In the beginning Yasuo Kobayashi appealed for an understanding of the globe as a wave-like overlapping of slight differences, instead of emphasizing the differences among the various regions.
Takahiro Nakajima started by questioning the world-wide phenomenon of a Classical Turn. Nakajima brought up the phenomenon of Confucian Revival in present China and the discourse of the World Congress in Confucianism that took place this year, in particular, pointed out its similarities with the Japanese discourse of the 1930s, and introduced the question of methods in understanding the Classics. He situated Tetsuro Watsuji within this context and started a discussion with Makoto Kurozumi over Watsuji’s understanding of the Classics.
Hajime Okayama made several comments from the viewpoint of Buddhism. Addressing Kurozumi’s question, Okayama explained about the fundamental change that the views on man underwent around the 1st century BC, as well as about the difference between the Chinese and Indian views on man.
The discussion also covered the relationship of the Classics to the actual society. Mareshi Saito pointed out that in Modern Japan, under the pressure of facing the already objectified Western Classics, a tendency to turn to the Eastern Classics as a healing place had formed, and thus, the Eastern Classics were not objectified.
Masashi Haneda emphasized the viewpoint of not thinking about Japanese Classics, but of Classics of humanity in general, because the Classics appear, according to the human needs.
Kobayashi pointed out that the Classics always belong to an age, preceding the preceding age and do not require a personal value decision.
This discussion centered on the Eastern Classics brought up many questions that will be relevant to the ensuing meetings on Islam and the West. The detailed record of this time’s discussion will be published under a booklet form from this year’s UTCP. (Norihiro Furuhashi, English translation: Dennitza Gabrakova)