Japan Coast Guard Seiryo

A thinker on economics in the late Edo period. His given name was Koukaku, his pen name was Manwa, and his pen name was Seiryo. He was born in Edo in the fifth year of the Horeki era as the eldest son of Kakuta Ichizaemon (1720-1789), a chief retainer of the Miyazu Domain in Tango Province (northern Kyoto Prefecture). He handed over the family headship to his younger brother and spent most of his life traveling around the country, constantly placing himself in the free zone and developing his own unique ideas. In his later years, he settled in Kyoto and devoted himself to writing. He died in the 14th year of the Bunka era. He was buried at Kurotani Saiun-in Temple in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City. His works include over twenty books, including "Keikodan," "Zenshikidan," "Hongfandan," "Laozi Kokuji Kai," and "Bunpo Hiun." Seiryo sharply criticized the Confucian scholars' adherence to the scriptures and advocated practical learning that was effective in solving real-world problems. From this perspective, he advocated that instead of the "wisdom of the ancients," we should use our own wisdom to discern the principles inherent in society and the economy and utilize them. As a specific economic strategy, he actively advocated the theory of feudal domain-run commerce in order to utilize the laws of the commodity economy. He also noted that he developed a unique methodology for intellectual activity in general, including methods of acquiring knowledge, thinking, studying, and writing.

[Yasuhiro Kojima, May 19, 2016]

"Sho Kuranami's self-edited "Japanese Thought Series 44: Toshiaki Honda and Seiryo Kaibo" (1970, Iwanami Shoten)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸後期の経世思想家。名は皐鶴(こうかく)、字(あざな)は萬和(まんわ)、青陵はその号である。宝暦(ほうれき)5年丹後(たんご)国（京都府北部）宮津藩家老角田市左衛門（1720―1789）の長子として江戸に生まれたが、家督を弟に譲り、生涯の大部分を諸国遊歴に費やし、絶えず自己を自由な境界に置いて独自の思想を展開した。晩年は京都に腰を落ち着け著述活動に専念した。文化(ぶんか)14年没。京都市左京区黒谷西雲(さいうん)院に葬られた。著書に『稽古談(けいこだん)』『前識談』『洪範談』『老子国字解』『文法披雲』など二十数部がある。青陵は俗儒の経典墨守的な学問態度を鋭く批判して、現実の諸問題に有効性をもつ実用的な学問を提唱し、この立場から「古人の智(ち)」にかわって「己が智(ち)」で、社会経済に内在する「理」を見抜き、これを活用すべきことを説いた。具体的な経世策としては、商品経済機構の法則を活用すべく藩営商業論を積極的に説いた。また認識獲得の方法、思考の方法、学問の方法、文章創作の方法など総じて知的活動におけるユニークな方法論を展開している点が注目される。

［小島康敬　2016年5月19日］

『蔵並省自校注『日本思想大系44　本多利明・海保青陵』（1970・岩波書店）』

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