The original can be read at Aozora Bunko (青空文庫). - The copywrite has already been expired.
http://www.aozora.gr.jp/cards/000129/files/2058_19628.html
The reason I wanted to translate this piece (only a very small portion of it) into English is because:
1. Nobody didn't seem to have translated this work into English. (The words used in this book are a bit too old-fashioned.)
2. I thought it was a very impressive work written with accurate and concise expressions in the Japanese language. (I didn't think this book was interesting at all when I was younger, but it suddenly appeared so different around the time when I turned the age 40.)
3. I thought this work should long survive in the history of literature, as a reference documentation, since it should help understand how the intellectual people in the pre-modernized period in Japan used to think and behave.
4. This work brilliantly depicts the Japanese individuals' cultural mindset based on the traditional "family institution", which I thought should be a different perspective from the west.
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[Now here's what I have translated selectively from the book.]
Chuusai was a person of very little self-indulgence. He hadn’t drunk alcohol at all, until he was transferred to a cold northern area for a one year duty to serve the former feudal lord, Nobuyuki when he acquired a habit of drinking. He didn’t smoke all his life. He didn’t hike, except he occasionally had a little trip to a mountain to take herbs. He liked visiting a theater often, but he made it a rule to watch it at the parquet circle with friends. He called these friends “Shuumo Shukuren,” meaning “I love the cheap.”
What was Chuusai’s expense consisted of? Perhaps there was nothing other than purchasing books and inviting guests. The Shibue was a family of doctors for generations. There were quite a few, among the books he owned, that had been handed over from his forefathers. But, as I look upon the books list in “Keiseki Hoshi,” I can imagine he didn’t hesitate to spend his money on books.
The first year of Kouka, three years after he composed this poem, he was appointed to an instructor at Seijukan. This Seijukan was a medical school founded in the second year of Meiwa by Gyokuchi Taki, which was located at the memorial site of Tenmondai in Sakuma Town. Three years later the owner eventually was transferred to the Shogun government. By the time when Chuusai was ordained to this position, Gyokuchi, his son Rankei, his grandson Keizan, and his great-grand son Ryuuhan had already passed away. His great-great-grand son Gyoko had succeeded the direction. Chuusai had been closely acquainted with Keizan’s second oldest son, Saitei, who had become independent of his original home in order work for this school.
It was a coincidence that I got to know of Chuusai. I resigned a medical school as a doctor to become a bureaucrat. I made it to be listed as a writer. Ever since I was young I loved to keep the journals. I wanted to know the facts and situations of the past during the Tokugawa Era. I wanted to obtain the source of writings. It occurred to me that I needed to study “Bukan”.
Whenever I meet with a friend, especially from the Tohoku region, I asked if he knew anything about “Shubuye” or “Chuusai.” I also sent a letter to a friend in Hirosaki city and asked about Chuusai Shibuye.
One day I met with Kinpuu Nagai to ask about Shibuye. He said, “If you are talking about Shibuye in Hirosaki, he is a book collector, as well as the author of ‘Keiseki Hoshi.’” Nagai-san, however, didn’t know if Shibuye used “Chuusai” as his first name. The name “Chuusai” does not appear in “Keiseki Hoshi.”
It was at this time when I heard the name Dojun the first time from Iida-san. This name was noted in the introduction of “Keiseki Hoshi.” However, Iida-san did not know if Dojun had used “Chuusai” for his pseudo name.
Even though I had met with someone who knew Dojun, I was unable to obtain information on Dojun’s descendants. With an unfortunate feeling I was going to take a leave, when Iida-san said to me, “Wait a minute. Let me ask my wife just in case.”
His wife entered the room. To the question if she knew anything about Dojun Shibue’s descendents she replied, “I know Dojun’s daughter. Katsuhisa Kineya is her name and she lives in Honjo Matsui-cho.”
I learned for the first time that the author of “Keiseki Hoshi,” Dojun Shibue had a child. Judging from her last name “Kineya”, she should be a teacher of Nagauta (long epic song).
A couple of days later I received a letter from Iida-san. He wrote Kineya-san had a nephew called Shuukichi Shibuye, who lives in Shimo Shibuya. This being said, this Kineya-san’s nephew should be Dojun’s grandson. Summing this up, Dojun had a daughter and grandson who are living now today.
