Free Emperor of Japan: Meiji and His World, 1852’1912 by Donald Keene Page B

education, regardless of whether a person was a student of Chinese learning, a devotee of the emperor, or even (like Fukuzawa Yukichi and Kat ō Hiroyuki) advocates of Western learning. On May 5 during an audience with the emperor, Iwakura read aloud the proposal of someone who favored a republican government—presumably as a warning against too great a tolerance of dissenting opinions. He urged the emperor to devote himself more than ever to his Heaven-appointed duties so as to ensure the fairness of the government’s policies. The most essential concern was education. Judging from recent conditions, Iwakura observed, the blind adherence of many people to Western ways deprives them of independent, self-respecting thought. If a Westerner says the Analects is a good book, they read it at once; if a Westerner says it is a bad book, they throw it away without hesitation. It reminds one of ignorant men or women rushing off to worship at whatever Inari shrine happens to be popular at the moment. 17
    On June 26, the day after the revised bill was submitted to the emperor, he promised, in view of the importance of the matter and his own personal interest, to have a written record of his views prepared. This document, composed by Motoda, was in two parts. Although it purported to present the emperor’s views, they were in fact Motoda’s. The first part declared:
    The essence of the teachings for high and low alike of our ancestors and our national classics is that the essential function of education is to teach benevolence, righteousness, loyalty, and filial piety. The Way of human beings should be cultivated by the exhaustive study of knowledge and the arts. However, in recent years only knowledge and the arts have been respected, and in their eagerness to run after the trivialities of “civilization and enlightenment,” quite a few men have broken rules of conduct and impaired customs. Moreover, taking the astute proclamation that old, unenlightened customs are to be rejected and learning is to be sought throughout the world as the commencement of the Restoration, such people have promised they will adopt the superior practices of the West and demonstrate they are capable of making improvements each day. But what happens is that they dismiss, as long-standing evils, benevolence, righteousness, loyalty, and filiality and recklessly vie to adopt Western ways. This is to be dreaded for the future and may in the end make them unaware of the great principle of loyalty to one’s sovereign and filial behavior toward one’s parents. Their attitude does not accord with the basic principles of education in our country.
    For this reason, from this time forward, basing ourselves on the teachings of our ancestors, we should teach benevolence, righteousness, loyalty, and filial piety, and our moral teachings should be based chiefly on Confucius. People should revere sincerity and good conduct and study the different disciplines in accordance with their particular talents. As they continue their progress, morality and technical skills, both essential and auxiliary, will all be present, and the teachings of the Great Mean and righteousness will fill the land. Then, in its spirit of independence, our country shall not be ashamed before any nation in the universe. 18
    In his second essay, Motoda touched on his experiences while traveling with the emperor:
    Last autumn when I examined schools in the various prefectures and observed the pupils’ scholarly attainments, the instruction offered to children of farmers and merchants consisted entirely of high-flown empty theories. In extreme cases the pupils were able to speak Western languages well but were incapable of translating the foreign words into Japanese. When these children graduate some day and return home, it will be difficult for them to apply themselves once more to their basic occupations. The high-flown empty theories they have learned will be of no use to them either if they wish