Sea Travelogue

Japanese: 海游録 - かいゆうろく

This is a travelogue written by Shin Uihan, the chief envoy of the Korean missions (Hong Chijung) sent in 1719 (4th year of the Kyoho era) to congratulate Tokugawa Yoshimune on his succession to the position of Shogun. The contents range from observations of Japan's nature, products, culture, systems, human feelings, social conditions, and customs, to written conversations with Amenomori Hoshu, the official clerk of the Tsushima domain, and Hayashi Nobuatsu, the head of the university. It contains sharp criticism of Japanese culture and customs from a Confucian perspective, such as the fact that there is no imperial examination system for the promotion of human resources in Japan, that it is hereditary, and that the hierarchical status of men and women and between samurai and commoners is unclear. There are currently 23 volumes of travelogues of the 12 Korean missions sent to Japan during the Edo period, and this book is the highlight of them all.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

1719年(享保4)，徳川吉宗の将軍職襲位を賀す朝鮮通信使(正使洪致中)の製述官申維翰の日本紀行文。内容は日本の自然，物産，文物，制度，人情，世相，風俗の観察から，対馬藩真文役雨森芳洲，大学頭林信篤などとの筆談にまで及ぶ。日本では人材登用において科挙制がなく世襲であるとか，男女関係および士庶間の階層的名分があいまいであるなど，日本の文化と風俗にたいする儒者の眼からのしんらつな批判がある。江戸時代12回にわたる朝鮮通信使の日本紀行文は，現在確認されたもの23冊に及ぶが，本書はそのうちの白眉である。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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