I sent a letter to Shuukichi-san right away to ask him when and which place would be suitable to meet together if permitted. His reply came soon. He wrote he had been sick in bed but when he became better he could visit me. Judging from his handwriting he must be a young person.
Tonosaki-san’s answer was very straightforward. “Chuusai is a Dojun Shibuye’s pseudo name. He is the author of “Keiseki Hoshi.”
This all made sense to me.
Chuusai, Dojun Shibuye not only wrote “Keishi Shishu” or wrote inspected notes with much reading experience on medical books, but wrote essays based on what he had studied from his collections, such as “Kobukan” or an “Old Edo Map”.
Astonished by the series of coincidences, Tonosaki-san said to me, “I know who Chuusai’s child is.”
“Me, too. She is teaching a Nagauta, right?”
“No, that’s not who I know that person is. It’s a man called Tamotsu, who succeeded the heir of Chuusai.”
“I see. Tamotsu Shibuye is the one who is the heir to Chuusai. Where does he live now?”
“I’m not sure of where he lives now. It’s been a long while since I saw him last. But let me ask somebody who might know of that. There are some people from the same home town of his.”
I wanted to be clarified on the Chuusai’s footsteps with the help of Tonosaki-san. He mentioned a couple of things he had remembered. The Shibuyes’ ancestor had been hired by Nobumasa Tsugaru. Chuusai is a descendant from this person by some generations. He was born during the period of Bunka, and deceased during the Ansei period. In the Kaei period he had an audience with Iyeyoshi Tokugawa. The epitaph was chosen by one of his friends, Gyoson Kaiho. Tonosaki-san stated all this overview, and promised me to send excerpts on Chuusai from the books he had kept at hand. I confirmed Tonosaki-san would find where Tamotsu-san lived and prepare the excerpts before leaving the guest room of Shoryo Dormitory.
It was a cold day but was too early to install a fire stove. We sat face-to-face over the table with Tamotsu-san. We never got tired of talking about Chuusai.
The currently existing descendants from Chuusai are these siblings (Ktasuhisa-san and Tamotsu-san) and Shuukichi-san’s father (Osamu). They were born from the same mother, the fourth wife of Chuusai. She was from the Yamanouchis, and her name was Io.
Katsuhisa-san’s first name was “Kuga.” She was born in the fourth year of the Koka period, when Chuusai was 43 and Io 32. She will turn 72 in the fifth year of Taisho. Chuusai had moved to Honjo in the fourth year of Kaei. This explains Katsuhisa-san was in Kanda when she was born.
Osamu, the father of Shuukichi-san was born in Honjo in the first year of Ansei. Three years later, in the fourth year of Ansei Tamotsu-san was born. Chuusai was 53 and Io 42, while Katsuhisa-san was 11 and Osamu 4.
Chuusai passed away in the fifth year of Ansei at the 54. Tamotsu-san was only 2 years old at that time. It was fortunate of him to have heard about who Chuusai was from his mother, Io, who survived until the seventeenth year of Meiji when Tamotsu-san was 28.
The ancestry of the Shibuyes is traced back to the time when they were subordinates of the Ohtawara clan in the Shimotsuke region. The forefather counting six generations back from Chuusai was named Kozayemon Shinsho. He served the Ohtawara clan for two reigns during the time of Seikei and Seisou, and he died on July 2 in the first year of Shoutoku.
Shinshou’s legitimate son, Choukou inherited the house to serve Seisou Ohtawara and Sishou Ohtawara. His second oldest son, Shouchou became independent and served the Ohmura clan in the Bizen region. His third oldest, Shinsei served the Tsugaru clan in the Ohshu region, and his fourth, Shinkyou was a military scientist.
Tadashige was a talented, handsome, and capable man. In March of the seventh year of Anei, he was adopted by Saku Shibuye and was promised to be the successor. Nobuakira, two years older than him liked Tadashige so much. On February 18 in the fourth year of Tenmei, Todashige’s stepfather, Honkoh passed away at age 58. It was the same day when Nobuakira inherited the land. He had already been titled as local manager of the Tosa region. The lord was aged 23 and Tadashige 21.
