Mozume Takayo (物集高世)
Takayo MOZUME (March 18, 1817 - January 2, 1883) was a scholar of Japanese classical literature from Bungo Province. He also had common names such as Joemon, Seisaku, Masataka, and Maji. His pen name was Muguranoya.
He was born as the second son of a mercantile house in Kitsuki Domain. He studied Sinology under Jushin Chikukei MOTODA (died in 1877 at the age of 80) and later studied Japanese classical literature under Naotaka and Naoyoshi SADAMURA. He was impressed by the restoration thought of Atsutane HIRATA and his academic culture, and studied directly under him. Having been affected by the thoughts of the organizer of Shinshusha Juku, Yoshika MUTOBE, who was a Shinto priest in Muko-jinja Shrine in Kyoto and one of the lead students under Hirata, he determinedly went to Osaka, open a private school and endeavored to promote the study of Japanese classical literature. However, due to financial difficulties and other conditions, he disappointedly left Osaka and came back to Kitsuki in Bungo Province, his hometown. After coming home, followers gathered to Takayo from in/outside of the domain. During this period, partly thanks to the recommendation by his teacher Chikukei MOTODA, he received requests to give lectures on Shinto scripture and teach Japanese classical literature at local hanko (a domain school) and Kogakkan University in Usa. After becoming a professor in the study of Japanese classical literature of Kitsuki Domain, he became Senkyoshi Gon no Shohakase of Jingikan (Department of Divinities) at the age of 53 in 1869. In 1879, he was appointed as Gon no Shokyosei and in May the same year, he became the local chief priest of Wakamiya Hachiman-gu Shrine.
He wrote books including 'Jikakuko,' 'Shinto honron,' 'Hongenko,' 'Shingaku hyakke,' 'Kunshiron' (lords and subjects controversy), 'Jyakyoron' (The theory of bad religion), 'Gaikyo hisho,' 'Yomiron,' 'Muguraya bunshu,' 'Natahachimangu shosaiki' (Precise description of Natahachiman-gu Shrine) and 'Kagaku shinron.'
Died on January 2, 1883. Takayo's life is said to have been of honorable poverty like those of TACHIBANA no Akemi and Masazumi KAMOCHI. Died at the age of 67.
His first son Takami MOZUME was also a scholar of Japanese classical literature and Japanese scholar.