A metaphysical interpretation of ‘Heaven’ and the ‘Mandate of Heaven’ as practice: Takada Shinji’s argument about the ‘Mandate of Heaven’

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper is to examine Takada Shinji’s (1893–1975) view of the ‘Mandate of Heaven (天命 tenmei)’. Takada understood the ‘Imperial Way (皇道 kōdō)’ as one of two axes, the ‘Mandate of Heaven’ and the ‘Rectification of Names (正名 seimei)’, together they made possible a theoretical systematization of the ‘Imperial Way’ discourse as well as its concrete political embodiment. It is undeniable that the ideas of the ‘Imperial Way’ received heavy criticism after WWII. Because it was used as a problematic ideology in Imperial Japan. Nonetheless, it is necessary to grasp its original meaning as understood by its theoretical founder and innovators. This paper thus turns to examine Takada’s unique understanding of the ‘Mandate of Heaven’ from the belief that such an examination should precede before starting a more systematic and comprehensive discussion of the ‘Imperial Way’ discourse.

KEYWORDS:

• Takada Shinji
• Mandate of Heaven
• teleology
• Morality

Acknowledgments

I would like to express my special thanks and gratitude to my best friend and colleague Capt. Lee, Jiwoo (Department of language and literature, Division of Humanities, Republic of Korea Airforce Academy).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. In the case of Kang Haesoo defining Confucianism as ‘Japanese Confucianism’ at that time. From the Imperial Rescript on Education (教育ニ関スル勅語 Kyōiku ni Kansuru Chokugo), he regards it as an ideology that supports the Imperial Way (Kang, 2012, pp. 11–15). Check reference page nos different in References?

2. Takada quotes each book. In the case of Spencer’s citation, it is a comparison from the perspective of viewing the ancient Australian Sky and the ancient Chinese ‘Heaven’. In addition, the quotations about Tyler projected Tyler’s perspective on analyzing animism and analyzed the perspective of seeing ‘Heaven’ in ancient China. In the case of Spencer’s research, Takada made the comparison that ‘Heaven’ in ancient Australia was recognized as a part of nature, while in ancient China it was recognized as an object of worship. And while Takada projected Tyler’s point of view and analyzed the Classic of Poetry, he expressed the similarities of ancient society (Takada, 1944b, p. 57).

3. Takada uses the following terms to refer to ‘Heaven’: ‘Emperor above’, ‘Emperor of Heaven (天帝 tentei)’, ‘God of Heaven (天神 tenjin)’, ‘Sky above (上天 jōten)’, ‘Emperor of Sky (皇天 teiten)’, ‘Heaven the vast (昊天 kōten)’. However, all these expressions in Takada have the same meaning (Takada, 1932a, p. 2, 1944a, p. 8).

4. Furthermore, Takada expresses ‘Heaven’ as ‘the absolute supreme god in the universe (Ibid., p. 127)’.

5. 支那における有神論は、天に対する思想.

6. 上帝なる観念によって現され.

7. 天は万物を生じてこれを主宰する神である.

8. 万物は天の本質の発現.

9. 政教及び道徳の根本観念.

10. Kant affirmed both teleology and mechanism at the same time and considered their compatibility (Park, 2022b, p. 546).

11. 目的原因を以て満有の説明原理と為し、又は目的概念に関係せしめて事物の存在を説明し、自然の法則は吾人の心意作用に於て見るが如くに或目的を立てて之に向ふものとみて、目的概念を以て解釈するのが目的観（Teleologie）であり.

12. It can be confirmed that Takada mainly referred to Metaphysics, which was written by Aristotle (Takada, 1939, p. 6).

13. 宇宙満物を創成して之を支配し監督し牧養する.

14. Takada’s thoughts on formal causes can also be confirmed through the expression ‘mankind is all heavenly flocks’. In addition, Takada clarified the distinction between the formal cause and the final cause by arguing that ‘the root of human is in Heaven (Takada, 1932a, p. 2, 1939, p. 19)’.

15. 最高の実在で宇宙の主宰者.

16. 最も完全絶対で唯一最高である神としての天.

17. 天は万物を生じて之を主宰する神である。造化の主である。而も人の如く口を以て言ひ手を以て指図するものでは無い。人は皆天の子であつて睿知を有する者である。故に能く天の意志を知つて天に代わつて天の仕事を助成して行かねばならぬ。.

18. 天帝というは、人間の親が子供を育てるのには、人間ならば親が一々口や手を以て説明し指図するのであるが、天というものは自ら手を下して指図し口を以て命令するということはしない。天帝は宇宙の親として万物を造るが、天そのものは形として見るべきものはなく〔中略〕.

19. In the ‘Li-Ren’ of the Analects, Takada quotes ‘if I can hear the Way in the morning, in the evening I can die content’, and describes the Confucius’ spirit of seeking the truth as follows. ‘A philomathy attitude makes a man of the Learning in the Orient who has wisdom and virtue, and in particular moral deeds (Takada, 1938, p. 108)’.

