Arai Hakuseki
Encyclopedia
was a Confucianist, scholar-bureaucrat, academic, administrator, writer
and politician
in Japan
during the middle of the Edo Period
, who advised the Shogun
Tokugawa Ienobu
. His personal name was Kinmi or Kimiyoshi (君美). Hakuseki (白石) was his pen name. His father was a Kururi
han samurai Arai Masazumi (新井 正済).
and from a very early age displayed signs of genius
. According to one story, at the age of three Hakuseki managed to copy a Confucian book written in Kanji
, character by character. Because he was born on the same year as the Great Fire of Meireki
and because he was hot tempered and his brow would crease looking like 火 or "fire", he was affectionately called Hi no Ko (火の子) or child of fire. He was a retainer of Hotta Masatoshi
, but after Masatoshi was assassinated by Inaba Masayasu
, the Hotta clan
was forced to move from Sakura to Yamagata
then to Fukushima
and the domain's income declined. Hakuseki offered to leave, becoming a ronin
and studied under Confucianist Kinoshita Jun'an. He was offered a post by the largest han, that of Kaga Domain
, but he offered the position to a fellow samurai.
In 1693, Hakuseki was called up to serve by the side of Manabe Akifusa
as a "brain" for the Tokugawa shogunate
and shogun Tokugawa Ienobu
. He went on to displace the official Hayashi
advisers to become the leading confucianist for Ienobu and Tokugawa Ietsugu
. While some of Hakuseki's policies were still carried out after Ienobu's death, after the 6th shogun, Tokugawa Ietsugu, died and Tokugawa Yoshimune
's rule began, Hakuseki left his post to begin his career as a prolific writer of Japanese history and Occidental studies.
He was buried in Asakusa
(current day Taitō, Tokyo
), Hoonji temple but was later moved to Nakano, Tokyo
, Kotokuji temple.
, Abe Seikyo, with strong support from Ienobu, he launched Shōtoku no chi, a series of economic policies designed to improve the shogunate's standing. By minting new and better quality currency, inflation was controlled. Calculating from trade records, Hakuseki deduced that fully 75% of gold and 25% of silver in Japan had been spent on trades with foreign countries. Concerned that Japan's national resources were at risk, he implemented a new trade policy, the Kaihaku Goshi Shinrei(海舶互市新例), to control payments to Chinese and Dutch merchants by demanding that instead of precious metals, products like silk, porcelain, and dried seafoods should be used for trading. However, the beneficial effects of this policy were limited as the trade of precious metals from Tsushima and Satsuma was uncontrolled by the bakufu.
He also simplified rituals for welcoming the Joseon Dynasty
's ambassadors, in the face of opposition from the Tsushima Confucianist Amenomori Hōshu.
to both the emperor
and the shogun
. Since there had been no revolution to change Japan's basic institutions, he argued that the shogun was subordinate to the emperor and that in showing good governance, moral fortitude and respect to the emperor a shogun proved that he held divine right
. He also traced Tokugawa family roots back to the Minamoto clan and thus to a line of imperial descent in order to show that Ieyasu's political supremacy had been fitting. To strengthen the shogun's power and maintain national prestige he proposed changing the title to koku-ō - nation-king.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
during the middle of the Edo Period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
, who advised the Shogun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
Tokugawa Ienobu
Tokugawa Ienobu
was the sixth shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty of Japan. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Tsunashige, thus making him the nephew of Tokugawa Ietsuna and Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, the grandson of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the great-grandson of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the great-great grandson of Tokugawa...
. His personal name was Kinmi or Kimiyoshi (君美). Hakuseki (白石) was his pen name. His father was a Kururi
Kururi Domain
was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, located in Kazusa Province , Japan. It was centered on Kururi Castle in what is now the city of Kimitsu, Chiba....
han samurai Arai Masazumi (新井 正済).
Biography
Hakuseki was born in EdoEdo
, also romanized as Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of the Japanese capital Tokyo, and was the seat of power for the Tokugawa shogunate which ruled Japan from 1603 to 1868...
and from a very early age displayed signs of genius
Genius
Genius is something or someone embodying exceptional intellectual ability, creativity, or originality, typically to a degree that is associated with the achievement of unprecedented insight....
