Depositing my mothers ashes and visiting the scene of a story of "Silence" by Syusaku Endo
My mother died on February 12 in 81 years old.
She passed away suddenly by the high fever only one day. Though She repeated enter and leave a hospital during 5 years.
Mother might parting with this world by the shape which she hoped because thinking of that everybody must die and every days mother's language and behavior.
The funeral was made with family and relatives and I departed business trip to Cambodia on the next day so I didn't have time to felt sorry.
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A business trip purpose was the site examination of the gas engine generating electricity equipment by the methane gas which it can get from the cattle excrement of the stock farm.
We can get good result than expectation and it could be completed by the earlier schedule than the schedule thanks to mother watching it though it have been biomass generating electricity as one of the earth environment warming prevention countermeasures.
We visited the parents' house of mother in Oseto town, Nagasaki Prefecture with mother's ashes at a night in beginning of May, and repose ashes in the graveyard in the mountain where Sasebo port could be seen.
Many relatives attended at memorial service in the temple, and I felt that it was returned suddenly in the old days.
On the way to Tokyo, I suddenly noticed that the stage of the "Silence" by Syusaku Endo in Sotome town is neighbor of Oseto town where is my mother's home.
And, remember the memory of reading the newspaper that Syusaku Endo literature palace was established by Sotome town.
The literature palace was stood on the hill where they can see evening sun which set to Goto open sea could be seen.
It was displayed comfortably easy to understand from the most important work "Silence" and "Women's life" by Syusaku Endo which relates to the Christianity in Nagasaki, Sotome town, about 400 years to extend from the Edo Period early days for the 2nd world war.
It may have been rather good to image "Silence" though it was unfortunately rainy in the day.
However, it is famous for the spot of the young man who gathers, the lovers in search of the beauty of the evening sun of the day which cleared away.
Syusaku Endo was baptismed at 12 years old , studied at Riyon university graduate school in France as the first student study abroad of Keio university, received Akutagawa prize for "White person", publishes a newly written work long story "Silence" in 43 years old.
He wrote "Silence" at Nagasaki and Sotome town where scene of story.
Fransisico zabieru came to Tanegashima island in civil war era then Christianity spread out in Japan in an instant.
Christian feudal load such as Omura, Otomo appeared and Nobunaga encouraged Christianity in the meaning which made it confront Buddhism.
Christian decreased rapidly by Christian prohibition law published by Hideyosi and Ieyasu, but Christian in Nagasaki being kept complying with the faith strongly as Christian in hide.
It is famous that Christian made a war in Shimabara opposed to the Christian suppression.
Endo wrote "Silence" based on the historical fact that the father came to Japan in 1643 purpose of latent propagation, was arrested soon and converted.
Though Christian persecution is being made a base, Syusaku Endo never wrote as only Christian in hide and the father was right and the official of the shogunate was in misfortune evil,
and it was rather being drawn fairly as a collision of the culture-sympathy.
The shogunate explained gently to the father Japanese social conditions of a country and requested conversion in first, and shogunate understood he never accept the request, then severe torture, hanging in the hole was begun to Christian at last.
They press the father everyday that if the father conversion they will stop torture, hanging in hole soon at once.
The father asked Christ why do you continue the "silence" though we stand such persecution because we believe you. Why you don't cause a miracle ?.
Because Christ's "Silence" continue, the father convert at last and save Christian from torture, hanging in the hole.
The father afraid of that the Pope will remove me from father.
However does he has right to remove me because they don't have experience in pain I experience.
I regret that composition between tormenting weak people and onlookers that has been occurred enterprise's restructure in severe economic environment.
Cambodia is a country that independence from France, then begun civil war, primitive communist Porupot who got Chinese support killed some million people, a civil war was end recently.
I can't believe why such gentle Buddhists whom I met repeated slaughter.
The site I went was calm rural landscape where there are rice field with dotted coconut palm as far as I look over.
I felt the conflict related with extreme argument of religion and ideology when I stood at Syusaku Endo literature palace, though there was a difference of the sea and the country.
May 23, 2004 Y.Noguchi