20. 真理を真理として認識する所の精神が欠乏して居るというふのではない.

21. Here, this paper limits ourselves to ancient Greek philosophy for the sake of the discussion.

22. The stance of Takada does not mean that Takada does not completely take the truth of western philosophy as an object of practice. Takada argues about the direction in this part. Furthermore, he argued that western philosophy is ‘more intellectual and has more varied colors’ and does not argue that it is not an object of practice (ibid., p. 33).

23. 理想の道を求むるの志を立つることが最も必要である.

24. Takada quoted the 8th article of the Great Learning, ‘Investigate the nature of things, pursue knowledge, act in good faith, rectify one’s mind, cultivate one’s moral character, manage one’s household, administer state affairs and bring peace to the nation (Takada, 1933a, p. 56–61)’.

25. 性に率うて道が生ずるのであり、道を修むるのが教である.

26. 人が道徳を行ふのは、此の天命の性に基くものであらねばならぬ。此の天命の性に因つて人間常行の道徳が生ずるのである。.

27. ‘Mandate’ is like ‘Command (令 ling)’. ‘Nature’ is ‘Principle (理 li)’. ‘Heaven’, through ‘Dark Side (陰 yin)’ and ‘Light Side (陽 yang)’ and the ‘Five Phases (五行 wuxing)’, transforms and gives rise to the ten thousand things; ‘Energy(氣 qi)’ completes their forms, and ‘Principle’ is also bestowed on them like a decree. As a result, in the creation of people, because each acquires the ‘Principle’ that is bestowed on him, this may be taken as an unvarying compliance with the ‘Five Constants (五常 wuchang)’ of ‘Virtue (德 de)’, and is what is called ‘Nature’ (commented by Zhu Xi, Preface to Commentary on Doctrine of the Mean, Chapter 1).

28. 人は天地中正の気を受けて生きれた者であるといふのは、人間の精神及び肉体が最も良き調和を得て生成して居る點から言ふのであつて、人が他の禽獣草木土石に比して優秀とされるのは、此點に在ることを謂ふのである。是は此性を稟ける人の側から見て言つたのであるが、若し之を天の側から見て天を主として言えば、是れ即ち宇宙の主宰者たる天が人に命じて然らしめるものと謂ふことが出来るから、之を天命と謂ふのである。.

29. 此の場合天命は、道徳に関する天命の意味.

30. 人の本性の中に道徳礼義の常法を行ふべき素質が天から賦与されて具つて居るのであり、其に基づいて人間常行の道が生じて居るのであることを謂ふのであつて.

31. 慈愛の徳遠近内外充實透徹無所不至之謂仁.

32. 仁者謂長人安民之徳也是聖人之大徳也.

33. 天地の徳.

34. This refers to the ‘chapter of the Way is not something separate from man’ in The Doctrine of the Mean and the law that governs people is inherent in mankind and Confucius refers to it as the ‘Way’. Takada, therefore, understands that the ‘Way’ as ‘Benevolence’.

35. 天地に充塞する慈愛の大精神となる.

36. 徳治は即ち仁政を意味する.

37. 一家を治めることに当る.

38. 人間のうちで最も偉い人.

39. However, he also argues that the duty of the ‘Son of Heaven’ is to ‘know the purpose and will of Heaven, receive the Mandate of Heaven, and always reveres and obeys it to govern the people (Takada, 1944b, p. 127)’.

40. Takada cites Confucius, Yao and Shun emperors, and King Wen as examples of people who found ‘Mandate of Heaven’. According to Takada, Confucius was a saint, and for that reason he ‘realized his great mission (大使命) to save mankind through the Way of Confucianism (斯の道) on behalf of Heaven’. The great mission can be interpreted as ‘Mandate of Heaven’. Takada, then, indirectly explains that Confucius is the ‘Son of Heaven’ by quoting the sentence: ‘Knew the Mandate of Heaven at fifty (Takada, 1937, p. 286)’.

41. 天下を三分して其の二を保つという位の聖徳を示していた.

42. 天人合一の境地に達した.

43. 宇宙の主宰し監督し且つ賞罰を降すもの.

44. 天の目的意志を知り、天命を受けて常に之を畏敬遵奉して民を治めしめる.

45. Takada argued, ‘Heaven is viewing (the Son of Heaven) through the people, and Haven rewards or punish (the Son of Heaven) through the people (Takada, 1934, p. 2)’.

46. The same meaning as the ‘Son of Heaven’.

47. 爆虐にして悪政を施して民を苦しめるならば、此は天が民を愛育するの意志に背くものであるから王者を罰する.

48. 孔子には革命を敢行して天子になるという政治的の天命思想への自覚は全然認めることが出来ないのである.

49. 純粋なる意味の天命思想の実現ではない.

50. For more information about the definition of originators, refer to Park Junhyun’s research (Park, 2022a).