Ko Kappa (高葛陂)
Kappa KO (1724 - 1776) was a composer of Chinese poems and Confucian scholar in the mid Edo period. His name was Shun. His azana were Takaoki, Igaku and Doko. His common name was Kaemon and Kozaemon. Kappa was his appellation. His another appellation was Isai. His ancestor was a Chinese who came to Japan in the end of Ming Dynasty period in China. He changed his surname to O in his last years.
Career
He was born in Osaka in 1724. He was raised in Katsushika, Shimousa, Edo. He studied under Tsukuba ISHIJIMA.
After his father's death, he wandered about various places without settling down.
During his wandering, he visited Kyoto repeatedly and opened his private school at Tomikoji Nijo agaru. IKE no Taiga, Buson YOSA, Kenjo DAITEN, Chazan KAN and others attended the school.
He had relationships with famous Confucian scholars and Chinese classical literary persons in those days including Kien MINAGAWA, Soro RYU, Romon OKAZAKI, Tenju KAN and Fuyo KO.
He wrote "Kappa Sensei ---" containing Chinese-style poems. As most of his books are not existent, there are a small number of materials which show his achievements as a Confucian scholar.