Yoshitoki Takahashi

Japanese: 高橋至時 - たかはし・よしとき

Year of death: Bunka 1.1.5 (1804.2.15)
Year of birth: 1st year of Meiwa era (1764.12.22)
A calendar scientist in the mid-Edo period. He went by the names Higashioka and Umeken. Sakuzaemon was his nickname. Born the son of a regular police officer in Osaka, his family had a small stipend and life was difficult, but he loved arithmetic and calendar calculations, and he became a disciple of Asada Goryu and became his first pupil. The fact that the Chinese calendar system was based on Western astronomy of Christians was known during the time of Shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune, but he failed to incorporate it into the Horeki calendar reform. In 1795 (Kansei 7), a discussion on calendar reform arose, and the task was entrusted to the Asada Goryu school. Takahashi Shigetoki ended up becoming the representative person in charge, and he was appointed to the Tenmonkata and given a salary of 100 koku. With the help of his close friend and disciple Hazama Shigetomi, the Kansei calendar reform was a success, but he had a next goal. That was the theme of directly importing astronomy written in Western languages, rather than astronomical texts translated into Chinese. To do so, he needed knowledge of Dutch studies. So he began to teach himself Dutch translations of the works of the French astronomer Lalande. He became so absorbed in his work that his lung problems worsened, and he died at the Asakusa Astronomical Observatory at the age of 41. The notes he left behind, "Lalande Rekishokanken," show that although he was not very good at Dutch, he was able to understand technical matters. However, he was no match for Newtonian mechanics. However, while traditional calendar astronomy was centered on the movements of the sun and moon, he was interested in the movements of the planets as well, and was the first astronomer to come closer to the sensibilities of Western astronomers. Although he was worried about the declining academic ability of his pupil Ino Tadataka, who had joined him at an advanced age (51 years old), he mentored him and completed a nationwide survey.

(Shigeru Nakayama)

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

Japanese:

没年：文化1.1.5(1804.2.15)
生年：明和1.11.30(1764.12.22)
江戸中期の暦算家。東岡または梅軒と号した。作左衛門はその通称。大坂の定番同心の子に生まれ,家は微禄で生活は苦しかったが算数暦算を好み,麻田剛立の門下に入って,その一の弟子となった。中国の暦法は中身は耶蘇会士の西洋天文学によっていることは,将軍徳川吉宗のときにわかっていたが,宝暦の改暦にそれを盛り込むことに失敗した。寛政7(1795)年に改暦の議がおこり,その仕事は麻田剛立学派に委嘱され,結局高橋至時が代表責任者となり,天文方に任命され,俸禄100俵を賜った。門下の盟友間重富の協力で寛政改暦は成功したが,彼には次の目標があった。それは,漢訳天文書ではなく,西洋語で書かれた天文学を直接輸入しようというテーマである。それには蘭学の知識が必要である。そこで独学でフランスの天文家ラランドの蘭訳書にとりかかった。のめり込みすぎて肺患がひどくなり,41歳で浅草天文台に没した。残されたノート『ラランデ暦書管見』をみると,蘭語はあまり強くなかったが,専門的なことは理解できた。ただニュートン力学には歯が立たなかった。しかし,伝統的な暦算天文学では日月の運行が中心であったのを,惑星の運行にも興味を寄せている点では,西洋の天文学者の感覚に近づいた最初の天文家であった。高齢(51歳)で入門してきた弟子の伊能忠敬の学力が落ちる点にハラハラしながら,指導して全国測量を完成させた。

(中山茂)

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