少年日本史 (平泉澄) 
The story of Japan (Hiraizumi Kiyoshi)

承久の御計画(上)英語(English)
46 承久の御計画(上)
 
(前略)  然し頼朝を偉大なりとし、幕府政治をやむを得ないものと承認するには、重大なる条 件があります。それは、朝廷に大きな欠陥があって、普通ではそれを修正し得ない事、 及び幕府の実権者に、皇室を尊ぶ至誠がある事、更に幕府に治安維持の実力がある事、 以上であります。
(中略)
 
 朝廷は幾百年の文弱の後に、勇武の精神を取り戻してこられたのです。後鳥羽上皇が 強盗を捕縛し給うたのは、建永元年の事ですが、それより二年前の元久元年には、公卿 に命じて宇治川を泳いで渡り、平等院の前に裸体で集合させられ、更に裸馬に乗って行 進させられた事があります。水練ばかにではありません。山では鹿狩りを行われ、弓術 を奨励し給い、流鏑馬(やぶさめ)を行なわせられ、刀剣の製作を御下命になり、その 刀を人々にわかち与えられたのでした。
 
 武道の御鍛錬や御奨励がこのように盛んであったのですから、まして学問に御熱心で あった事は、云うまでもありません。殊に朝廷の盛大であった頃の儀式や故実を御研究 になり、その討論や練習を御下命になり、また上皇御自ら著述をなさいました。それは 世俗浅深秘抄と云う上下二巻の書物で、朝廷の儀式作法を記して、それに批判を下され たものでありますが、その批判の規準となったものは、延喜・天暦、即ち醍醐・村上両手 天皇の御日記であります。してみると、後鳥羽上皇は延喜・天暦の御代にかえそうとの御 希望をおもちになり、この御理想の実現の為に、文武の両道を御自身も御研究になれば 、公卿達にも研究鍛錬せしめられたのである事が分かります。朝廷が高邁なる理想をい だき、雄大なる計画を立てられて、国家の健全性を回復しようと努力せられ、公卿が文 武の両道に出精してくるとなれば、幕府はもはや無用のものとなるでしょう。いや、無 用であるばかりでなく、有害なものと云ってよいでしょう。
 
 後鳥羽上皇の御精神をお承けになり、皇国日本の中興に、最も熱心に御協力遊ばされ たのは順徳天皇であります。御父帝後鳥羽上皇が世俗浅深秘抄を著されたのに対し、順 徳天皇は禁秘抄をお作りになりました。禁秘抄の「禁」は、禁裏とか禁中とか云う時の 「禁」で、つまり宮中の事であります。宮中の作法、天皇御日常の御生活を始め、御奉 仕の人々の心得を、昔からの伝統、正しい規準によって指示せられた書物で、その初め には、
 「凡そ禁中の作法、神事を先きにして、他事を後にす。あけくれ敬神の叡慮、懈怠無 し。あからさまにも、神宮ならびに内侍所(ないしどころ)の方を以て、御跡とせず。 よろづの物、出で来るに随って、必ず先づ台盤所の棚に置き、女官を召して奉らる。」
とあります。即ち宮中では、何よりも神事を重んじ、之を初めにつとめて、他の事は、 そのあとで行われたのであります。そして天皇はかりそめにも、伊勢大神宮及び内侍所 (賢所に同じ)の方角に足をお向けにならず、また何か献上物があれば、先ず之を内侍 所へお供えになったのであります。まことにつつましやかな、神に対する奉仕の御生活 であった事が分かります。外国の帝王の中には、おのれの武力によって他を征服し、傲 然として下にのぞんだ例も多々ありますが、それにくらべますと、これは雲泥の相違で あります。
 
 後鳥羽上皇の皇国中興の御企は、順徳天皇の同感し、強力し給うところでありました 。臣下はどうかと云いますと、朝廷の重臣多く之に同意し、之を御輔け申し上げたので ありました。(中略)
 
 鎌倉の武士にまだ手が伸びてくるのであれば、将軍実朝に考え及ばない道理はありま すまい。第一に実朝は、「勅命にそむく者は日本国から出て行け」と喝破した頼朝の子 であります。第二に実朝は、万葉集の愛読者であります。そしてその万葉集には日本の 国柄を歌い、その歴史を語り、天皇を尊び、勅命とあれば一身を捨てて御奉公しようと する忠烈の精神が漲っています。実朝は万葉集を愛読しているうちに、自分のよむ歌の 調子も、段々万葉集に似てきました。(中略)
 
 かように将軍実朝も同意し協力するとなれば、幕府を廃止して、朝廷に政治の実権を 取り戻させる事は、容易なように思われるでしょう。それが容易で無いのです。それは 北条氏が、それを承知する筈が無いからです。北条義時は、日本の国柄をわきまえ、皇 室を尊ぶような男では無いのです。そしてそれが幕府の実権をしっかりと握っているの です。(以下略)


