65 Mito Mitsukuni (an omission) Mito Mitsukuni died without being able to see the History of Great Japan (Dai Nihonshi) completed. Nonetheless, he left behind its outline, laying out his understanding, sanctions, and directions for the project. For example, in the entries in that work, he took a very scientific approach. He directed that each of the sources would be written down, seeing to it that compilers not rely on supposition, and indicating that using unapproved material was not to be allowed. Such were the directions of Mitsukuni. The Dai Nihonshi is famous especially for three things which exemplify great honor to Mitsukuni's directions: 1. It removed Empress Jinguu from the Hongi (the main body of the text) and placed her in the Kouhi Den section (Accounts of Empresses) even though it looked like that her reign acconted for in the Nihon Shoki. 2. It recognized the enthronement of Pince Ohtomo, and entered his reign into the Hongi. 3. It recognized the line of the Yoshino Emperors during the so-called Period of Northern and Southern Courts (the Nanbokuchou) as legitimate, adding them to the Hongi. It listed five emperors of the so-called Northern Court who preceeded Emperor GO-Komatsu (the first Emperor of the reunited Courts) as "addenda" to the list of reigning Emperors. All three were troublesome problems, but Mitsukuni was not to be dismayed by them; rather, he set the course for the compilation of the Dai Nihonshi. In fact, later, the Meiji Emperor would make use of these theories. (an omission) When the Dai Nihonshi's Hongi and Retsuden were published, in the 7th year of Bunka (1810), the lord of the Mito domain sent it to the Imperial Court, and in the cffertory to it wrote, "Humbly, I submit that Japan is the land on which the sun shines. Everyone from all corners of the land basking in the benevolence of the Emperor owe him honor." (an omission) The compilation of the Dai Nihonshi can be said to be Mitsukuni's greatest achievement. While proceeding with that work, however, he undertook many other important matters. One of them was in the 5th year of Genroku (1693), when he erected a monument to Kusunoki Masashige at Minatogawa in Settsu. "Oh !" he thought, "how loyal Masashige was !" He grieved over the death of the faithful warrior, and did this to make him an example for Japan. Until then, there had been no tomb in Minatogawa, and there was still but little respect for Masashige. Mitsukuni said that Masashige was a commander of great military skill, but more than that, he was a pure, loyal retainer and he felt moved by his fervent respect for the Emperor, and for that reason erected the stone monument. At the same time, he concluded that Ashikaga Takauji had been a rebel, and he then also criticized the Ashikaga shogunate. Not only that, he also demanded consideration of this on the part the Tokugawa shogunate. In the 7th year of Genroku (1695), bemoaning the dilapidation of the royal tomb of Emperor Jinmu, he felt that the erection of a shrine for the worship of the founder of the nation was necessary, and he issued a petition to that effect. At the time, it was refused and his wishes never came to fruition. After the Meiji Restoration, however, it became a major undertaking.

　

65　水戸光圀 　 （前略） 　水戸光圀は、大日本史の完成を見ないうちに亡くなりました。然しその大筋は之を諒 解し、之を決裁し、之を指示して置きました。たとえば、記事に一々その出典を註記し て、何一つ想像によらず、妄断しない事を示すと云う、極めて科学的な方法を採られた のは、光圀の指示によったのでした。大方針の決裁として有名であり、光圀の面目もあ ざやかに現れておれば、後世に大きな影響を与えたものは、（一）神功皇后を、日本書 紀では御一代にかぞえるかの様に見えていたのを、本紀から除いて皇妃伝に収めた事、 （二）大友皇子の御即位を認め、御一代として本紀を立てた事、（三）いわゆる南北朝 については、吉野の御歴代を正統の天子として本紀を立て、いわゆる北朝は後小松天皇 本紀の首に、北朝五主紀として附載した事、以上の三つで、大日本史の三大特筆と云わ れています。三つとも、やかましい問題でありますが、光圀は全責任を追うて之を決裁 し、大日本史編纂の大方針としましたが、後に明治天皇は、この説を御採用になったの であります。 （中略） 　 　文化七年、大日本史の本紀列伝が出来た時、水戸藩主より之を朝廷へ献上しましたが 、その時たてまつった上表文は、「伏しておもんみるに、太陽の照らすところ、率土、 日域にあらざるはなく、皇化の被るところ、環海、ことごとく天朝を仰ぐ」と書き出し てあります。（中略） 　 　光圀の功績は、大日本史の編修を第一とします。然しその編修を進めながら行った事 の中にも、いろいろ重要な事柄があります。その一つは、元禄五年に、摂津の湊川に、 「嗚呼忠臣楠子之墓」を立てて、楠木正成の忠死を悼み、之を天下に表彰した事です。 それまでは湊川に墓も無く、正成を尊信する事もまだ不十分でした。それを光圀は、こ の人の本質は軍略にすぐれた武将と云うよりも、純粋の忠臣と云う点にあるとし、限り 無き尊敬の熱情を、嗚呼と云う感歎の辞に託して、石碑を立てたのです。それは同時に 足利高氏を逆賊ときめつけ、同時にまた足利幕府を批判し、引いては徳川幕府に反省を 要求するものでありました。 　 　今一つは元禄七年に、神武天皇の御陵の荒廃を悲しみ、神社を建てて建国の始祖をお 祭り申し上げねばならぬとして、その旨、建白しようとされた事であります。これは当 時の情勢まだ無理と判断して、実行に至りませんでしたが、やがて明治維新に大きくつ ながってくる重大事でした。

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