The Law of Compassion for Living Creatures

Japanese: 生類憐みの令 - しょうるいあわれみのれい

(1) The extension of the horses to the stables of the Imperial Court was ordered to be suspended last year because it was deemed inappropriate and cruel. However, the horses are still in the stables today, and the Imperial Court has ordered that they be strictly prohibited from using them in the future.
18th day of the ninth month of the ox, 2nd year of the Shokyo era

(2) Memorandum: The kitchen staff has been instructed not to use the food of birds, shellfish, and shrimps from the kitchen in the future. However, the food and other entertainment provided by the nobles is to be treated separately.
7th November, 2nd year of the Shokyo era

(3) In the area of lodgings for people, cattle and horses, and other living things, there are serious problems, and it has been said that people are abandoning them before they die. If there are any such people who are not worthy of such treatment, they will be ordered to do so immediately. If such a thing happens in secret, they will be brought before a plaintiff. Even if they are of the same kind, their crime will be forgiven and they will be given a reward.
(4th year of the Shokyo era) New Year's Day

(4) In the memorandum of the speech, a written document has been issued, and it has been decided that those who are light in stature can be brought up and raised at the same time. Those who are townspeople can appeal to the town magistrate, those in the local areas to the magistrate, those on the roads to Takagi Ise-no-kami, and those who are given the title to the land steward can appeal to the land steward.
(4th year of the Shokyo era) New Year's Day *Takagi Morikatsu. Ōmetsuki and road magistrate

(5) Remarks: If there are any abandoned children, there is no need to report them immediately. The parents should leave them in their homes and immediately raise them. If there are any who wish to raise them, they should be sent. There is no need to report them immediately.
If birds, livestock or humans are injured, please report them as you have done up until now. If they are eating each other or if they are causing you pain and inconvenience, please do not report them. If you have a master who is properly caring for them, please report them.
1. I have heard that owners do not feed their dogs for a while, and that if they do feed them, they will become like their owners' dogs, and it will be a difficult task from now on. I have heard that they do not feed their dogs, and I have heard that they do not feed their dogs, so I will be grateful if they continue to do so in the future.
If a pet dog dies, please report it to the management. If there are no special circumstances, there is no need to report it in the future.
1. It is essential that all living things, including dogs, have compassion and show mercy.
The above is from the fourth year of the Shokyo era, April 1st (Gotoka Reijo, Volume 33).

[Reference] | The Law of Compassion for Living Things

The Law of Compassion for Living Things

A general term for laws and regulations enacted by the 5th Shogun of the Edo Shogunate, Tokugawa Tsunayoshi (1680-1709), with the main aim of protecting animals. Starting with the execution of those who killed dogs in 1682 (Tenwa 2), and the issuance of an edict for the protection of horses in 1685 (Jokyo 2), such laws and regulations were issued frequently. Tsunayoshi's intention was to foster a spirit of benevolence in society (instruction dated October 10, 1694 (Genroku 7)), but this was greatly amplified by various officials who catered to the Shogun's powerful authority, and after the monk Ryuko, to whom Tsunayoshi's mother Keishoin had become a follower, advised Tsunayoshi, who was born in the year of the dog, to protect dogs because boys were not growing well, it became even more extreme and developed into a tyrannical government that caused trouble for the people. The targets of protection were not limited to dogs, horses, and cows, but also other birds and animals. Those who killed a cat that had caught a chicken, or injured a mouse that had run up onto their body while they were napping were sent to prison, fishing boats were banned, snake charming and other animal performances were prohibited, and keeping live birds and turtles was also prohibited. Goldfish were released into the pond at Fujisawa Yugyo-ji Temple (Shojo-ko-ji Temple). In 1695 (Genroku 8), an area of 160,000 tsubo (50,000 m2) of land was fenced off in Nakano on the outskirts of Edo to house stray dogs, with the number of dogs reaching a peak of 42,000, and the cost of housing them was 36,000 ryo per year, which became a burden on the villages of Edo and the Kanto region. When Tsunayoshi died in 1709 (Hoei 6), he left a will stating that this order should be observed even after his death, but the sixth shogun, Ienobu, abolished it.

