Saitō Chikudō
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese
confucian, historian and poet
. His real name was Kaoru (馨). His pen name was Chikudō (竹堂) or Bōyōshi (茫洋子).
）. He studied under Ōtsuki Heisen and Masujima Ran-en. Chikudō entered Yushima Seidō
where he studied and taught Chinese poem, and served as the house master in Yushima Seidō. He associated with the celebrities in those days. For example, Ōtsuki Bankei, Hagura Kandō, Saitō Totsudō and Shinozaki Shōchiku. Rai Mikisaburō was Chikudō's junior in Yushima Seidō and a friend of his.
In 1845, he came back home once and moved to Edo
with his wife and mother. He opened a free school in Shimotani Aioicho (now Aioichō, Tokyo
）. This school was popular and he became notable. The Lord of Sendai Domain
hoped to employ Chikudō as a professor of Confucianism
, but Chikudō died before the selection. He was 38 years old.
. His Chinese sentences didn't have ambiguity. His interest was very wide. He knew the history of Western countries and was using Noah
, the history of Babylonia
, Alexander the Great, Aristotle
, Napoleon and George Washington
as poem themes.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
confucian, historian and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
. His real name was Kaoru (馨). His pen name was Chikudō (竹堂) or Bōyōshi (茫洋子).
Life
Chikudō was born in Mutsukoku-Tōdagun-Numabemura （now Tajiri in Tōda District , Miyagi prefectureMiyagi Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku Region on Honshu island. The capital is Sendai.- History :Miyagi Prefecture was formerly part of the province of Mutsu. Mutsu Province, on northern Honshu, was one of the last provinces to be formed as land was taken from the indigenous Emishi, and became the...
）. He studied under Ōtsuki Heisen and Masujima Ran-en. Chikudō entered Yushima Seidō
Yushima Seido
, located in the Yushima neighbourhood of Bunkyō, Tokyo, Japan, was constructed as a Confucian temple in the Genroku era of the Edo period .-Tokugawa bureaucrat training center:...
where he studied and taught Chinese poem, and served as the house master in Yushima Seidō. He associated with the celebrities in those days. For example, Ōtsuki Bankei, Hagura Kandō, Saitō Totsudō and Shinozaki Shōchiku. Rai Mikisaburō was Chikudō's junior in Yushima Seidō and a friend of his.
In 1845, he came back home once and moved to Edo
Edo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
with his wife and mother. He opened a free school in Shimotani Aioicho (now Aioichō, Tokyo
Aioicho, Tokyo
, or officially is a district of Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. Its postal code is 101-0029.The closest station is Hibiya Line Akihabara Station, which is located in Kanda-Matsunagachō, Kanda-Hanaokachō and Kanda-Neribeichō...
）. This school was popular and he became notable. The Lord of Sendai Domain
Sendai Domain
was a Japanese domain of the Edo period. Most of its holdings were contiguous, covering all of modern-day Miyagi Prefecture, small portions of southern Iwate Prefecture, and a portion of northeastern Fukushima Prefecture. The domain's capital, and the ruling family's castle, were located in what...
hoped to employ Chikudō as a professor of Confucianism
Confucianism
Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
, but Chikudō died before the selection. He was 38 years old.
Works
Chikudō wrote most poems and prose in Classical ChineseClassical Chinese
Classical Chinese or Literary Chinese is a traditional style of written Chinese based on the grammar and vocabulary of ancient Chinese, making it different from any modern spoken form of Chinese...
. His Chinese sentences didn't have ambiguity. His interest was very wide. He knew the history of Western countries and was using Noah
Noah
Noah was, according to the Hebrew Bible, the tenth and last of the antediluvian Patriarchs. The biblical story of Noah is contained in chapters 6–9 of the book of Genesis, where he saves his family and representatives of all animals from the flood by constructing an ark...
, the history of Babylonia
Babylonia
Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia , with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as a major power when Hammurabi Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq), with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as...
, Alexander the Great, Aristotle
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
, Napoleon and George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
as poem themes.