Lu Ban (English spelling) Lǔ Bān

Japanese: 魯班 - ろはん（英語表記）Lǔ Bān

A famous craftsman in ancient China. Also written as Lu Ban. Family name Gongshu, given name Pan. A native of the state of Lu during the Spring and Autumn period, he is said to have been famous for making ingenious tools. Also called Gongshuzi, he lived during the time of Duke Ai of Lu (494-468 BC) and is said to be the son of Duke Zhaogong of Lu, but this is not certain, and one theory is that Lu Ban and Gongshu are different people. In a chapter about Gongshu in the "Mozi," it is written that Gongshu Ban made a tall, long siege tool called a "cloud ladder" for the state of Chu and attempted to attack Song. In the Lu Wen chapter of the same book, it is said that he carved a bamboo or wood to make a magpie (also called a kite) and when it was flown, it did not fall for three days.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

古代中国の著名な工匠。魯般とも書く。姓は公輸（こうしゆ），名は般。春秋時代魯国の人で，奇巧の器具を制作して名高かったと伝える。公輸子ともいい，魯の哀公(前494‐前468)の時代の人で，魯の昭公の子ともいわれるが定かでなく，また一説には魯班と公輸は別人ともいう。《墨子》に公輸の一編があり，公輸般が楚国のために〈雲梯（うんてい）〉と呼ばれる高く長い攻城の器具を作り宋を攻めようとしたことが記される。また同書の魯問篇に，竹木を削って(鵲（かささぎ），あるいは鳶（とび）ともいう)を作り，飛ばすと3日間も落ちることがなかったという。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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