A year and a half

This is a collection of essays by Nakae Chomin, who was active as a thinker and public figure from the early to mid-Meiji period. It was edited by his disciple Kotoku Shusui and published by Hakubunkan in September 1901 (Meiji 34) with the subtitle "Manuscripts from his lifetime." He began writing the book in March of that year after being told he had only a year and a half left to live due to cancer, hence the title. Chomin's penetrating criticism of all aspects of society, from politics and economics to thought, literature, science and character studies, such as condemning imperialism and the Meiji state system while firmly adhering to the principle that "civil rights are the ultimate truth, and freedom and equality are the noble cause," is indicative of Chomin's true character as a critic of civilization. Throughout the book, he also calmly records his progression as a patient, making it a "record of his battle with cancer." While battling the pain of his illness, Chomin pointed out that the downfall of the country and the decline of its people were due to "the lack of philosophy in the country." He went on to write "Zoku Ichinen Yuhan" (Continuation of One Year and a Half), which he published in October of the same year, but died of exhaustion in December, having entrusted the completion of a grand philosophical system of thought that he called "Nakaenismus" to his successors. An autopsy revealed that he had esophageal cancer.

[Mamoru Wada]

"A Year and a Half, Continued A Year and a Half, edited and edited by Nakae Tokusuke and Kaji Ryuichi (Iwanami Bunko)" ▽ "The Thoughts of Nakae Chomin, by Matsunaga Shozo (1970, Aoki Shoten)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

明治初期から中期にかけて思想家、言論人として活躍した中江兆民(ちょうみん)の評論集。門弟幸徳秋水(こうとくしゅうすい)が編集し、1901年（明治34）9月「生前の遺稿」と副題し、博文館より刊行された。同年3月、癌(がん)のため余命1年半と宣告されて書き始めたもので、書名はこれに由来する。「民権是(こ)れ至理也、自由平等是れ大義也」の理義を堅持して帝国主義や明治国家体制を断罪するなど、政治、経済から思想、文学、科学、人物論に至るまで、社会百般にわたっての透徹した批判は文明批評家兆民の面目躍如たるものがある。また随所に、進行する病状が淡々とした筆致で誌(しる)されており、「癌との闘いの記録」ともなっている。その病苦との闘いのなかで亡国と国民堕落の状を「国に哲学無き」ことによると喝破した兆民は、引き続き『続一年有半』を執筆、同年10月に刊行したが、「ナカヱニスムス」と自称した壮大な思想哲学大系の完成を後進に託しながら、12月に衰弱のため死去した。解剖の結果は食道癌であった。

［和田　守］

『中江篤介・嘉治隆一編・校『一年有半・続一年有半』（岩波文庫）』▽『松永昌三著『中江兆民の思想』（1970・青木書店）』

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