Tani Sanzan

Tani Sanzan (180211 December 1867) was a Japanese Confucian scholar and educator in the late Edo period. Deafened in his teenage years, Sanzan became blind in his later life and communicated with his students through tactile communication. In his writings he argued for the rejection of Western political and cultural influence.

Life and work

Sanzan was born in Kyōwa 2 (1802) in a merchant house in Yagi Village. He was the third son of his father Shigeyuki and his mother Chiya. Sanzan studied with scholar Ikai Keisho (1761–1845) and was friends with intellectuals such as Rai San'yō and Yoshida Shōin.

He became a respected author of zuihitsu, a form of contemplative personal essay. His writings focused on promoting respect for the emperor and rejection of Western foreigners. He died on 11 December 1867.