Background
Shiken Shoda (Original personal name: Nobumasu) was born in Edo (now Tokyo). He was bereaved of his father when a child and was raised by his uncle, Sohaku. Moved to Usuki (Oita Prefecture).
支謙 庄田
Shiken Shoda (Original personal name: Nobumasu) was born in Edo (now Tokyo). He was bereaved of his father when a child and was raised by his uncle, Sohaku. Moved to Usuki (Oita Prefecture).
Because he was fond of books from childhood, his uncle sent him to Kyoto to study.
Upon returning to Usuki, he was employed by the lord of the area and studied Confucian literature of the Sung Dynasty. When he went to Edo with his lord, he met Nankaku Hattori under whose influence he discarded his past beliefs, and began studying rhetoric.