Ogyū Sorai’s Interpretations of the Analects: Hermeneutics as Politics

Title

Ogyū Sorai’s Interpretations of the Analects: Hermeneutics as Politics

Author

Chun-Chieh HUANG

Page

111-134

DOI

Abstract

This article discusses Ogyū Sorai’s interpretations of the Analects. It has been argued that the Tao (道), the sage (sheng-jen 聖人) and the Six Classics (六經) constitute the tripartite structure of Ogyū Sorai’s hermeneutics of Analects. Confucius’ Tao was taken by Sorai as “the way of former kings,” namely, Yao, Shun, Yü, T’ang, King Wen, King Wu and Duke of Chou. The sages in Confucius was taken by Sorai as the creators of the political institutions. All the Tao of the sages was recorded in the Six Classics which is prior to and more important than the Analects.
In conclusion, we insist that Sorai’s hermeneutics of the Analects exhibits the characteristics of praxis hermeneutics. In Sorai’s hermeneutics as politics, his project for the present and the future had been merged into his interpretations of the classics.

Keyword

Ogyū Sorai, Confucius, Analects, Tao, Sage, Six Classics, Hermeneutics

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