
2. Final examination (short essay) "or" final paper:60%
3. Class participation (including contributions to discussion) will also be considered.

Practical Experience Experienced

Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it Curator, "Yasui Sokken Memorial Museum, Miyazaki City" (July 14, 2022 – March 31, 2024)
The course avoids excessive abstraction and aims to relate historical ideas to contemporary social issues, even at the cost of some interpretive leaps.

Message In the course title “History of Chinese Intellectual Thought”,  the term “Chinese” does not refer narrowly to a geographic entity but rather to the broader "Sinosphere (the Chinese-character cultural sphere)". Japanese Kangaku(漢学) studies are therefore included within its scope.

Other

Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes.
Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

Academic Year	2026Year	School/Graduate School	School of Letters
Lecture Code	BD203002	Subject Classification	Specialized Education
Subject Name	中国学術思想史
Subject Name （Katakana）	チュウゴクガクジュツシソウシ
Subject Name in English	History of Chinese Scientific Thoughts
Instructor	AOYAMA DAISUKE
Instructor (Katakana)	アオヤマ　ダイスケ
Campus	Higashi-Hiroshima	Semester/Term	3rd-Year, First Semester, 2Term
Days, Periods, and Classrooms	(2T) Tues1-4：LET B153
Lesson Style	Lecture	Lesson Style (More Details)	Face-to-face

Credits	2.0	Class Hours/Week	4	Language of Instruction	J : Japanese
Course Level	2 : Undergraduate Low-Intermediate
Course Area（Area）	23 : Arts and Humanities
Course Area（Discipline）	01 : Philosophy
Eligible Students
Keywords	Chinese thought; Confucian learning; Confucianism; Japanese thought; Japanese Kangaku (Sinological scholarship); the Bakumatsu–Meiji Restoration period; samurai; modernization.
Special Subject for Teacher Education		Special Subject
Class Status within Educational Program (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Criterion referenced Evaluation (Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)	Philosophy and Thought （Knowledge and Understanding）・Basic understanding of Philosophy and Thoughts (including Liberal Arts Education) ・Acquisition of basic knowledge about Philosophy and Thoughts
Class Objectives /Class Outline	From what intellectual context did the Meiji Restoration emerge? This course focuses on the Japanese Confucian scholar Yasui Sokken (安井息軒:1799, Miyazaki – 1876, Tokyo), who was active during the late Edo(江戸) and early Meiji (明治) periods. Through examining his life, writings, and activities, students will deepen their understanding of how intellectuals of the time thought and interpreted the world.
Class Schedule	lesson1　Guidance: Why Yasui Sokken? Evaluations by modern literary figures lesson2　Sokken as a character: personality, appearance, and hobbies; the fictional elements in Mori Ōgai’s (森鴎外)"Mrs.Yasui”(安井夫人) lesson3　Sokken’s intellectual formation (educational background): his father; Shinozaki Shōchiku; Koga Tōan; Matsuzaki Kōdō; the scholarly climate of the late Edo period lesson4　Sokken’s intellectual formation (reading history): the Keio University Shidō Bunko (斯道文庫) collection lesson5　Sokken’s commentaries on Chinese classics and diplomacy with Qing China: "Kanshi Sankō"(管子纂詁), "Saden Shūshaku"(左伝輯釈), "Rongo Shūsetsu"(論語集説) lesson6　Sokken’s educational thought: active learning and practical studies lesson7　Sokken’s disciples: from prisoners to high officials lesson8　Sokken and regional development: sericulture, vaccination, and double cropping lesson9　Sokken’s institutional reforms: Was the Meiji Restoration simply Westernization? lesson10　Sokken’s diplomatic thought: responses to Perry; analyses of the U.S., Russia, Britain, and France lesson11　Sokken’s view of religion: critique of Christianity in "Benmō"(弁妄) lesson12　Sokken’s view of nature: heliocentrism and astrology; scientific thought in the late Edo period lesson13　Sokken’s travel writings: "Dokushō Yotekki" (読書余適)and "Tōkō Nisshō"(東行日抄) lesson14　Sokken’s daughter: women’s education in the Edo period lesson15　Conclusion A final examination (short essay) "or" a final paper"
Text/Reference Books,etc.	No textbook is required. Reference materials will be specified during the course.
PC or AV used in Class,etc.	Text, Microsoft Teams, moodle
(More Details)
Learning techniques to be incorporated	Discussions
Suggestions on Preparation and Review	The course emphasizes discussion-based learning. While grounded in historical materials, lectures will intentionally connect ideas to contemporary social issues and real-world contexts rather than remaining purely abstract.
Requirements
Grading Method	1. Weekly minute papers (handwritten): 40% 2. Final examination (short essay) "or" final paper:60% 3. Class participation (including contributions to discussion) will also be considered.
Practical Experience	Experienced
Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it	Curator, "Yasui Sokken Memorial Museum, Miyazaki City" (July 14, 2022 – March 31, 2024) The course avoids excessive abstraction and aims to relate historical ideas to contemporary social issues, even at the cost of some interpretive leaps.
Message	In the course title “History of Chinese Intellectual Thought”, the term “Chinese” does not refer narrowly to a geographic entity but rather to the broader "Sinosphere (the Chinese-character cultural sphere)". Japanese Kangaku(漢学) studies are therefore included within its scope.
Other
Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes. Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

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