There was a maid serving in the Tsugaru clan. Her name was Shuzuye. In later year she removed her hair to become a nun, and was called “Myouryouni”. This Myouryouni was said to have shared a funny episode when she had seen in the Tsugaru clan. She recalled when Tadashige had finished his meal and left, the maids would gather around there, stretching out their fingers into the plate Tadashige had used and ate the remaining. Myouryouni said she did that, too.
Tadashige, however, was a man of stoicism and didn’t seek women. He married his first wife, Tanaka on August 22 in the first year of Kansei, but she passed away without a child on April 13 of the next year. He then married his second wife, the daughter of Jousuke Kawasaki who had been fortuned seven ryo (ranked Nando-yaku) to take care of twelve subordinates, while having served the Masagoro Toda clan in the rank of Yoriai. They had a daughter, Itsu born in February of the fourth year but died when she was only three. The wife was divorced by him in the following year. He married his last wife, Nui, who was a sister of Chuuji Iwata, a subordinate of Hotta Sakagami Sagami, who was the lord of the Sakura area in Shimousanokuni. This wife will be the mother of Chuusai. Tadashige was 32 years old and Nui 21.
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原典は青空文庫です。（よって著作権は切れています。）
http://www.aozora.gr.jp/cards/000129/files/2058_19628.html
この作品を少し英訳してみたいと思ったのは次の理由によるものです。
1. この作品を英訳した人がいなさそうなため。(使っている言葉がやや古めかしい。)
2. 日本語によって正確かつ簡略な表現をとっている点が印象深いため。(私自身、若い時分この作品を全然面白いと思わなかったが、40歳あたりになってから突如考えが変わった。)
3. この作品が現代以前の日本の知識人の考えや行動をい知るうえで、また、参考文献としての価値の点からも、残されるべき作品だと思うため。
4. 西洋とは異なる伝統的「家制度」に基づく日本人のマインドセットをこの作品が素晴らしくよく描出していると思うため。
[下記の部分を自分で選んで英訳してみました。]
抽斎は自《みずか》ら奉ずること極めて薄い人であった。酒は全く飲まなかったが、四年前に先代の藩主信順に扈随《こずい》して弘前に往《い》って、翌年まで寒国にいたので、晩酌をするようになった。煙草《タバコ》は終生｜喫《の》まなかった。遊山《ゆさん》などもしない。時々採薬に小旅行をする位に過ぎない。ただ好劇家で劇場にはしばしば出入《でいり》したが、それも同好の人々と一しょに平土間《ひらどま》を買って行くことに極《き》めていた。この連中を周茂叔連《しゅうもしゅくれん》と称《とな》えたのは、廉を愛するという意味であったそうである。
