HOSOKAWA TADAOKI

細川忠興

Hosokawa Etchu-no-kami Tadaoki was a great Tea-master as his father Fujitada had been before him, and was known to possess a fine collection of rear tea-vessels. In the time of the Shogun Iemitu the Tairo Hotta Kaga-no-kami Masamori, a lord of great influence in all things, enquired through a third party whether he might see the famous possessions of the house of Hosokawa.

細川越中守忠興は父藤孝同様に偉大な茶人です。くわえて、貴重なすばらしい茶道具の収集家でもあります。 徳川家光将軍時代になって、ある時、大老堀田加賀守正盛と言う幕府重鎮が第三者を通じ、細川家所有の宝物の件で面談を打診いたして来ました。

Tadaoki gladly consented and invited him on a fixed day, and after serving his guest with a feast of the best that he could provide, said: "And now I will show you my things (dogu)."

忠興は喜んで約束の日に招き、歓待をして、そして言いました。「それでは道具をお見せいたしましょう」。

And he brought out and displayed all his most valuable armour, swords and bows and arrows and such like things, but not a single tea vessel did he show.

そう言うと、道具を運び出しはじめ様々な鎧甲、刀、弓矢類、を並べ始めました。が、一つとして茶碗はありませんでした。

This was not at all what Masamori had expected, and he was not best pleased, but he allowed nothing of this appear in his face, and went away apparently delighted, after thanking his host profusely.

正盛が期待したものではまったくなく、不快でした。しかし、顔に出すことなく礼を言って退席いたしました。

But afterwards he again sent the third party to Tadaoki and asked him why it was that he had not brought out any of his famous tea vessels.

その後彼は再び忠興に使いを出し、なぜ宝物の茶碗を一つも出さなかったかを尋ねたのです。

"Oh," said Tadaoki, " Masamori said that he wished to see my most cherished possessions (Dogu), and what should this mean in a military family but the weapons and accoutrements of one's hereditary profession?"

「お〜」っと忠興は声を上げ、「正盛殿が道具を見たいとおっしゃったので、私はてっきり武家である細川家伝来の装飾類かと思いました」と弁明しました。

The same story is told of Fujitaka, father of Tadaoki, the quest in this case being Gamo Ujisato.

同じ様な話は忠興の父である藤孝と蒲生氏郷との間でもありました。

The word 'dogu' is a very comprehensive one and means the instruments or utensils used by anyone for the business or diversion in which he may be engaged. What Masamori meant was Chadogu.

道具と言ってもその意味は非常に広く、趣味娯楽に使う物から仕事に使うものまで沢山あります。正盛が言ったのは茶の湯の道具っと言う意味だったのです。

Hosokawa Yusai Fujitaka and his son Sansai Tadaoki once appeared in the presence of Hideyoshi on the occation of a tea ceremony or some such entertainment, when the Taiko suddenly broke into impromptu verse :

"See the Narrow Rivers twain

Flowing hither in their course."

Without hesitation Yusai continued :

"Tis the rain that falls

In the two ruts that are made

By your Lordship's August Car."

"Bravo!" cried the Taiko, clapping his hands with pleasure at the happy conceit.

細川幽斎藤孝と息子三斎忠興が秀吉の茶の湯の催しへ列席した時のこと。太閤が突然口上を始めました。

「見よ、細い川が二つこちらに流れてまいる」

幽斎つかさず

「雨が降り、二本のわだちが出来てござる。それはまさしく君主八月の車」

すばらしい！太閤は涙を流し手をたたき喜びと好意に満ちておりました。

Hosokawa Etchu-no-kami Tadaoki was lord of Kokura in Buzen and had an income of three hundred and ninety-nine thousand koku.

細川越中守忠興は小倉藩主で３９万９千石です。

He often asked leave to retire on account of ill health, but was not allowed. At length on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month of the sixth year of Genna(1621) permission was given him, and he became Nyudo and took the name Sansai Soryu.

彼はしばしば健康上の理由により引退を申し出ていましたが許可されずにいました。しかし、元和六年（１６２１）１２月２５日に引退、入道、三斎と名を改めました。

But the Shogun Hidetada still continued to treat him with the same favor as heretofore, and would often invite him to Cha-no-yu and have long talks with him.

