Ueda Akinari

A scholar of Japanese classics, poet, and novelist in the mid-Edo period. His real name was Tosaku, and his nickname was Akinari. He was known by the pseudonyms Mucho (meaning crab) and Yosai, which were named after a hand disorder. He was born in Sonezaki, Osaka. His biological mother was Osaki, the daughter of the Matsuo family, an old family from Hinomura, Yamato Province (Gose City, Nara Prefecture). There is a theory that his biological father was Kobori Masatsugu, a samurai direct descendant of Kobori Enshu. He was separated from his biological mother at the age of four and was raised by Ueda Mosuke of Shimaya, a paper and oil merchant in Dojima Era-cho, Osaka. Although he was born weak and would occasionally suffer from convulsions, he was lovingly raised by his honest foster father, a samurai, and his second stepmother, who came to him after his foster mother died (at age 5). At age 5, he narrowly escaped death from a malignant case of smallpox, but was marked by the misfortune of his right middle finger and left second finger being broken. It is said that he received the protection of Kashima Inari (Kaguhashi Shrine) at this time, and he was grateful for the god's blessings throughout his life. Although he was a dissolute youth, he attended Kaitokudo School for Townspeople, which seems to have given him the foundation for learning. He also became interested in haiku poetry from around the age of 20, and was taught by Takai Kikei (1687-1761) and was active under the pen name Zoen. During this time, he received corrections to his waka poems from the Shimoreizei family (Fujiwara Tameyoshi), struck up a friendship with the Japanese language scholar Fujitani Nariakira, and was introduced to Chinese novels by the Tang dynasty scholar Katsube Seigyo (1712-1788). At the age of 27, he married Ueyama Tama, and after losing his adoptive father in 1761, his leisure pursuits led him to turn to ukiyo-zoshi (a type of Japanese folklore story). At the age of 33, he published a Hachimonjiya-style novel of manners titled Shodo Kikimimi Sekenzaru (The World's Monkeys, Hearing the Ears of All Paths) under the pen name Wayaku Taro, and in 1767 he published Tekakekatagi (The World's Concubine's Form), which has been praised as a fine work from his final period of temperamental stories. Akinari, who had already come into contact with Keichu's calligraphy at the recommendation of Kojima Shigeie, studied under Kato Umaki, a senior disciple of Kamo Mabuchi, at the age of 33 or 34. He was decisively influenced by Umaki Kato, who opened his eyes to the themes of new Japanese studies, and after Umaki's death he devoted himself to learning.

At the age of 38, he was left bankrupt in a major fire and decided to become a doctor. After studying under the Confucian physician Tsuga Teisho, he lived in temporary accommodation in Kashimamura (Yodogawa Ward, Osaka City) and while studying he devoted himself to the study of the classics; it was during this period that he established the foundations of his research into Japanese studies. In 1776 (An'ei 5), he moved to Osaka to open a medical practice and published his masterpiece of supernatural fiction, Ugetsu Monogatari, under the pen name Senshikijin. In 1778 he wrote Nubatama no Maki, an original critique of The Tale of Genji, known as a treatise on allegory. During this time, he was familiar with Japanese classics and cultivated his family's insight. When he was in his 50s, he had a dispute with Motoori Norinaga over the interpretation of ancient phonetics and the sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami (later compiled as "Ashikariyoshi"). Akinari's criticism of Norinaga's theory on the ancient ways is considered to have struck Norinaga's "faith." At the age of 54, he retired to Awaji-no-jo village (Higashiyodogawa Ward), north of Osaka, due to illness. From then on, he did not take up a fixed occupation, but instead devoted himself to the life of a writer who enjoyed writing and learning. Akinari described himself as a man of delirium, who indulged in the arts and literature while believing in the life of a commoner who devoted himself to the family business, as a man of wilderness.

At the age of 60, he moved to Kyoto with only a little savings, and while moving residence many times, he had connections with Murase Kotei, Ozawa Roan, Ban Kokei, and others. At the age of 64, he lost his wife Tama (58 years old) and became alone. At the age of 57, he lost the sight in his left eye, and then in his right eye, but he recovered the sight in that eye after receiving treatment from Tanigawa Ryojun. During this period, he devoted himself greatly to the study of his academic studies, and wrote books covering Japanese linguistics, commentaries on classics, and historical treatises, such as "Reigotsu," "Kamurigoto Tsugio," "Nara no Soma," "Koganeisago," "Yoshiyaashiya," "Yasumigoto," and "Todaegoto," and also revised and published "Ochikubo Monogatari" and "Yamato Monogatari." His final years were miserable, and he moved from one loving friend to another, revealing his true self in his essay "Tandaishoshinroku," and culminating in the collection of his life's works "Harusame Monogatari," where he passed away at the age of 76 on June 27, 1812, at the residence of Hakura Nobuyoshi (1750-1828) in Kyoto. His grave can still be seen in the inner garden of Saifuku-ji Temple within the grounds of Nanzen-ji Temple.