. According to one story, at the age of three Hakuseki managed to copy a Confucian book written in Kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
, character by character. Because he was born on the same year as the Great Fire of Meireki
Great Fire of Meireki
The , also known as the Furisode Fire, destroyed 60-70% of the Japanese capital city of Edo on March 2, 1657, this is the third year of the Meireki Imperial era...
and because he was hot tempered and his brow would crease looking like 火 or "fire", he was affectionately called Hi no Ko (火の子) or child of fire. He was a retainer of Hotta Masatoshi
Hotta Masatoshi
was a daimyō in Shimousa Province, and top government advisor and official in the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan. He served as rōjū to Shogun Tokugawa Ietsuna from 1679–80, and as Tairō under Tokugawa Tsunayoshi from the 12th day of the 11th lunar month of 1681 until his death on 7 October...
, but after Masatoshi was assassinated by Inaba Masayasu
Inaba Masayasu
was a Japanese hatamoto and daimyō of Aono han in Mino Province in Edo period Japan. Masayasu's family was descended from Konō Michitaka....
, the Hotta clan
Hotta clan
The was a Japanese clan that ruled the Sakura Domain in the late Edo period. Jindai-ji in the present-day city of Sakura was the clan's bodaiji, or family temple, and has many of the tombstones of prominent members of the Hotta clan.-References: ....
was forced to move from Sakura to Yamagata
Yamagata
-Places in Japan:*Yamagata Prefecture**Yamagata City, the capital city of Yamagata Prefecture**Yamagata Airport , an airport located in Yamagata**Yamagata Shinkansen, one of Shinkansen lines running between Tokyo Station and Shinjo Station...
then to Fukushima
Fukushima, Fukushima
is the capital city of Fukushima Prefecture in the Tōhoku Region of Japan. As of May 2011 the city has an estimated population of 290,064 and an area of 746.43 km².It lies about 250 km north of Tokyo and 80 km south of Sendai.-History:...
and the domain's income declined. Hakuseki offered to leave, becoming a ronin
Ronin
A or rounin was a Bushi with no lord or master during the feudal period of Japan. A samurai became masterless from the death or fall of his master, or after the loss of his master's favor or privilege....
and studied under Confucianist Kinoshita Jun'an. He was offered a post by the largest han, that of Kaga Domain
Kaga Domain
The was a powerful feudal domain in Kaga, Noto and Etchū Provinces of Japan during the Edo period. The domain was founded by Maeda Toshiie and headed by the Maeda clan. Its income rating, over 1,000,000 koku, was the highest in the nation after the Tokugawa shogunate itself...
, but he offered the position to a fellow samurai.
In 1693, Hakuseki was called up to serve by the side of Manabe Akifusa
Manabe Akifusa
was a feudal lord in Japan, and Ienobu's attendant.-Biography:Akifusa Manabe was born in Edo, Japan on June 18, 1666 as a son of actor on the Japanese traditional play. Later, he served to the Edo Bakufu's 6th Shogun Tokugawa Ienobu. He was Sobayonin in the Edo Bakufu. He beacame Daimyo in...
as a "brain" for the Tokugawa shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
and shogun Tokugawa Ienobu
Tokugawa Ienobu
was the sixth shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty of Japan. He was the eldest son of Tokugawa Tsunashige, thus making him the nephew of Tokugawa Ietsuna and Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, the grandson of Tokugawa Iemitsu, the great-grandson of Tokugawa Hidetada, and the great-great grandson of Tokugawa...
. He went on to displace the official Hayashi
Hayashi clan
The was the name of several Japanese clans, of varying origin.*Hayashi clan of Owari Province *Hayashi clan of Confucian scholars *Hayashi clan of the Jōzai Domain...
advisers to become the leading confucianist for Ienobu and Tokugawa Ietsugu
Tokugawa Ietsugu
Tokugawa Ietsugu; 徳川 家継 was the seventh shogun of the Tokugawa Dynasty, who ruled from 1713 until his death in 1716...
. While some of Hakuseki's policies were still carried out after Ienobu's death, after the 6th shogun, Tokugawa Ietsugu, died and Tokugawa Yoshimune
Tokugawa Yoshimune
was the eighth shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, ruling from 1716 until his abdication in 1745. He was the son of Tokugawa Mitsusada, the grandson of Tokugawa Yorinobu, and the great-grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu.-Lineage:...
's rule began, Hakuseki left his post to begin his career as a prolific writer of Japanese history and Occidental studies.
He was buried in Asakusa
Asakusa
is a district in Taitō, Tokyo, Japan, most famous for the Sensō-ji, a Buddhist temple dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon. There are several other temples in Asakusa, as well as various festivals.- History :...
