Four Chinese who are very respected by the Japanese are generally famous in China, how many do you know?

Preface

Since ancient times, there have been some people who have been admired and respected by the world for their outstanding talents and outstanding contributions. Interestingly, however, although these people are highly regarded in Japan, they are little known and have a mediocre reputation in China.

This contrast makes one wonder who these Chinese really are, why are they not well-known in China, but they are revered in Japan? Let's unravel this historical mystery and explore its mysteries.

Wang Yangming: The light of thought illuminates Japan

During the Zhengde period, Wang Yangming was demoted to Guizhou Longchang as an official. In this strange land, he experienced a major turning point in his life. In the face of the barren environment and difficult life, Wang Yangming was not crushed, but found the source of inner peace and wisdom in this quiet land.

In the past few years in Longchang, Wang Yangming has devoted himself to cultivation and constantly reflected on the meaning of life. He found that the so-called "knowledge" and "action" in the Confucian classics were not completely separated, but should be integrated. Therefore, he founded the Yang Ming Mind of "the unity of knowledge and action", believing that the human heart is the source of morality, and as long as the heart remains pure, it will naturally make the right choices and actions.

This system of thought not only had a great impact in the Ming Dynasty, but also caused a strong response in Japan. During the Japanese Restoration, Yangmei Mind was regarded as the guiding ideology for governing the country. The Japanese deeply believe in the concept of "unity of knowledge and action" and combine it with their own "bushido" spirit to form a unique craftsman spirit.

In Japan, Yangmei Mind is regarded as a simple, easy-to-understand, and practical philosophical system. The Japanese government vigorously promotes Yangming Mind precisely because it coincides with the temperament of the Japanese. Japanese scholars have published a large number of research monographs, such as the "Yang Ming Studies", which deeply explores the connotation and influence of Yang Ming thought.

On the occasion of the 500th anniversary of Wang Yangming's birth, Japan held a grand celebration, which shows his lofty status in Japan. It can be said that Yangmei Mind has had a profound and lasting impact on the development of Japanese thought and culture, and has become an important link for cultural exchanges between the two countries.

Zhu Shunshui: A pioneer in reforming Confucianism

Zhu Shunshui was born in a family of eunuchs, and he could have had no worries about food and clothing. But with the fall of the Ming Dynasty, he witnessed the decay of the state and the incompetence of the scholar class. This made him deeply distressed, so he began to run around and devote himself to the cause of opposing the Qing Dynasty and restoring the Ming Dynasty.

However, as time passed, Zhu Shunshui gradually realized that the restoration of his sight had become empty talk. In the thirteenth year of Yongli, he decided to give up everything in China and move to Japan, where he would spend the rest of his life.

In Japan, Zhu Shunshui did not give up his ideals and ambitions. He began to impart his own knowledge and carried out a radical reform of traditional Confucianism.

For example, he advocated the integration of moral cultivation with practical life, and called on literati to practice and learn more, rather than just staying at the theoretical level. In terms of politics, he proposed that the political morality of rulers should be equal to the law, and could not rely solely on moral constraints. Economically, he advocated pragmatism and should not be trapped by ancestral teachings.

These innovative ideas of Zhu Shunshui have undoubtedly had a far-reaching impact on Japan's reform in the fields of politics, economy, and historiography. He pointed out a new direction for the development of Confucianism in Japan and became a pioneer of reform.

Zhu Shunshui's experience also reflects the changes of an era. The fall of the Ming Dynasty made him lose his foothold in China, but he did not give up his ideals and ambitions. In Japan, he found new space for development and made an important contribution to the modernization of Japan.

Xu Fu: The legendary life of traveling east to Japan

Qin Shi Huang was an eloquent emperor, but he also had his own obsessions and weaknesses. His quest for immortality led him to recruit alchemists in the hope of finding a secret recipe for longevity.

Xu Fu is one of the famous alchemists. He tricked Qin Shi Huang into saying that he knew the location of the overseas fairy islands, and as long as he gave him 3,000 boys and girls, he could collect the elixir of life for Qin Shi Huang. Qin Shi Huang was confused for a while, and actually agreed to Xu Fu's request.

Xu Fu and the others crossed to the east, and there has been no news since. Later generations said that his party eventually settled on the Japanese island of Kyushu. If this legend is true, then Xu Fu's eastward journey to Japan is undoubtedly of groundbreaking significance.

The advanced agricultural technology and production tools he brought with him helped Japan move from a tribal society to a feudal society; The culture of the Central Plains, which he disseminated, also laid the foundation for the civilization of Japan. It is no wonder that some Japanese dignitaries will revere Xu Fu as the "father of the nation".

Xu Fu's story is full of mystery and makes people reverie. Whether he really found Xiandao, or did he just deceive Qin Shi Huang's trust, and where did he finally settle down? These questions remain unanswered.

But what is certain is that Xu Fuku's eastward crossing made an important contribution to the development of Japanese civilization. His legendary experience has also become an important microcosm of cultural exchanges between China and Japan.

Wei Yuan: A pioneer of the "Westernization Movement" in Japan

At the end of the Qing Dynasty, China was in a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society, and was in urgent need of reform and opening up. Wei Yuan was an important thinker during this period, and he tried to introduce advanced Western culture into China, hoping to awaken the progressive consciousness of the Chinese people.

However, Chinese society at that time was too closed and backward, and most people preferred to live with their eyes closed rather than believe Wei Yuan's views. His efforts were ultimately in vain, failing to have the impact they deserved in China.

However, Wei Yuan's masterpiece "Atlas of the Sea Kingdom" became an important ideological basis for Japan's Meiji Restoration. This magnum opus systematically introduces the national conditions of various countries in the world and gives Japanese people an in-depth understanding of the outside world.

On the eve of the Meiji Restoration, almost every progressive-minded Japanese had a copy of the "Atlas of the Sea Kingdom." This work pointed out the direction of Japan's "Westernization Movement" and promoted the process of industrialization in Japan.

Because of this, Wei Yuan was regarded as a teacher by the Japanese, and he was highly regarded as a teacher. The Japanese are deeply grateful to Wei Yuan for opening the door to modernity and enabling them to transcend their closed confines and move towards prosperity.

Wei Yuan's story proves once again that although the seed of truth is small, it can take root and sprout and bloom with brilliant brilliance as long as it encounters fertile soil. Although he did not succeed in China, he made a huge impact in Japan and became an important link in cultural exchange between the two countries.

epilogue

The development of history is often unexpected. Although the four Chinese are unknown in the motherland, they shine in Japan and become the guiding lights of ideology and culture. Their stories show us that the influence of Chinese civilization is difficult for any country to ignore.

Wang Yangming's Yangming Psychology, Zhu Shunshui's Confucian Reform, Xu Fu's Legend of Dongdu, and Wei Yuan's "Westernization Movement" enlightenment all reflect the profundity and influence of Chinese culture. The deeds of these sages also prove the long history of cultural exchanges between China and Japan.

Although there have been conflicts between China and Japan, cultural exchanges have never been interrupted. Let us work with all countries in the world with an open and inclusive mindset to contribute to the development of human civilization. Only in this way can we let the light of Chinese civilization shine forever and become a beacon that illuminates the world.