しかし、将軍秀忠はそんな彼を以前同様に遇し、茶の湯にも招き、雑談を好みました。

The year after his retirement Tadaoki asked permission to go back to his province, and the Shogun invited him to a special audience and addressed him thus: " you loyal service to the Empire and to your lord has been most meritorious and assuredly deserves a fitting reword, and I would have given you great fiefs and higher rank. But since you have now insisted on retiring this is no longer possible, so I present you with this famous painting instead, as a mark of my great esteem."

引退した年の翌年、忠興は彼の領地へ帰事を願い出将軍へ謁見をしました。その時、将軍は次のように言いました。「貴殿の忠誠とこれまでの功績は最高の賞賛に値する、よって領地の加増と昇進を与えたいと常に思って来た。しかし、貴殿の度重なる辞退に対し、私は私の気持ちとしてこの絵を進呈したいと思う。」

And he gave him a written scroll by Bussho Tokko of Song, besides a considerable amount of silver and silk.

そう言うと将軍は宋の著名なＢｕｓｓｏ　Ｔｏｋｋｏの軸と絹、銀を添えて彼に送りました。

Now this writing of Bussho Tokko was the one known as 'the writing of the handing over of the money' because it was sent by Tokko the priest of Ikuozan in China to Tairano Shigemori on the occasion of his sending by the hand of one Myoten the sum of a thousand two hundred ryo of gold, with orders that two hundred be given to the priests of Lkuozan and a thousand presented to the Emperor of China, that a small temple might be built an which prayers might be offered for his attainment of Buddahood.

現在、この絵はＢｕｓｓｏ　Ｔｏｋｋｏがお金の代わりに書いたものとして知られています。平重盛が中国Ｉｋｕｏｚａｎの僧であるＴｏｋｋｏに対し１２００万両の寄進をし、１０００万は宋の皇帝へ２００万は仏教信仰によりお寺に渡しました。その返礼として書かれたものなのです。

It was therefore a treasure of unsurpassed value in the Empire, and Tadaoki's joy at receiving it can be imagined. He felt he had been given something of greater worth than a fief of a hundred thousand koku. Moreover the gratitude of the Shogun did not stop even there, for he granted Tadaoki the privilege of riding in his palanquin right up to the entrance of the palace who he came to pay his respects.

これはとにかくもすごい物で、忠興の喜びは想像にあまりあります。彼自身、１００万石領地よりも価値があると考えました。その上さらに将軍は、表敬訪問の際のかつぎ駕籠の使用も認めました。

This writing was about one foot five inches wide by nine long. It was originally in the possession of the Ashikaga Shoguns Yoshimitsu and Yoshimasa, and was given by the latter to Hosokawa Mochitaka.

これは横が２７ｃｍ縦４３ｃｍほどの巻物になっています。足利将軍義満、足利義政から続き、細川持隆へと変遷しました。

Hosokawa Tadaoki was accustomed to send his retainers to Nagasaki whenever a foreign ship came in, to buy rarities, and it happened that one year he had sent a certain Okutsu Yagoemon with a companion for this purpose, when some fine incense wood came into the market.

細川忠興は、長崎に外国の船が到着すると珍品物色に家来を送っていました。ある年、家来のオキツヤゴウエモンとその共達がその役目を担い品を見に行った時のことです。市場にはとても良い香木がありました。

There were two pieces, one large log and another smaller one. Yagoemon determined to buy the larger piece of the two. Now a retainer of Date Matsu-no-Kami Masamune also his mind on the same piece, and a competition started between the two of them as to which should get it.

二組あって、一つは大きくもう一つはそれよりも小さいものでした。ヤゴウエモンは大きい方の香木を買う事を決めましたが、同時に、伊達待守正宗の家人も同じ大きい方を所望、二人で入札競争が始まったのです。

They bid against each other higher and higher and it seemed as though they would go to any price in their determination to secure it for their lords.

