Illustrated Guide to the Three Kingdoms - Sankoku Tsuuranzusetsu

A five-colored geographical map published by Hayashi Shihei in Edo in 1785 (Tenmei 5). It is five sheets in one volume. Until then, there were maps of the rest of the world and Japan, but no maps of neighboring countries, so this was written as a necessity for national defense and administration. It includes a general map of Japan, eight Korean provinces, the three Ryukyu provinces, the 36 islands, a complete map of Ezo (Hokkaido), and the Ogasawara Islands. There is a preface by the author and a preface by Katsuragawa Hoshu. The "title" section reads, "When those who take part in national affairs do not know geography, they will be lost in times of peace and turmoil. When those who send soldiers to carry out conquest do not know geography, they will be lost in times of danger and security..." When "Kaikoku Heidan" was banned in 1691, this book also went out of print. It is significant as a visionary book that foresaw external pressure. It was later translated and published in Paris, and became a valuable resource when the United States and Japan were fighting over the sovereignty of the Ogasawara Islands. It is included in "Hayashi Shihei Zenshu" (Daiichi Shobo).

[Akihiro Tsukatani]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

林子平(しへい)が1785年（天明5）江戸で五色刷で刊行した地誌。5枚1冊。それまで万国か本邦の地図はあるが隣国の地図がなく、国防・行政に必要として著した。日本を中心とする総図、朝鮮八道、琉球(りゅうきゅう)三省、三六島、蝦夷(えぞ)国（北海道）全図、小笠原(おがさわら)諸島の図よりなる。自序と桂川甫周(かつらがわほしゅう)の序がある。「題初」に「国事ニ与(あずか)ル者地理ヲ不知(しらざる)トキハ治乱ニ臨(のぞみ)テ失有(うしなうあり)、兵士ヲ提(さげ)テ征伐ヲ事トスル者地理ヲ不知トキハ安危ノ場ニ失有……」とある。91年『海国兵談』が禁にあったとき、本書もともに絶版となる。外圧を予感した先見的な書として意義が大きい。のちパリで翻訳出版され、アメリカとの小笠原諸島帰属問題が争われたときの有力資料となった。『林子平全集』（第一書房）所収。

［塚谷晃弘］

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