Mori Ōgai

Mori Ōgai was a multifaceted figure in Japanese history.

He served as a Lieutenant-General and a high-ranking surgeon in the Imperial Japanese Army. Beyond his military medical career, he was a prolific novelist, poet, and translator. He is widely credited with helping to modernize Japanese literature. Through his writing, he introduced European literary styles to the Japanese public. He was also a pioneer in expressing Western poetic forms using the Japanese language. His major literary work, titled *The Wild Geese*, was written between 1911 and 1913.

Mori's journey began in Tsuwano, located in the Iwami Province.

His family held a hereditary position as physicians to the local daimyō. As the eldest son, he received a rigorous education in Confucian classics. He also studied *rangaku*, which refers to Dutch or Western learning. In 1872, his family moved to Tokyo following the Meiji Restoration. There, he studied German to prepare for medical school. He graduated in 1881 at the age of 19. This achievement made him the youngest person ever to receive a medical license in Japan.

From 1884 to 1888, Mori studied medicine in several German cities. He lived in Leipzig, Dresden, Munich, and Berlin. This period was transformative for his intellectual development. He became deeply interested in European literature during his travels. He is even noted as the first Japanese person to ride the Orient Express. While in Germany, he engaged in a famous intellectual debate with a geologist named Dr. Edmund Naumann. Naumann had argued that Japan's modernization was forced by foreign pressure. Mori defended Japan, arguing that Westernization was a rational and spontaneous process.

Mori’s debate with Naumann covered eight specific points of contention. These included the origins of the Japanese people and the treatment of the Ainu people. They also discussed food, clothing, public health, and the influence of Western painting. Most importantly, they argued about the modernization movement and the future of Japan. Mori believed it was vital to decide which Western elements to adopt and which Japanese traditions to preserve. This philosophy shaped his later work as a public educator. He sought to promote a "mental revolution" through scientific and aesthetic methods.

Upon returning to Japan, Mori rose through the military ranks. He was promoted to captain in 1885 and eventually reached the rank of Lieutenant-General. He became the Surgeon General of the Army and led the Imperial Fine Arts Academy. In his literary life, he published the journal *Shigarami sōshi* and the poetry book *Omokage*.

As a writer, he was an "anti-realist." This meant he believed literature should focus on the spiritual and emotional worlds. His short story, "The Dancing Girl," published in 1890, explored the relationship between a Japanese man and a German woman.

Despite his many successes, Mori’s career was marked by a significant medical tragedy. During the Russo-Japanese War, he held a high position in the Army Medical Corps. He led the Beriberi Research Council to investigate the cause of the disease. Mori and his faction believed beriberi was caused by an unknown pathogen. However, a naval surgeon named Takaki Kanehiro had already proven that the disease was a thiamine deficiency. This deficiency was caused by a diet of polished white rice. Because Mori's council resisted this finding, an estimated 27,000 soldiers died of beriberi. In contrast, almost no sailors died because the Navy had already adopted Takaki's dietary advice.

Mori’s legacy is found in both his scientific influence and his family. He died in 1922 at the age of 60 due to renal failure and pulmonary tuberculosis. His influence on Japanese literature remains profound. His children also contributed to the world of letters.

His daughters, Mari and Annu, and his son, Rui, all became writers. Mori Ōgai remains a complex figure who bridged the gap between traditional Japanese values and Western scientific thought.