He liked Sencha tea and wrote "Seifu Sagen." He showed an interest in the Manyoshu poems, but showed a free style of composition that was not particular about any particular genre, and his works are included in the poetry anthologies "Tsuzurabumi" and "Monthly Collection." His other works include the satirical humorous novels "Kakizomekigenkai" and "Kusemonogatari," the collection of letters "Fumihogu," the essay "Chaka Suigen," the essay "Yanasho" that discusses cutting words, and the haiku anthology "Haichougiron." Akinari is more highly regarded as a representative novelist of the early modern period alongside Ihara Saikaku and Kyokutei Bakin than as a scholar of Japanese classics, and his "Ugetsu Monogatari" in particular is highly regarded as the first work in the history of Japanese novels to perfect the style of the short story (Ishikawa Jun). Many modern writers, including Sato Haruo and Mishima Yukio, were influenced by his work.

[Hiroyasu Nakamura April 18, 2016]

"The Complete Works of Ueda Akinari, 2 volumes (1917, 1918 / reprinted 1974, Kokusho Kankokai)" ▽ "Akinari's Writings, edited by Fujii Shiei (1919, Shubunkan / reprinted 1974, Kokusho Kankokai)" ▽ "The Great Series of Japanese Classical Literature 56: The Collection of Ueda Akinari, annotated by Nakamura Yukihiko (1959, Iwanami Shoten)" ▽ "A Study of the Chronology of Ueda Akinari, by Takada Mamoru (1964, Meizendo)" ▽ "The Complete Collection of Poems of Akinari and Its Research, by Asano Sanpei (1969, Ohfusha / revised edition 2007, Ohfu)" ▽ "Appreciation of the Japanese Classics 18: The Collection of Akinari, by Takada Mamoru (1981, Shogaku Tosho)" ▽ "A Study of Ueda Akinari, by Nakamura Hiroyasu (1999, Pelican)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸中期の国学者、歌人、小説家。本名東作。秋成はその字(あざな)。手の障害にちなんだ無腸(むちょう)（蟹(かに)の意）や余斎の別号で知られた。大阪・曽根崎(そねざき)で出生。実母は大和(やまと)国樋野(ひの)村（奈良県御所(ごせ)市）の旧家松尾家の娘ヲサキ。実父については、小堀遠州直系の旗本小堀政報(こぼりまさつぐ)であったらしいとの説がある。4歳のとき実母の手を離れ、大阪・堂島永来(えら)町の紙油商嶋屋(しまや)上田茂助に養われた。生来虚弱でときどき驚癇(きょうかん)（ひきつけ）を発したというが、武士の出の実直な養父と、養母の没後（5歳）迎えられた第二の義母の慈愛のもとで愛育された。5歳のとき悪性の痘瘡(とうそう)にかかり九死に一生を得たものの、右の中指と左の第2指が短折する不幸を刻印された。このとき加島稲荷(かしまいなり)（香具波志(かぐはし)神社）の加護があったといわれ、生涯神恩を感謝している。青年時は遊蕩(ゆうとう)もあったなかで町人学校懐徳堂に通学、学問の素地を与えられたらしい。また20歳前後から俳諧(はいかい)に親しみ、高井几圭(たかいきけい)（1687―1761）について指導を受けるとともに、漁焉(ぞえん)の号で活躍。このころ下冷泉(しもれいぜい)家（藤原為栄(ふじわらためよし)）について和歌の添削を受け、国語学者富士谷成章(ふじたになりあきら)と交友を結び、また唐音学者勝部青魚(かつべせいぎょ)（1712―1788）からは中国小説に対する眼(め)を開かれた。27歳の年、植山たまと結婚、1761年養父を失ったのちは、遊びが高じて浮世草子に筆を染め、33歳の年、八文字屋(はちもんじや)風の風俗小説『諸道聴耳世間猿(しょどうききみみせけんざる)』を和訳太郎の名で刊行、1767年には『世間妾形気(てかけかたぎ)』を出版、気質物(かたぎもの)末期の佳作と評される。すでに小島重家に勧められて契沖(けいちゅう)の書に接していた秋成は、33、34歳のころ賀茂真淵(かもまぶち)の高弟加藤宇万伎(かとううまき)に師事、新国学がもつ主題性に眼を開かれるなど決定的な影響を受け、宇万伎没後は独学で学問に務めた。

