Tohimondo - Dialogue between the capital and the countryside

This is the main work of Ishida Baigan, a Shingaku scholar from the mid-Edo period. It is a four-volume, 16-section dialogue that explains the fundamental theory of Sekimon Shingaku. It was published in 1739 (Genbun 4). The first volume, which consists of five sections starting with "Dialogues in the Capital and the Countryside," focuses on Baigan's ideological experiences and views on learning, and discusses the four ways of the people, including the way of filial piety, as a general theory. The second volume, which consists of four sections starting with "Questioning the Meaning of Keeping Ghosts and Gods Away," argues for the unity of Shinto, Confucian, and Buddhist ideas. Among them, the section "Slandering the Learning of a Certain Scholar and Merchant" is a noteworthy section that refutes the common view of the time that merchants were low-class merchants, arguing that the way of merchants was the same as the way of samurai, farmers, and artisans and was a universal human path. The third volume is devoted entirely to the section "Questions on the Principles of Science," which develops Baigan's unique Shingaku philosophy. The fourth volume, consisting of six sections beginning with "Questions on the Behavior of Scholars," clarifies Baigan's arguments through concrete examples in a wide range of areas, including the way scholars, monks, doctors, and merchants should behave, as well as issues of faith. Throughout the entire book, Baigan's sincere personality and thoughts are apparent, and the book is worthy of attention as a representative work that shows the self-awareness of the common people of the mid-modern period.

[Jun Imai]

"The Japanese Classical Literature Series 97: Anthology of Writings by Modern Thinkers" (1966, Iwanami Shoten) " "Japanese Masterpieces 18: Tominaga Nakamoto and Ishida Baigan" (1972, Chuokoron-Shinsha)" "Ishikawa Ken, Ishida Baigan and the Dialogues Between the City and the Countryside" (Iwanami Shinsho)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸中期の心学(しんがく)者石田梅岩(ばいがん)の主著。4巻16段の問答体よりなり、石門(せきもん)心学の原理論を説いた書。1739年（元文4）刊。第1巻は「都鄙問答ノ段」以下5段、梅岩の思想体験と学問観を中心に、「孝」の道をはじめ四民の道を論じ、総論とする。第2巻は「鬼神ヲ遠(とおざく)ト云事(いうこと)ヲ問(とう)ノ段」以下4段、神儒仏諸思想の一致を説く。なかでも「或(ある)学者商人ノ学問ヲ譏(そしる)ノ段」は、商人の道が士農工の道と同等で普遍的人間の道として、時代の通念であった賤商(せんしょう)論に反論した注目すべき段である。第3巻は全巻「性理問答ノ段」にあてられ、梅岩独自の心学哲学が展開されている。第4巻は「学者行状心得難(こころえがた)キヲ問ノ段」以下6段、学者、僧侶(そうりょ)、医者、商人のあり方や信仰の問題など、多方面にわたる具体例について梅岩の主張を明らかにする。同書は全巻を通じて梅岩の誠実な人格と思索がうかがわれ、近世中期の庶民が自覚した哲学を示す代表的著作として注目すべきである。

［今井　淳］

『『日本古典文学大系 97　近世思想家文集』（1966・岩波書店）』▽『『日本の名著 18　富永仲基・石田梅岩』（1972・中央公論社）』▽『石川謙著『石田梅岩と都鄙問答』（岩波新書）』

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