Ouchi Seiran (大内青巒)
Seiran OUCHI (May 22, 1845 - December 16, 1918) was a scholar of Buddhist Studies and a thinker, who lived during the Meiji to Taisho periods. His father was a feudal retainer of Sendai Domain, Gonemon OUCHI. His first name was Makaru. His azana (Chinese courtesy name which was, historically, the name formerly given to adult Chinese men, used in place of their given name in formal situations; scholars and the literati of Japan adopted this custom of courtesy name) was Kanshi (巻之). His different pseudonym was Aiai koji. He was born in Miyagi County, Mutsu Province (later Rikuzen Province).
Career
He firstly became a priest in Mito, Hitachi Province and called himself Deigyu, and later he went up to Edo (present Tokyo) to study Buddhism. After the Meiji Restoration, recommended by Tetsunen OZU, he held the post of jiko (tutor) to the 21st Suzerain Koson OTANI of the Hongan-ji Temple, the head temple of Jodo Shinshu Hongan-ji school (Nishi Hongan-ji Temple). He started his activity as an enlightenment thinker in Buddhism, by launching a journal "Hoshisodan" in 1874, and a newspaper "Meikyoshinpo" in 1875. In 1889, with Mokurai SHIMAJI and Enryo INOUE, he established an organization of Buddhist political activity, 'Sonno hobutsu daido-dan' (great union of dedicators of reverence for the emperor and devotion to Buddhism) advocating worship of the emperor. He wrote a draft of "Shushogi Sutra" of the Soto school (a sect of Zen Buddhism). In 1914, he was appointed the president of Toyo University.
Family
大内青坡Seiha OUCHI, a Western-style painter, and 大内青圃Seiho OUCHI, a sculptor and busshi (sculptor of Buddhist statues), were his sons, and 大内青琥Seiko OUCHI, a painter and essayist was his grandson (Seiha's son). Goro KIMURA, a sculptor, was his son-in-law.