抽斎は金を何に費やしたか。恐らくは書を購《あがな》うと客《かく》を養うとの二つの外に出《い》でなかっただろう。渋江家は代々学医であったから、父祖の手沢《しゅたく》を存じている書籍が少《すくな》くなかっただろうが、現に『経籍訪古志《けいせきほうこし》』に載っている書目を見ても抽斎が書を買うために貲《し》を惜《おし》まなかったことは想い遣《や》られる。
抽斎はこの詩を作ってから三年の後《のち》、弘化《こうか》元年に躋寿館《せいじゅかん》の講師になった。躋寿館は明和《めいわ》二年に多紀玉池《たきぎょくち》が佐久間町《さくまちょう》の天文台｜址《あと》に立てた医学校で、寛政《かんせい》三年に幕府の管轄《かんかつ》に移されたものである。抽斎が講師になった時には、もう玉池が死に、子｜藍渓《らんけい》、孫｜桂山《けいざん》、曾孫｜柳※［＃「さんずい＋片」、第3水準1-86-57］《りゅうはん》が死に、玄孫｜暁湖《ぎょうこ》の代になっていた。抽斎と親しかった桂山の二男｜※［＃「くさかんむり／頤のへん」、第4水準2-86-13］庭《さいてい》は、分家して館に勤めていたのである。
わたくしの抽斎を知ったのは奇縁である。わたくしは医者になって大学を出た。そして官吏になった。然《しか》るに少《わか》い時から文を作ることを好んでいたので、いつの間にやら文士の列に加えられることになった。その文章の題材を、種々の周囲の状況のために、過去に求めるようになってから、わたくしは徳川時代の事蹟を捜《さぐ》った。そこに「武鑑《ぶかん》」を検する必要が生じた。
わたくしは友人、就中《なかんずく》東北地方から出た友人に逢《あ》うごとに、渋江を知らぬか、抽斎を知らぬかと問うた。それから弘前の知人にも書状を遣《や》って問い合せた。
或る日｜長井金風《ながいきんぷう》さんに会って問うと、長井さんがいった。「弘前の渋江なら蔵書家で『経籍訪古志』を書いた人だ」といった。しかし抽斎と号していたかどうだかは長井さんも知らなかった。『経籍訪古志』には抽斎の号は載せてないからである。
わたくしは飯田さんの口から始めて道純という名を聞いた。これは『経籍訪古志』の序に署してある名である。しかし道純が抽斎と号したかどうだか飯田さんは知らなかった。
切角《せっかく》道純を識《し》っていた人に会ったのに、子孫のいるかいないかもわからず、墓所を問うたつきをも得ぬのを遺憾に思って、わたくしは暇乞《いとまごい》をしようとした。その時飯田さんが、「ちょいとお待《まち》下さい、念のために妻《さい》にきいて見ますから」といった。
細君《さいくん》が席に呼び入れられた。そしてもし渋江道純の跡がどうなっているか知らぬかと問われて答えた。「道純さんの娘さんが本所｜松井町《まついちょう》の杵屋勝久《きねやかつひさ》さんでございます。」
『経籍訪古志』の著者渋江道純の子が現存しているということを、わたくしはこの時始めて知った。しかし杵屋といえば長唄のお師匠さんであろう。
二、三日立って飯田さんの手紙が来た。杵屋さんには渋江｜終吉《しゅうきち》という甥《おい》があって、下渋谷《しもしぶや》に住んでいるというのである。杵屋さんの甥といえば、道純から見れば、孫でなくてはならない。そうして見れば、道純には娘があり孫があって現存しているのである。
わたくしは直《すぐ》に終吉さんに手紙を出して、何時《いつ》何処《どこ》へ往ったら逢《あ》われようかと問うた。返事は直に来た。今｜風邪《ふうじゃ》で寝ているが、なおったらこっちから往っても好《い》いというのである。手跡《しゅせき》はまだ少《わか》い人らしい。
外崎《とのさき》さんの答は極めて明快であった。「抽斎というのは『経籍訪古志』を書いた渋江道純の号ですよ。」
わたくしは釈然とした。
抽斎渋江道純は経史子集《けいしししゅう》や医籍を渉猟して考証の書を著《あらわ》したばかりでなく、「古武鑑」や古江戸図をも蒐集して、その考証の迹《あと》を手記して置いたのである。
外崎さんも事の奇なるに驚いていった。「抽斎の子なら、わたくしは織っています。」
「そうですか。長唄のお師匠さんだそうですね。」
「いいえ。それは知りません。わたくしの知っているのは抽斎の跡を継いだ子で、保《たもつ》という人です。」
「はあ。それでは渋江保という人が、抽斎の嗣子《しし》であったのですか。今保さんは何処《どこ》に住んでいますか。」