[Tatsuya Tsuji]

[Supplementary Material] | The Order of Compassion for Living Things

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

　　（一）覚
馬の筋のへ（延べ）候儀、第一用方に不宜、其上不仁なる儀にて、御厩(うまや)に立候御馬共、先年より御停止(ちょうじ)被仰付候えとも、今以世上にてハ拵馬在之由候、向後堅御制禁被仰出者也、
　貞享二年丑九月十八日

　　（二）覚　御台所張紙写
鳥類貝類海老、向後於御台所つかひ申間敷(もうすまじき)旨被仰渡候、乍然公家衆御馳走其外御振舞之節は可為各別事(かくべつたるべきこと)以上、
　貞享二年丑十一月七日

　　（三）覚
惣て人宿又ハ牛馬宿其外にも生類煩(わずらい)重く候えハ、未死内(いまだしなざるうち)に捨候様粗(あらあら)相聞候、右之不届(ふとどき)之族有之は、急度(きっと)可被仰付候、密々左様成儀有之候ハヽ、訴人に出へし、同類たりといふとも、其科(とが)をゆるし、御褒美(ほうび)可被下者也、
　（貞享四年）卯正月日

　　（四）口上之覚
今度書付出候上ハ、身体かろ（軽）きものハ、はこくみ（育み）かね（兼ね）可申候間、町人ハ町奉行、地方(じかた)ハ御代官、道中筋ハ＊高木伊勢守、給所は地頭え訴可申者也、
　（貞享四年）卯正月日
　　　　　＊高木守勝。大目付、道中奉行兼任

　　（五）覚
　一　捨子有之候ハヽ、早速不及届(とどけるにおよばず)、其所之者いたハリ置、直ニ養候か、又ハ望之者有之候ハヽ、可遣(つかわすべく)候、急度不及付届候事、
　一　鳥類畜類人の疵付(きずつけ)候様成ハ、唯今迄之通可相届候、其外友くひ（共食い）又ハおのれと痛煩候計にてハ不及届候、随分致養育、主有之候ハヽ、返可申事、
　一　無主犬頃日は食物給させ不申候様に相聞候、畢竟食物給させ候えハ、其人之犬之様に罷成、以後迄六ヶ敷(むつかしき)事と存、いたハり不申と相聞、不届候、向後左様無之様可相心得(あいこころうべき)事、
　一　飼置候犬死候えハ、支配方え届候様相聞候、於無別条は、向後ヶ様之届無用事、
　一　犬計に不限、惣て生類人々慈悲の心を本といたし、あハれミ候儀肝要事、
　　　　以上
　（貞享四年）卯四月日
　　（『御当家令条』巻33）

[参照項目] | 生類憐みの令

生類憐みの令
しょうるいあわれみのれい

江戸幕府5代将軍徳川綱吉(つなよし)がその治世（1680～1709）中に下した動物愛護を主旨とする法令の総称。1682年（天和2）犬の虐殺者を死刑に処したのに始まり、85年（貞享2）馬の愛護令を発して以来、法令が頻発された。綱吉の意図は社会に仁愛の精神を養うことにあったが（1694年〈元禄7〉10月10日訓令）、将軍の強大な権威に迎合する諸役人によって著しく増幅され、また綱吉生母桂昌院(けいしょういん)が帰依(きえ)した僧隆光(りゅうこう)が、戌(いぬ)年生まれの綱吉に男子が育たないのに関して犬の愛護を勧めてから、いっそう極端に走り、人民を悩ます虐政へと発展した。愛護の対象は犬馬牛に限らず、その他の鳥獣にも及んだ。鶏をとった猫を殺した者、うたた寝中体に駆け上がった鼠(ねずみ)を傷つけた者などが入牢させられ、釣り舟の禁止、蛇使いなど生き物の芸を見せ物にすること、さらには生鳥や亀(かめ)の飼育が禁ぜられ、金魚は藤沢遊行寺(ゆぎょうじ)（清浄光寺(しょうじょうこうじ)）の池に放たしめられた。1695年（元禄8）には江戸郊外の中野に16万坪の土地を囲って野犬を収容し、その数は最高時4万2000頭に達し、費用も年間3万6000両、これは江戸や関東の村々の負担となった。1709年（宝永6）綱吉死去に際し、この令のみは死後も遵守せよと遺言したが、6代将軍家宣(いえのぶ)はこれを廃止した。

［辻　達也］

[補完資料] | 生類憐みの令

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