Bin Ueda

Poet, critic, and English literature scholar. Born in Tokyo. Pen name Ryuson. While still a student at First Higher School, he displayed his precocious literary talent in the literary circle "Mumeikai", and in 1894 (Meiji 27), he was introduced by Hirata Tokuboku to become a member of Bungakukai, where he showed an aesthetic tendency to focus on the world of the arts and sciences. Unlike fellow member Shimazaki Toson, who focused on life, Bin's activities, which aimed for art for art's sake, were evident even during his time as a student in the Department of English Literature at Tokyo Imperial University, where he served as an editorial committee member of Teikoku Bungaku and studied under Koeber and Koizumi Yakumo to deepen his knowledge. After graduating from university in 1897, he taught English at the Higher Normal School (now the University of Tsukuba), and published his first work, "Yaso" (1899), as well as a variety of other works introducing Western literature, including "Literary Essays," "Poet Saint Dante," and "Recent Foreign Literature" (all 1901). In 1902 (Meiji 35), he published the magazine "Geien," but it ceased publication after the first issue. He then joined forces with Mori Ogai to publish "Geibun" and "Mannengusa," and his attempts at translating poetry increased. These translations were compiled into the translated poem collection "Umichoon" (1905), which was a magnificent introduction to the French alchemist and symbolist movements. During this time, at the young age of 29, he became a lecturer at Tokyo Imperial University together with Natsume Soseki, travelled abroad in 1907, and was invited to Kyoto Imperial University the following year in 1908, where he later became a professor. He also translated L. N. Andreev's novel "Kokoro," but his only novel, "Uzumaki," serialized in the "Kokumin Shimbun" in 1910, is also an ideological autobiography that shows the hedonism that Bin had attained. After his death, "Modern Art" and a collection of translated poems, "Faun," were published.

[Kunihiko Nakajima September 19, 2018]

"The Complete Works of Ueda Bin, 10 volumes (1978-1981, Educational Publishing Center)" ▽ "Research on Ueda Bin, Yasuo Yasuda, revised and expanded edition (1969, Yuseido Publishing)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

詩人、評論家、英文学者。東京生まれ。号柳村(りゅうそん)。第一高等中学在学中から文学サークル「無名会」でその早熟な文才を発揮、1894年（明治27）に平田禿木(ひらたとくぼく)の紹介で『文学界』同人となり、学芸の世界に目を注ぐ美的傾向を示した。同じ同人の島崎藤村(しまざきとうそん)の人生凝視の姿勢と違い、芸術のための芸術を志向する敏の活動は、東京帝国大学英文学科の学生時代にも顕著で、『帝国文学』の編集委員を務め、ケーベルや小泉八雲(こいずみやくも)に学び学識を深めた。1897年大学卒業後は高等師範学校（現、筑波(つくば)大学）で英語を教え、『耶蘇(やそ)』（1899）を処女刊行、『文芸論集』『詩聖ダンテ』『最近海外文学』（ともに1901）と多彩な西欧文学紹介の著作をまとめた。1902年（明治35）に雑誌『芸苑(げいえん)』を出すが1号で廃刊、森鴎外(もりおうがい)と合流する形で『芸文』『万年艸(まんねんぐさ)』を出し、訳詩の試みも増えた。それらの訳詩は、フランス高踏派、象徴派のみごとな紹介ともなった訳詩集『海潮音』（1905）にまとめられている。その間、29歳の若さで夏目漱石(なつめそうせき)とともに東京帝国大学講師となったが、1907年に外遊、翌1908年京都帝国大学に迎えられ、のち教授となった。L・N・アンドレーエフの小説『心』の翻訳もあるが、1910年に『国民新聞』に連載した唯一の小説『うづまき』は、敏の到達した享楽主義を示す思想的自伝ともなっている。没後『現代の芸術』や訳詩集『牧羊神』が出た。

［中島国彦　2018年9月19日］

『『定本上田敏全集』全10巻（1978～1981・教育出版センター）』▽『安田保雄著『上田敏研究』増補新版（1969・有精堂出版）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例