Testament of Yasuken

A book written by Confucian scholar Asami Keisai. Two volumes. Keisai began compiling it in 1684 (Jokyo 1) when he was 33 years old, and it took 87 years to complete. It contains the writings and brief biographies of eight Chinese loyal subjects, including Qu Yuan, Kong Ming, Tao Qian, Yan Zhenqing, Wen Tianxiang, Xie Fangde, Liu Yin, and Fang Xiaoru, as well as the deeds of Japanese loyal subjects and righteous samurai. "Lectures on the Testament of Seiken," published in 1689 (Genroku 2), is a lecture he gave to his disciples on this subject (included in the "Education Library" and "National Morality Collection"). Tani Shinzan of Tosa and Takeuchi Shikibu of Kyoto lectured on this book, and Shikibu in particular lectured it to nobles, which led to the Horeki Incident (1758). Yoshida Shoin was also an avid reader of this book, and wrote in his Noyama Goku manuscript that "one reading of Yasunori's will awakens in the reader a deep sense of loyalty." It is clear that this book had a major ideological impact on the rise of the idea of ​​loyalty to the emperor in the early modern period.

[Taira Shigemichi]

"Kondo Keigo, 'Study of Asami Keisai' (1970, Yasaka Shrine Shinto History Society)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

儒学者浅見絅斎(けいさい)の著書。2巻。1684年（貞享1）絅斎33歳のとき編纂(へんさん)に着手し、87年刻なった。中国の屈原(くつげん)、孔明(こうめい)、陶潜(とうせん)、顔真卿(がんしんけい)、文天祥(ぶんてんしょう)、謝枋得(しゃほうとく)、劉因(りゅういん)、方孝孺(ほうこうじゅ)ら8人の忠臣の遺文、略伝を記し、あわせて日本の忠臣、義士の行状を載せたもの。1689年（元禄2）成立の『靖献遺言講義』はこれを門下生に講義したもの（「教育文庫」「国民道徳叢書(そうしょ)」所収）である。土佐の谷秦山(しんざん)、京都の竹内式部(たけのうちしきぶ)など本書を講じ、とくに式部はこれを公卿(くげ)に講じ、宝暦(ほうれき)事件（1758）の原因をつくる。吉田松陰(しょういん)も本書を愛読し、「靖献遺言の一書は、読者をして勃然沛然(ぼつぜんはいぜん)として忠義の心を興起せしむ」（野山獄(のやまごく)文稿）と記している。本書が近世勤王思想の勃興(ぼっこう)に大きな思想的影響を与えたことは明白である。

［平　重道］

『近藤啓吾著『浅見絅斎の研究』（1970・八坂神社内神道史学会）』

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