Kamo no Mabuchi - Kamo no Mabuchi

Japanese: 賀茂真淵 - かものまぶち

Year of death: October 30, 6th year of Meiwa (November 27, 1769)
Year of birth: Genroku 10.3.4 (1697.4.24)
A Japanese scholar of the mid-Edo period. A native of Hamamatsu, Totomi Province (Shizuoka Prefecture). A member of the Okabe clan. Nicknamed Sanshi, later Eji, and given names such as Harusu and Fuchimitsu, he took the name Kenkyo in reference to the rustic residence he lived in in his later years. His family were priests at Kamo Shrine in Iba Village, and his distant ancestors were connected to the shrine family of Kamigamo Shrine in Kyoto, making this a distinguished family that produced the imperial poet Kamo Narisuke. His mother was a member of the Takeyama clan. He was initially adopted as the son-in-law of his cousin Okabe Masanaga, but the following year his beloved wife died, and he later became the adopted son of the Umedani clan of Honjin. He studied Chinese classics under Watanabe Moan, a disciple of Dazai Shundai, and national classics under Mori Terumasa of Gosha Shrine, and held poetry gatherings with Sugiura Kuniaki of Suwa Shrine, among others, and devoted himself to composing poetry. He then became a pupil of Kata Harumitsu, and moved to Tokyo in adoration of his teacher, but after about three years, Harumitsu died of an illness, so he returned to his hometown. However, he grew tired of mundane duties, and in the following year, 1737, he moved to Edo alone and began the life of a samurai. At first, he relied on Harumitsu's relatives, such as Kata Arimitsu and Kata Nobuna, but as he gained a good reputation as a scholar of waka poetry, he was supported by wealthy merchant Murata Harumichi and town magistrate's assistant Kato Edanao, and the number of his pupils gradually increased. He then participated in the debate over "Hachiron" (Eight Discussions on National Poetry) that had taken place between Arimitsu and Tayasu Munetake, and came under Munetake's patronage. In 1746, at the age of 50, he was officially employed as a scholar of Japanese studies. During this time, he produced numerous works at Munetake's request. He retired in 1760. He traveled to Yamato in the same year, and on his way back, he was visited by Motoori Norinaga in Matsusaka, Ise Province (Mie Prefecture), and it is well known that he entrusted him with the study of the Kojiki. His disciples included Kajitori Uohiko, Kato Umaki, Arakida Kyuuro, Kato Chikage, Murata Harumi, and many other women, including the "three talented women" Yuya Wafumi, Toki Tsukubako, and Udono Onoko. One of his representative works is Kanjiko (1757), a study of pillow words. Its interpretations, which make full use of the theory of extension based on phonological changes, overturned conventional wisdom and greatly advanced the study of ancient literature. Mabuchi devoted his energy to Manyo-ko, and his cutting-edge theories, backed by actual experience and research, as well as his original theory of the creation of the book that was not bound by the prefaces of the volumes, greatly inspired people. He also wrote a series of works, including "Norito-ko", "Kokin Wakashu Datchou", "Genji Monogatari Shinshaku", and "Ise Monogatari Koi". The theory of narrative allegory, which he developed in "Koi", naturally encouraged Takebe Ayatari and others to create readings. The fifty-sound chart shown in "Goi-ko", one of the five syllables, is the basis for the extensive phonological changes in ancient words, and the fierce criticism of Confucianism in "Kokui-ko" suggests an approach to Taoism and Zhuangzi thought. As a poet, Mabuchi put into practice the claims of "Shingaku" in later years, and continued to compose Man'yo-style waka, which are excellent in tone and express emotions frankly, and had a tremendous influence on the poetry world of the time. Mabuchi's appearance is the reason why the history of waka in Edo is divided into an early period and an early period. His poems and prose are most organized in the "Kamo no Oki Kashu" (1806) edited by Shunkai. <Works> Zoku Gunsho Ruiju Kanseikai "Kamo no Mabuchi Zenshu" <References> Tadashi Koyama "Kamo no Mabuchi Den", Yutaka Inoue "Kamo no Mabuchi's Achievements and School"

(Jun Suzuki)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：明和6.10.30(1769.11.27)
生年：元禄10.3.4(1697.4.24)
江戸中期の国学者。遠江国(静岡県)浜松在の人。岡部氏。通称は三四のち衛士,名は春栖,淵満などで,晩年の田舎風の住居にちなみ,県居と号した。本家は伊場村の賀茂神社の神職で,その遠祖は京都上賀茂神社の社家に繋がり,勅撰歌人の賀茂成助が出た名家である。母は竹山氏。はじめ従兄岡部政長の婿養子となるが,その翌年に愛妻と死別したため,のちに本陣の梅谷氏の養子となる。漢学を太宰春台の弟子渡辺蒙庵に,国典を五社神社の森暉昌らに学び諏訪神社の杉浦国顕らと共に歌会を張行し,詠歌に励んだ。さらに荷田春満に入門し,師を慕って上京したが,3年ほどで春満が病死したため,いったん故郷に帰る。しかし俗務を厭い,翌元文2(1737)年には単身江戸に出て処士生活を始めた。当初は荷田在満や荷田信名など春満の係累を頼ったが,歌学者として一廉の評判を得るに伴い,富商村田春道や町奉行与力加藤枝直の後援を受け,門人も次第に増えた。そしてかねて在満と田安宗武の間に起こった『国歌八論』論争に参画したのをきっかけに宗武の眷顧を蒙り,延享3(1746)年50歳のとき,正式に和学御用として召し抱えられる。その間,宗武の要請を受け,数多くの著作をなす。宝暦10(1760)年に隠居。同13年に大和旅行を行い,帰途,伊勢国(三重県)松坂で本居宣長の訪問を受け『古事記』研究を託した話は有名。門人には楫取魚彦,加藤宇万伎,荒木田久老,加藤千蔭,村田春海らのほか,油谷倭文子,土岐筑波子,鵜殿余野子の「三才女」をはじめとする女流も少なくない。代表的な著述としては,まず枕詞の研究『冠辞考』(1757)があり,音韻変化に基づく延約説を駆使した解釈は旧来の常識を打破するもので,古代文学の研究を大きく前進せしめた。また『万葉考』は真淵がもっとも精力を傾けた著作であるが,巻序にとらわれない独自の成立説を主張したのをはじめ,実感と考証に裏付けられた先鋭な学説は人々に多大な刺激を与えた。その他,『祝詞考』をはじめ『古今和歌集打聴』『源氏物語新釈』『伊勢物語古意』などを次々と著したが,特に『古意』において展開された物語寓言説は,おのずから建部綾足らの読本創作を促すことになった。また五意考のうち『語意考』に示される五十音図は,古言の縦横な音韻変化の根拠となるものであり,『国意考』における激しい儒教非難は老荘思想への接近を感じさせる。歌人としての真淵は,後年『新学』の主張を実践し,音調に優れ,かつ感情の素直な表出である万葉風の和歌を一貫して詠み続け,当時の歌壇に甚大な影響をおよぼした。真淵の出現を以て江戸の和歌史を前後期に分かつ所以である。その歌文は,春海編の『賀茂翁家集』(1806)に収められるところがもっとも組織立っている。<著作>続群書類従完成会『賀茂真淵全集』<参考文献>小山正『賀茂真淵伝』,井上豊『賀茂真淵の業績と門流』

(鈴木淳)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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