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Later years (1848-1858)
From February 1848, he
held several offices at the castle of the daimyo and he became
for the first time an independent teacher of the Meirikan.
On October 31st of that
year, he presented an ikensho in which he described his views
of the reform of the Meirinkan (or rather, its reestablishment)
and his own personal views regarding punishments, rewards, rules
for the school, etiquette, how the examinations and elections
should be held, etc. [Generally, the boys entered these schools
when they were nine years old. The first three years were for
learning by heart of texts. At the 13th year they memorized
texts were explained. In addition, four years were spent in
learning etiquette (10-14) and in calligraphy. At their thirteenth
year, the boys started to learn archery. From their fifteenth
year, more time was spent with the study of the Chinese classics.
After their sixteenth year, tuition in groups came to an end
and private tuition begain. At 18, the young samurais started
a special study under the guidance of a specialist. This went
on generally until their 22nd year after which time they were
free to continue or to leave off.]
Shoin in his ikensho advocated
the promotion of military and literary science.
He obtained the post of
a regular teacher at the Meirinkan when he was 18 years old,
but traveled extensively. At 20, he traveled to Kyushu and at
21, to Edo. He documented these travels in his Saiyu Nikki and
Toyo Nikki. He traveled a year later (age 22?) with his two
soldier friends Miyabe and Ebata to the North, where he came
into contact with scholars of the Mito school.
On April 10, 1849, he wrote
Suiriku Senryaku (Scheme for War on Land and Sea) and presented
it to defence authorities. July 5th, wrote Hayama SAnai at HIrado,
asking to be accepted as pupil. Nov 27, presents to clan officials
a copy of his Taisaku Ichido (counter measures). He also composed
this year, Kaiho Kiryaku (Resume of the Travels round the Bays),
Keikogoto Hikae (Notes Concerning the Exercises), Meirinkan
Hikae (Notes Regarding the Meirinkan)
On November 1st, 1850,
he left Hagi, traveled through Kyushu -- returning January 31st
1851. (Traveled through Kogura, Saga, Omura, Nagasaki, HIrado,
Amakusa, Shimabara, Kumamoto, Yanagawa, and Kurume.) Read many
Chinese books and in Nagasaki learned Chinese from an interpreter
called Cheng Kan-chieh and visited the houses of the Chinese
and Dutch. In Kumamoto he called often on Miyabe Teizo. In Saga,
he visited Kusaba Heisen and Taketomi Inan.
His works during this year
included Saiyu Nikki (Diary of the Journey to the West), Finin
Funko (poems), Joran HIkae (Notes Regarding Imperial Inspection),
and Kojiki (Chronicle of Public Affairs.)
In 1851, he lectured on
Sun-tzu before the Daimyo March 15th. On 5/28 he visited Edo.
Hiraoka Yasube taught Shoin the art of fencing. Shoin acquaints
himself further with Toriyama, Shinzaburo, Miyabe Teizo, Nagahara
Takeshi and Saito Shintaro. He visited Kamakura with Miyaba
Teizo.
On 1/11/1852, he arrived
in Mito and went to Nagai Masasuke, leaving ten days later with
Miyabe. He wrote Toyu Nikki (Diary of the Journey to the East),
Bukyo znesho Kosho (Explanation o the Bukyo znesho), and Kanotoi
Nikki (Kanotoi Diary).
On January 19, 1853 Shoin
loses his income and samurai title. He arrives in Edo in July
via the Nakasendo (one of two major highways). At the end of
this year he tried (with the help of Sakuma Shozan) to board
a Russian ship, but when he arrived at Nagasaki, the ships had
already left. He resolved still to try to go abroad. On the
evening of 25th of April, he went aboard an American ship.
He attempted five times
to make plans to board the ships of Perry (at Shimoda) and failed.
When a part of Americans had gone out, Shoin and his friend
Kaneko attempted to approach and speak with the American officers.
A letter was handed to
the officers (before Shoin and his companion ran off), and the
translation made by Williams, the interpreter of the American
Squadron.
Apparently the letter was
revised and corrected by Sakuma Shozan. Shoin signed under the
name of “Kwa no Uchi Manji” and Kaneko under “Ichigi
Kota)
Shoin and Kaneko did successfully
meet Perry. “When the Commodore learned the purpose of
their visit, he told them, through the interpreter that they
first needed permission from their Government. Shoin and Kaneko
were greatly disturbed by this answer and explained that if
they returned to the land, they would lose their heads.”
This failure was the beginning
of the end.
His last waka “That
the country of my Ruler may enjoy peace, I would gladly give
my life away.” (Written when he left Hagi for the last
time on his final Edo journey.”
*Kakemakumo
Kimi ga Kuni koso
Yasukereba
Mi wo sutsuru koso
Shizu ga hoi nare
The two men were interred and recognized by the Americans a
few days later, sitting in a cage.
Shoin wrote the following
on a board.
“When a hero fails
in his purpose his acts are then regarded as those of a villain
and a robber. In public we have been seized and pinioned and
caged for many days. The village elders and headmen treat us
disdainfully, their oppressions being grievous indeed. Therefore
looking up while yet we have nothing wherewith to reproach ourselves,
it msut now be seen whether a hero will prove himself to be
one indeed. Regarding the liberyty of going through the sixty
States as not enough for our desires, we wished to make the
circuit of the five great continents. This was our hearts’
wish for a long time. Suddenly our plans are defeated, and we
find ourselves in a half-sized house, where eating, resting,
sitting, and sleeping are difficult; how can we find our exit
from this place? Weeping we seem as fools; laughing as rogues.
