Kumazawa Banzan was an adherent of a branch of Neo-Confucianism called Wang Yangming Studies, who lived during the early Edo period. His childhood name (yōmei) was Sashichirō (左七郞), his imina was Hakukei (伯継), also read Shigetsugu. His common name (azana) was Ryōkai , and he was commonly known by the personal names (tsūshō) as Jirōhachi (次郎八) or Suke'emon (助右衛門). His most common courtesy name (gō) was Sokuyūken (息游軒). His surname "Kumazawa" (熊沢) was changed to that of "Shigeyama" (蕃山) in 1660 and the latter, read in Sino-Japanese as "Banzan", became his posthumous courtesy title, by which even now he is commonly known. Read more from Wikipedia →