(current day Taitō, Tokyo
Taito, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself Taito City.As of April 1, 2011, the ward has an estimated population of 168,909, with 94,908 households, and a population density of 16,745.86 persons per km². The total area is 10.08 km².-History:The ward was founded...
), Hoonji temple but was later moved to Nakano, Tokyo
Nakano, Tokyo
is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. In English, it calls itself Nakano City .As of April 1, 2011, the ward has an estimated population of 311,690 with a household number of 176,936 and a density of 19,992.94 persons per km². The total area is 15.59 km².-Geography:Five special wards...
, Kotokuji temple.
Economic Policy
Under the top RōjūRoju
The ', usually translated as Elder, was one of the highest-ranking government posts in Tokugawa Japan. The term refers either to individual Elders, or to the Council as a whole; under the first two shoguns, there were only two Rōjū...
, Abe Seikyo, with strong support from Ienobu, he launched Shōtoku no chi, a series of economic policies designed to improve the shogunate's standing. By minting new and better quality currency, inflation was controlled. Calculating from trade records, Hakuseki deduced that fully 75% of gold and 25% of silver in Japan had been spent on trades with foreign countries. Concerned that Japan's national resources were at risk, he implemented a new trade policy, the Kaihaku Goshi Shinrei(海舶互市新例), to control payments to Chinese and Dutch merchants by demanding that instead of precious metals, products like silk, porcelain, and dried seafoods should be used for trading. However, the beneficial effects of this policy were limited as the trade of precious metals from Tsushima and Satsuma was uncontrolled by the bakufu.
He also simplified rituals for welcoming the Joseon Dynasty
Joseon Dynasty
Joseon , was a Korean state founded by Taejo Yi Seong-gye that lasted for approximately five centuries. It was founded in the aftermath of the overthrow of the Goryeo at what is today the city of Kaesong. Early on, Korea was retitled and the capital was relocated to modern-day Seoul...
's ambassadors, in the face of opposition from the Tsushima Confucianist Amenomori Hōshu.
Constitutional policy
Hakuseki applied the mandate of heavenMandate of Heaven
The Mandate of Heaven is a traditional Chinese philosophical concept concerning the legitimacy of rulers. It is similar to the European concept of the divine right of kings, in that both sought to legitimaze rule from divine approval; however, unlike the divine right of kings, the Mandate of...
to both the emperor
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
and the shogun
Shogun
A was one of the hereditary military dictators of Japan from 1192 to 1867. In this period, the shoguns, or their shikken regents , were the de facto rulers of Japan though they were nominally appointed by the emperor...
. Since there had been no revolution to change Japan's basic institutions, he argued that the shogun was subordinate to the emperor and that in showing good governance, moral fortitude and respect to the emperor a shogun proved that he held divine right
Divine Right
Divine Right may refer to:* The Divine right of kings, the doctrine that a monarch derives his or her power directly from God* Episcopal polity, the doctrine that is required in the church jure divino, i.e...
. He also traced Tokugawa family roots back to the Minamoto clan and thus to a line of imperial descent in order to show that Ieyasu's political supremacy had been fitting. To strengthen the shogun's power and maintain national prestige he proposed changing the title to koku-ō - nation-king.
Selected works
Hakuseki's published writings encompass 237 works in 390 publications in 6 languages and 3,163 library holdings.- 1709 — 本朝軍器考
- 1709 -- .
- 1711 -- , also known as Honchō hōka tsūyō jiryaku ("Short Account of the circulation of currency in this realm").
- _________. (1828). Fookoua Siriak: traité sur l'origins des richesses au japon (translation of Hōka shiryaku by Julius Klaproth). Paris. (1712). '
- 1712 -- .
- 1715 -- . A work describing the Occident, based on Hakuseki's conversations with Giovanni Battista SidottiGiovanni Battista SidottiGiovanni Battista Sidotti was an Italian Jesuit priest. During the Edo period, he entered Japan illegally and was arrested, whereupon he was confined until his death....
- 1729 — 蝦夷志
- 1760 — 同文通考
- 1805 — 東雅
- 1894 — Hankanfu (藩翰譜). A list of daimyo's family tree
- 1936 — 新井白石集
- 1964 — 戴恩記
- 1977 — 新井白石全集
- 1977 — 新編藩翰譜
- 1981 — 新令句解
- Koshitsu (古史通). A work that detailed ancient history of Japan
- Oritaku Shiba-no-ki (折りたく柴の記). A diary and memoirMemoirA memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...