Alas! For us; silent we can only be.”
Perry did attempt to intercede and “received assurances
from the authorities that he need not apprehend a serious termination.”
(Hawks.)
From this point forward,
a whole series of imprisonments begin.
On May 12, 1854 Shoin was
taken to Demmacho prison in Edo for 150 days. The Bakufu ordered
his imprisonment be changed into confinement in the house of
his daimyo at Azabu (Edo). From there, Shoin and Kaneko were
sent to Hagi, where they arrived December 14. Shoin went to
Noyama prison and Kaneko to Iwakura.
December 21st, he wrote
Niju ikkai Moshi Setsu (The Opinion of the 12 times audacious
Samurai), Yushu Roku (Record of an imprisonment), and Kaiko
Roku (Record of the past)
On March 1, 1855 Kaneko
died. Shoin composes a poem, takes the name Muitsu and composes
the 7 Rules of a Samurai.
Within a year he was allowed
to change prison for confinement in the house of the Sugi’s.
While in prison, he had started to teach his coprisoners. During
his confinement, he taught the children of the neighborhood
as well. At first—in secret, later openly. (He taught
the pupils of his uncle in a neighboring house, which later
took on the name of Shoka Sonjuku.)
In 1857, Shoin was permitted
by daimyo to take over the private school of his uncle Tamaki,
the Sonjuku. (The time of his teaching did not last longer than
two and a half years). At this time, there were 20 pupils.
In 1858, he wrote “Kyofu
no Gen” (Words of a Fool) and an ikesnho on the development
of Takeshima and handed it to Kusaka Genzui in order that it
might be conveyed to Katsura Kogoro in Edo. Shoin continued
to write many works, two of which were presented to daimyo officials
who then granted him permission to teach pupils the Kagaku.
(Sonjuku to date had received a stern military training, and
from henceforth they focused their attention on artillery.)
On December 11th, Shoin
decided with 17 partisans to attack and kill Manobe Norikatsu.
[*It appears that this is under some contention historically
as the records of the Bakufu were unclear. However the author
believes that the Bakufu was not unjustified in their actions.
Yoshida Shoin had repeated plotted against the Shogunate, inciting
his pupils to take action, but in particular he was ‘auctor
intellectualis’ of a conspiracy to kill the member of
the Shogunal Council Manobe Norikatsu, who was the right hand
of Ii Naosuke (Prime Minister of the Shogunate). Manobe had
been sent to Kyoto by Naosuke in order to imprison several kuges
and samurais.]
On May 21st, 1859, by order
of the Bakufu, he was ordered to Edo after his plot to kill
Manobe Norikatsu was discovered by Shogunal police. And there
he was condemned to death.
June 14th, his disciples
came to the Noyama prison to say their goodbyes. On June 24,
he was permitted to go home to take leave of his parents.
Before his final journey
Shoin was allowed to pass his last night at home. He composed
his Kakemakumo for his foster mother as a remembrance. Before
climbing into the sedan chair he spoke to his assembled students
to never forget his lessons. His principal students followed
at a distance till they came to a place Namidamatsu, “pinetree
of tears.”
Shoin composed another
waka.
“This is the journey,
I presume, from which I shall never return.
We all drenched here, at the pinetree of tears.”
He wrote his Ruishoshu
(“Collection of the pinetree of tears”) during this
journey to Edo and also wrote to his parents a poem.
“The heart of a child
that thinks of its parents, is surpassed by parental affection.
How will they receive today’s news?”
The news he referred to
was his condemnation of death.
He also took guilt to himself
for the situation. “Because my knowledge was too superficial
and my sincerity not enough to move heaven and earth, therefore
it has come thus far.”
During his final days he
wrote his well known Ryukon roku. He ends with this waka: “In
this world, I have nothing else to do save wait for the voice
that will summon me.”
When it was over his pupils
Iida Seihaku (a Choshu physician), Odera Shinnojo, Katsura Kogoro
and Ito Toshisuke* came to take the body, a request which was
refused. Three days later they were allowed to approach the
body and cover it with new clothes and buried it in the Shimoyashiki
grounds of the Ekoin cemetery in Edo.
"Ito and his new master
Kido, set foot in Edo… together with Iida… attended
to the reparations of his burial. Kido first disrobed himself
and with the juban, or innermost garment which he wore, wrapped
the lifeless form that once contained Shoin’s animating
spirit. Then Iida who followed next, coverted it with his own
shitagi, or mid-garment of black silk. Over all this Ito placed
his own silken sash, the obi, to complete the ceremonial robes
of the deceased. Thus clothed, Shoin’s remains were placed
in a casket and lowered into his tomb close to the graves of
other distinguished royalists whose spirits had preceded this.
It was a sorrowful moment for the youthful Ito. It filled him
with an added sense of the tyranny of the Shogun’s Government,
with the ever increasing spirit of revolt against this tyranny
which animated the faithful followers of the Emperor.”
[Prince Ito by Kengi Hamada, 22-23]
Four years later, in 1863,
the body was taken and buried in the Setagay cemetery where
it lies still.
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