Official School

The Official School

The Official School was a school of thought in early imperial China that combined aspects of law, Confucianism, military science and political tactics. It was founded by the official Cui Sheng, who was the Grand Minister of Emperor Chu Han in the former Han Dynasty.

The Official School taught that the only way for a state to have a chance at surviving was to do so through putting legal and moral authority at its center. Cui Sheng championed this belief, as he felt it was the only way to ensure the smooth functioning of society and the protection of personal freedoms. This, in turn, provided stability in a world that was often ruled by chaos and tyranny.

This reasoning was seen as the foundation of a school of statecraft, leaving behind the Confucianism of the Zhou Dynasty and instead focusing on pragmatic and political reality. Its doctrines revolved around omen reading and foretelling the future, but Cui Sheng believed that the state should not simply foresee the circumstances in advance and use them as tools, but instead look for the best and most advantageous tactics for the present.

The Official School did not rely solely on Confucianism but incorporated elements from other schools of thought, including military science and tactics. Cui Sheng believed that laws should be made to protect the people and their rights, while also allowing the ruler to maintain power and control. He also taught that the determining factor of statecraft was to ensure the welfare of the people and that the state should use taxation and other measures to redistribute wealth and prevent any group from economically exploiting the rest of society.

He also made sure that the rulers were aware of the repercussions their decisions may have, and advocated for making the most practical decisions for the present and the future. In his work, Cui Sheng recognized the importance of strategizing and making careful calculations when it comes to matters of governance. This doctrine was taken up by future thinkers and became a defining feature of the Official School.

This school of thought not only helped shape the way China was governed but was also influential in the rest of East Asia. Its followers were renowned for their skill in matters of statecraft, and its doctrines were studied for centuries, until it finally faded away in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As a result, the ideas and teachings of the Official School have left an indelible mark on China’s history and its approach to politics.

The Genroku-kanfō school (元禄官房学派) is a school of thought that traces its roots to the Yamaguchi domain in Chōshū Province during the early Seventeenth century Edo period. It was one of the few domains in the country that embraced a mix of traditional samurai values and knowledge from the West, including a rigorous study of the Dutch language. This led to the formation of various exchange visits to the Netherlands and the integration of Dutch studies (Rangaku) into the education of the Genroku-kanfō samurai.

The Genroku-kanfō school represents the ideas of an influential group of scholars and teachers, such as Takano Chōei, who incorporated both Chinese and Japanese elements in the form of poetry and Eastern thought. These scholars were highly respected for their broad understanding and successful use of contemporary ideas and language.

Returning from their travels, the Genroku-kanfō samurai became involved in the politics of the day, introducing modern ideas of reform and change. They proposed a set of legal codes (known as the ‘Four Codes’) that were accepted and implemented by the Meiji government.

The Genroku-kanfō school of thought had a profound influence on both the internal and external political landscape of the country, and its legacy can still be seen today. Its members went on to become influential political figures in the Meiji and Showa governments, creating a lasting impression on the course of modern Japanese society. Indeed, the Genroku-kanfō school of thought paved the way for the introduction of modern ideals and the modernization of the nation.