Ando Shoeki
Ando Shoeki / 1703-1762 / Philosopher・Physician
Born to a farming family in the Niida area of Odate City, Ando moved to Kyoto as a young man to study Zen. In 1732 He began his training as a physician under Ajioka Sanpaku.
After moving to Hachinohe in 1744, he created an ideology based around an egalitarian society while serving as the town physician.
His most famous work Right Cultivation criticized the unequal rights of classes under the samurai during the late Edo period. He declared that a society free of wealth disparity and power struggles could be achieved by returning to an agrarian lifestyle.
Ando left Hachinohe in 1758 to return to Niida in Odate City; his wife remained in Hachinohe. Ando’s ideology took root among the locals who began to abandon the traditional shrine and temple ceremonies. After his death, records show there were incidents between Ando’s pupils and the local temples and shrines.
Akita Prefecture recognized Ando’s grave as a historical marker in 2012.
CATEGORIES