Meigō-ōrai

Letters and textbooks from the Heian period. Three or two volumes. Written by Fujiwara Akihira. Date of creation unknown. Also called "Unshu Shosoku," "Akihira Shosoku," and "Unshu Orai" (orai refers to examples of letters, and shosoku refers to the letters themselves), these names were likely given by later generations. The arrangement of the contents varies depending on the edition, but the Gunsho Rui Jubon edition divides the 211 letters into three volumes, upper, middle, and lower, and each volume is further divided into a main and final volume, with letters of presentation and replies to them arranged in order from roughly New Year's Day. Many of the letters relate to the daily life of aristocrats at the time, such as regular and special ceremonies, private annual events, official appointments, estates, pleasure parties, and the gifting and lending of goods. It also includes letters written after Akihira's death, and as the origin of correspondence, it is a valuable document in terms of practical application and enlightenment.

[Shosuke Ozone]

"Studies on Ancient Traffic by Ken Ishikawa (1949, Kodansha)" ▽ "Miho Tadao and Miho Satoko (eds.) "Travels in Unshu, Research and General Index" (1982, Izumi Shoin)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安時代の書簡文および教科書。三巻または二巻。藤原明衡(あきひら)著。成立年未詳。『雲州消息(うんしゅうしょうそく)』『明衡消息』『雲州往来』などともよばれるが（往来は書簡文例をいい、消息は手紙そのものをいう）、後人の命名であろう。諸本により内容配列を異にするが、群書類従本では211通の消息を上中下三巻に分かち、さらにそれぞれを本末に分かち、各巻にほぼ正月より月を追って進状とそれに対する返状とを並べて掲げる。当時の貴族の日常生活、つまり恒例や臨時の儀式法会(ほうえ)、民間の年中行事から任官恪勤(かくご)や荘園(しょうえん)および遊覧宴会、また品物の贈与貸借などに関するものが多い。明衡没後の書簡も含まれるが、往来物の祖として実用および啓蒙(けいもう)の点で貴重な文献である。

［大曽根章介］

『石川謙著『古往来についての研究』（1949・講談社）』▽『三保忠夫・三保サトコ編著『雲州往来、研究と総索引』（1982・和泉書院）』

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