　38歳の年、大火にあって破産、医者としてたつことを決意。儒医都賀庭鐘(つがていしょう)の門に入って手ほどきを受けたのち、加島村（大阪市淀川(よどがわ)区）に仮寓(かぐう)、修業に励むかたわら、古典の研究に打ち込み、この時期に和学研究の基礎がつくられた。1776年（安永5）、大坂へ出て医業を開業するとともに、怪異小説の傑作『雨月(うげつ)物語』を剪枝崎人(せんしきじん)の名で刊行。1778年には、寓言論として知られる独自な『源氏物語』の評論『ぬば玉の巻』を書いた。この時期、国学に親しむとともに一家の見識を培い、50歳を過ぎたころ、本居宣長(もとおりのりなが)との間に、古代の音韻および日の神（天照大神(あまてらすおおみかみ)）の解釈をめぐって論争があった（のちに『呵刈葭(あしかりよし)』として編集）。宣長の古道論に対する秋成の批判は、宣長の「信」を衝(つ)いたものとして評価される。54歳の年、病のため、大坂の北、淡路庄(あわじのじょう)村（東淀川区）に退隠、以後定業につかず、文筆に従い学問に遊ぶ文人としての生き方に徹することになった。家業にいそしむ一民としての生き方を信条としながら芸文の遊びに走る自己を、秋成は狂蕩(きょうとう)の語でよんでいる。

　60歳、わずかの蓄えをもって京都へ移ったあと、たびたび居を移しながら、村瀬栲亭(むらせこうてい)、小沢蘆庵(おざわろあん)、伴蒿蹊(ばんこうけい)らと交流、64歳の年、妻瑚璉尼(これんに)（たま、58歳）を失って孤独の身となった。57歳で左眼の明(めい)を失い、さらに右眼も失明したが、谷川良順の治療を得て左明を回復。この時期、大いに学問の研鑽(けんさん)に努め、『霊語通』『冠辞続貂(かむりごとつぎお)』『楢の杣(ならのそま)』『金砂(こがねいさご)』『よしやあしや』『安々言(やすみごと)』『遠駝延五登(おだえごと)』など、国語学、古典の注釈、史論にわたる書を著し、『落久保(おちくぼ)物語』や『大和(やまと)物語』を校刊した。最晩年の生活は悲惨で、厚情を寄せた知友の間を転々、随筆『胆大小心録(たんだいしょうしんろく)』に赤裸な自我を示すとともに、生涯のすべてを創作集『春雨(はるさめ)物語』に結実させ、文化(ぶんか)6年6月27日、京都の羽倉信美(はくらのぶよし)（1750―1828）邸で76年の生涯を閉じた。墓は南禅寺山内西福寺の内庭に現存する。

　煎茶(せんちゃ)を好んで『清風瑣言(せいふうさげん)』の著があり、歌は万葉に関心を示したが、こだわらない自由な作風をみせ、歌文集『藤簍冊子(つづらぶみ)』や『毎月集』に収められている。ほかに戯文の風刺小説『書初機嫌海(かきぞめきげんかい)』『癇癖談(くせものがたり)』、書簡文集『文反古(ふみほうぐ)』、随筆『茶瘕酔言(ちゃかすいげん)』、切れ字を論じた『也哉抄(やかなしょう)』、句集『俳調義論』などがある。秋成は、国学者としてよりは、井原西鶴(いはらさいかく)、曲亭馬琴(きょくていばきん)と並んで近世を代表する小説家として評価され、とくに『雨月物語』は、日本の小説史上、初めて短編の様式を完成させた作品として高く評価されている（石川淳(いしかわじゅん)）。佐藤春夫、三島由紀夫など、影響を受けた近代の作家も少なくない。

［中村博保　2016年4月18日］

『『上田秋成全集』2冊（1917、1918／復刊・1974・国書刊行会）』▽『藤井紫影編『秋成遺文』（1919・修文館／復刊・1974・国書刊行会）』▽『中村幸彦校注『日本古典文学大系56　上田秋成集』（1959・岩波書店）』▽『高田衛著『上田秋成年譜考説』（1964・明善堂）』▽『浅野三平著『秋成全歌集とその研究』（1969・桜楓社／増訂版・2007・おうふう）』▽『高田衛著『鑑賞日本の古典18　秋成集』（1981・尚学図書）』▽『中村博保著『上田秋成の研究』（1999・ぺりかん社）』

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