「さあ。大《だい》ぶ久しく逢いませんから、ちょっと住所がわかりかねます。しかし同郷人の中には知っているものがありましょうから、近日聞き合せて上げましょう。」
わたくしはなお外崎さんについて、抽斎の事蹟を詳《つまびらか》にしようとした。外崎さんは記憶している二、三の事を語った。渋江氏の祖先は津軽｜信政《のぶまさ》に召し抱えられた。抽斎はその数世《すせい》の孫《そん》で、文化《ぶんか》中に生れ、安政《あんせい》中に歿《ぼっ》した。その徳川｜家慶《いえよし》に謁したのは嘉永《かえい》中の事である。墓誌銘は友人｜海保漁村《かいほぎょそん》が撰《えら》んだ。外崎さんはおおよそこれだけの事を語って、追って手近《てぢか》にある書籍の中から抽斎に関する記事を抄出し-て贈ろうと約した。わたくしは保さんの所在《ありか》を捜すことと、この抜萃《ばっすい》を作ることとを外崎さんに頼んで置いて、諸陵寮の応接所を出た。
気候は寒くても、まだ炉を焚《た》く季節に入《い》らぬので、火の気《け》のない官衙の一室で、卓を隔てて保さんとわたくしとは対坐した。そして抽斎の事を語って倦《う》むことを知らなかった。
今残っている勝久さんと保さんとの姉弟《あねおとうと》、それから終吉さんの父｜脩《おさむ》、この三人の子は一つ腹で、抽斎の四人目の妻、山内《やまのうち》氏｜五百《いお》の生んだのである。勝久さんは名を陸《くが》という。抽斎が四十三、五百が三十二になった弘化《こうか》四年に生れて、大正五年に七十歳になる。抽斎は嘉永四年に本所《ほんじょ》へ移ったのだから、勝久さんはまだ神田で生れたのである。
終吉さんの父脩は安改元年に本所で生れた。中《なか》三年置いて四年に、保さんは生れた。抽斎が五十三、五百が四十二の時の事で、勝久さんはもう十一、脩も四歳になっていたのである。
抽斎は安政五年に五十四歳で亡くなったから、保さんはその時まだ二歳であった。幸《さいわい》に母五百は明治十七年までながらえていて、保さんは二十八歳で恃《じ》を喪《うしな》ったのだから、二十六年の久しい間、慈母の口から先考《せんこう》の平生《へいぜい》を聞くことを得たのである。
渋江氏の祖先は下野《しもつけ》の大田原《おおたわら》家の臣であった。抽斎六世の祖を小左衛門《こざえもん》辰勝《しんしょう》という。大田原｜政継《せいけい》、政増《せいそう》の二代に仕えて、正徳《しょうとく》元年七月二日に歿した。
辰勝の嫡子｜重光《ちょうこう》は家を継いで、大田原政増、清勝《せいしょう》に仕え、二男｜勝重《しょうちょう》は去って肥前《ひぜん》の大村《おおむら》家に仕え、三男｜辰盛《しんせい》は奥州《おうしゅう》の津軽家に仕え、四男｜勝郷《しょうきょう》は兵学者となった。
允成《ただしげ》は才子で美丈夫《びじょうふ》であった。安永七年三月｜朔《さく》に十五歳で渋江氏に養われて、当時｜儲君《ちょくん》であった、二つの年上の出羽守｜信明《のぶあきら》に愛せられた。養父｜本皓《ほんこう》の五十八歳で亡くなったのが、天明四年二月二十九日で、信明の襲封《しゅうほう》と同日である。信明はもう土佐守と称していた。主君が二十三歳、允成が二十一歳である。
当時津軽家に静江《しずえ》という女小姓《おんなごしょう》が勤めていた。それが年老いての後に剃髪して妙了尼《みょうりょうに》と号した。妙了尼が渋江家に寄寓《きぐう》していた頃、可笑《おか》しい話をした。それは允成が公退した跡になると、女中たちが争ってその茶碗《ちゃわん》の底の余瀝《よれき》を指に承《う》けて舐《ねぶ》るので、自分も舐ったというのである。
しかし允成は謹厳な人で、女色《じょしょく》などは顧みなかった。最初の妻田中氏は寛政元年八月二十二日に娶《めと》ったが、これには子がなくて、翌年四月十三日に亡くなった。次に寛政三年六月四日に、寄合《よりあい》戸田政五郎《とだまさごろう》家来｜納戸役《なんどやく》金七両十二人扶持｜川崎丈助《かわさきじょうすけ》の女《むすめ》を迎えたが、これは四年二月に逸《いつ》という女《むすめ》を生んで、逸が三歳で夭折《ようせつ》した翌年、七年二月十九日に離別せられた。最後に七年四月二十六日に允成の納《い》れた室《しつ》は、下総国《しもうさのくに》佐倉《さくら》の城主｜堀田《ほった》相模守《さがみのかみ》正順《まさより》の臣、岩田忠次《いわたちゅうじ》の妹｜縫《ぬい》で、これが抽斎の母である。結婚した時允成が三十二歳、縫が二十一歳である。