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46 The Imperial Plan of the Joukyuu Era(1219-1222) [1]

(an omission)
The view of Minamoto no Yoritomo as a great politician, justifying the Bakufu government, is valid only under the following conditions. First, the imperial court was suffering from serious faults of its own, which could not be easily corrected. Second, the man who led the Bakufu must have sincere respect for the imperial court. Third, the Bakufu must have the power to keep law and order. (an omission)

The imperial court was about to embrace a military spirit after having spent several hundred years pursuing literary elegance. Retired Emperor Go-Toba arrested the thief in the first year of Ken'ei era (1206). Two years previous to this, he ordered the courtiers to swim across the Uji River, to line up at Byoudouin-Hall naked, and then ride forward on unsaddled horses. And his training was not limited to such swimming practice. He held deer hunts in the mountains and encouraged shooting by staging horseback archery contests. Under his decree, swords were manufactured and distributed to the courtiers.

Even though the Retired Emperor was so dedicated to military training, he was even more devoted to scholarship. His special interest was imperial ceremonies, as well as the records of ancient customs and manners during the times of strong imperial rule. He ordered debares and exercises on these topics, and wrote discourses himself. The title of the 2-volume writing is The Exclusive Important Comments on Ceremonies and Customs of the Imperial Court (Sezoku Senshin Hishou), in which he recorded imperial ceremonies and rites and gave critical commentaries. His opinions were based on the two imperial diaries of the Engi and Tenryaku eras (10th century), by Emperors Daigo (r. 897-930) and Murakami (r. 946-967).

Judging from this, Retired Emperor Go-Toba wanted to restore the political system of Japan to that of the Engi and Tenryaku eras (10th century). Thus we can see that the Retired Emperor enforced the study of martial and literary arts with a purpose in mind, and encouraged the courtiers to educate and train themselves. The imperial court had a vision of lofty ideals, planned on a grand scale, in an attempt to restore sound national government. And if the courtiers strove to excel in both military and literary performance, the Bakufu was no longer neccessary. Indeed its existence was absolutely dangerous.

Emperor Juntoku (r. 1210-1221) followed Retired Emperor Go-Toba's spirit of reformation and earnestly tried to restore Japan as an imperial nation. Emperor Juntoku wrote Selections of the Protocols of the Inner Palace (Kinpishou), just as his father Retired Emperor Go-Toba had written The Exclusive Important Comments on Ceremonies and Customs of the Imperial Court (Sezoku Senshin Hishou). Selections of the Protocols of the Inner Palace (Kinpishou) teaches the correct manners to be observed in the palace, the lifestyle of the sovereign, and the regulations for those who serve, all based on orthodox imperial traditions. In the beginning he wrote:
"In the protocol of the daily life of the Emperor, Shintou matters take precedence ofer all others. The sovereign never ceases to respect and worship the Gods. He never places his feet in the direction of the Grand Shrine of Ise or the Imperial Inner Hall where the sacred mirror is guarded. All offerings and gifts are reverently placed on the shelf of the table room first, and then a lady-in-waiting is summoned; she presents them with respect."

We can see that in the imperial court, all members led very humble lives, devoting themselves to serving the Gods, while in foreign countries, some kings conquered others with military force, and oppressed their subjects. The two approaches are as different as day and night.

Retired Emperor Go-Toba's plan was to restore the imperial rule of the Japanese nation. Emperor Juntoku supported it, and cooperated wholeheartedly. What about the subjects ? The majority of the high-ranking courtiers supported his policy.(an omission)

If the imperil massage got through to the warriors in Kamakura, it follows that Shougun Minamoto no Sanetomo (1192-1219) would learn of is as well. First, he was the son of Minamoto no Yoritomo, the imperial loyalist who declared: "Thsoe who disobey an imperial decree shall be banished from Japan." Second, Minamoto no Sanetomo was fond of the Collection of the Ten Thousand Leaves (Man'youshuu; 8th century). This poetry collection is filled with songs that reflect the Japanese national character, history, reverence for the Emperor, and dedication to sacrificing everything for service to the sovereign. Shougun Minamoto no Sanetomo was so well versed in the songs in Collection of the Ten Thousand Leaves (Man'youshuu) that he started composing poems in that style. (an omission)

If Shougun Minamoto no Sanetomo agreed and pledged support, it would seem easy to eliminate the Bakufu and return political power to the imperial house. But that was not the case. The Houjou clan would never allow it. Houjou Yoshitoki (1163-1224) did not understand the Japanese national essence, and would not venerate the imperial court. He kept tight control over the Bakufu's actual political power. (Rest omitted)

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少年日本史 (平泉澄) 
The story of Japan (Hiraizumi Kiyoshi)