武士道與近代

Bushido and Modern Age

武士道這個概念，時至今日，並沒有滿足過任何一位思想家或研究者。它亦會因時因地等因素而呈現出不同風貌，因此關於武士道的研究，仍然在不斷地蓬勃發展當中。當日本傳統的價值觀遇到西方異質文化的價值觀時，產生了前所未有的巨變。武士的道德規範及生活準則，在新渡戶稻造（NitobeInazou,1862-1933）的《武士道》這本書中，則有了近代化的詮釋。因而日本人在進入近代之後，也多一個道德教育的選項。本文以「武士道與近代」為題，首先透過觀察日本近代西學啟蒙思想家福澤諭吉（HukuzawaYukichi,1835-1901）對德川封建體制的批判所帶出的武士形象。以此為背景，接著分析新渡戶的《武士道》中具有基督教道德觀的武士形象。最後思考日本在面對西方近代時所呈現出來的自我批判與認同觀。

The general concept or definition of Bushido has not been satisfactory to any thinkers or scholars. And the concept or definition concerning Bushido does vary owing to different time and occasion. It is owing to this fact that the study of Bushido is far from conclusion. During its encounter with the different value system from the West, the traditional values of Japan went through unprecedented changes. The moral standard and the life principles which samurai had followed received some new and modern some interpretation and presentation in the book Bushido, The Soul of Japan by Nitobe Inazou (18621933). As a result, Japanese in modern time had one more option in their moral education. This paper, taking as its subject Bushido and modern age, will examine the criticism which Hukuzawa Yūkichi (1835-1901), a Japanese thinker devoted to promoting modern Western enlightenment, has had of feudal system of Tokugawa period. It will then proceed to analyze the samurai image equipped with the point of view of Christian morals in Nitobe Inazou’s Bushido. The final part of the paper will discuss how Japan, when faced with the modern West, had its self-criticism and attempted to imitate the West.