A boy of the world - Sekenmusukokatagi

Ejima Kiseki's Ukiyo-zoshi. Published by Ejimaya Ichirozaemon in 1715 (Shotoku 5). Five volumes, 15 stories. This was the first of the ukiyo-zoshi temperamental works, although he had previously written Kankatsuyakusha Katagi (1711, memorial to Sakata Tojuro). "Today's sons are spoiled and have fallen into disarray. I will write about these various cases to help them with filial piety" (preface), and while incorporating stories of unfilial piety from Saikaku's "Twenty Unfilial Filials of the Court," he portrays his sons indulging in entertainment outside the family business. Although there is a sense of exaggeration, the characters' habits and actions that go beyond common sense are unexpectedly interesting, creating a type of person not seen before, and paving the way for temperamental works that continued until the An'ei period (1772-81). This book was also a labor of love, conceived amidst his feud with the bookstore Hachimonjiya (whose internal affairs had been exposed the previous year).

[Yutaka Emoto]

"Five Types of Hachimonjisha Books (1927, Yuhodo Bunko)" ▽ "Complete Collection of Japanese Masterpieces 9: Ukiyo Zoushishu (1928, Dosho Kankokai)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江島其磧(きせき)の浮世草子。1715年（正徳5）江島屋市郎左衛門刊。五巻15話。先に『寛闊役者片気(かんかつやくしゃかたぎ)』（1711。坂田藤十郎追善）があるが、浮世草子気質物の第一作。「今時の息子は甘やかされて育つ故に身をもち崩す、その様々を書いて孝の一助にする」（序）として、西鶴(さいかく)の『本朝二十不孝』の不孝話をも抱摂しつつ、家業を外に遊芸などにふける息子たちを描く。誇張しすぎの感もあるが、常識を越えるような性癖や行動に意表外のおもしろさがあり、従前みられなかった人間の一タイプを創出、安永(あんえい)期（1772～81）まで続く気質物の道を開いた。なお本書は、書肆(しょし)八文字屋との確執（前年に内情を暴露）のなかで案出された苦心作でもある。

［江本　裕］

『『八文字舎本5種』（1927・有朋堂文庫）』▽『『日本名著全集9　浮世草子集』（1928・同書刊行会）』

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