Saitō Chikudō

Saitō Chikudō (斉藤 竹堂, November 11, 1815 – April 11, 1852) was a Japanese confucian scholar, historian, and poet. His real name was Kaoru (馨). His pen name was Chikudō (竹堂) or Bōyōshi (茫洋子).

Life

Chikudō was born in Mutsukoku-Tōdagun-Numabemura (now Tajiri in Tōda District, Miyagi prefecture). He studied under Ōtsuki Heisen and Masujima Ran-en. Chikudō entered Yushima Seidō where he studied and taught Chinese poetry, and served as the house master in Yushima Seidō. He associated with the celebrities in those days. For example, Ōtsuki Bankei, Hagura Kandō, Saitō Totsudō and Shinozaki Shōchiku. Rai Mikisaburō was Chikudō's junior in Yushima Seidō and a friend of his.

In 1845, he went back home once and moved to Edo with his wife and mother. He opened a free school in Shimotani Aioicho (now Aioichō, Tokyo). This school was popular and he became notable. The Lord of Sendai Domain hoped to employ Chikudō as a professor of Confucianism, but Chikudō died before the selection. He was 38 years old.

Works

Chikudō wrote most poems and prose in Classical Chinese. His Chinese sentences did not have ambiguity. His interests were very wide. He knew the history of Western countries and was using Noah, the history of Babylonia, Alexander the Great, Aristotle, Napoleon and George Washington as poem themes.

Bibliography

• "Hanso jitsuroku" (藩祖実録) - Biography of Date Masamune
• "Jin chū roku" (尽忠録) - Biography of Date Aki(伊達安芸),Lord of Wakuya Domain
• "Ōshū Kyūji" (奥州旧事) - History of Tōhoku region
• "Tokushi Zeigi" (読史贅議) - Analysis of Japanese historic persons
• "Syun-syun Den" (蠢々伝)
• "Ahen Shimatsu" (鴉片始末) - Report of First Opium War
• "Ban Shi" (蕃史) - History of Western countries

References

• "頼山陽とその時代" (Rai San'yo and his era)  : Nakamura Shinichirō（中村真一郎） published in 1976
• "涌谷町史"(Wakuya-Chōshi) : History of Wakuya town