それぞれの君主へ対する思いが、彼らの入札合戦を加熱させいままでにない高値へと跳ね上がって行きました。

When Yagoemon's companion saw how things were going he objected strongly, "What is the use of this competition? You may have to pay some huge price for it. And big log or small, they are both the same tree. Let him have the big one and we will take the small, and that will do quite well."

ヤゴエモンの同伴者が見かねて忠告をしました。「どうしてそんなに熱くなるんですか？大小などはどうでもいいじゃないですか同じ香木です。大きいのを先方に譲って我々は小さい方をとれば、それが一番良いですよ」

"No, no, that won't do," replied Yagoemon, "it is not only a question of having a thing I intend to buy carried off by someone else, but if I give way because I am afraid of the high price it will not only be to my own discredit, but it will reflect on the reputation of our lord. So I will get that big log whatever price I have to pay."

「いやいやそうはいかない」ヤゴウエモンは言い、「これはただ単に物を競り落とすと言う問題ではないんだ。是が非でも落札しなければならない、なぜなら、もしここで止めてこれがあちらに渡れば、我々がお金を渋ったっと言うことになってしまう。と同時に、そのような不名誉を我が君主に背負わせてしまう。だから、誰よりも高い値で競り落とさなければならない」。

The other returned a sharp answer and high words followed, with the result that Yagoemon ended by cutting down his companion and then buying the big log as he had intended. He then returned to Kumamoto and explaining everything in detail to his lords, concluded his report by saying, "And now I am ready to put on end to myself properly by seppuku." "Cutting down your companion in the course if the discharge of your duty to me does not necessitate seppuku," replied Tadaoki.

それでも同伴者は思いとどまる様に叱責をし、ヤゴウエモンはついに彼を切ってしまいました。そして、その大きい香木を競り落とし熊本へ戻り君主へ詳細な報告をした後。責任をとって切腹する旨を伝えたのです。それを聞いた忠興は「そなたの行為は私にたいする忠義である、よって、切腹の必要は無い」っと言いました。

Then calling the son of the lord man he said, "Both the dead and the living did what they did as faithful retainers. No resentment must therefore be borne." And he made him exchange the cup of reconciliation with Yagoemon there in his presence, and both of them continued in his service in peace. But in the twelfth month of the second year of Shoho(1646) Tadaoki died in a ripe old age, and on the third anniversary of his death Yagoemon calmly put on end to his life by seppuku at Funaoka in Kyoto. And there is his tomb to this day. As to the rare incense that Yagoemon thus obtained, Tadaoki regarded it as the greatest of treasures and gave it the name 'Hatsu-ne' or 'First Note'. This name is taken from the famous verse that declares the cuckoo's note to be so fascinating that one always feels as though hearing it for the first time.

そして、切られた家の長男を呼び言いました。「死んだ者も生きている者も二人とも忠誠心のある立派な家臣である。恨みは捨てここはこらえてほしい」っと言い、ヤゴウエモンと和睦の杯を交わせさせました。その後、二人は何事もなくお勤めをはたしました。西暦１６４６年、正保二年十二月に忠興は天寿を全うして他界しました。三回忌がすんだころ、ヤゴウエモンは京都船岡と言う所で閑かに切腹をし果てました。今でもお墓が残っています。例の香木は忠興の宝物となり「初音」っと名付けられ大切にされました。有名な詩からとられた名でその年カッコーが初めて鳴く声で人々を魅了する気持ちを表しています。

In the days of Tokugawa Iemitsu, Hosokawa Ecchu-no Kami Tadaoki was the only remaining Tea master who received the tradition direct from Rikyu, and consequently he was much in demand as a teacher among all the daimyous who were interested in Tea. He always began his instruction with this warning: "You must remember that it is your military prowess that has obtained your fiefs or honors. Do not then neglect your main business. It may be well enough to occupy any spare time you may have with Cha-no-yu, but never let a diversion take the place of the serious work of life."

徳川家光将軍の時代になっても、細川越中守忠興は利休から直接指導を受けた茶人として茶の湯を志す大名達から人気がありました。彼は稽古を始めるにあたり常に戒めています。「あなた達は領地や誇りを獲得した武人であることを忘れてはなりません。茶の湯三昧の日々であっても、けして人生の緊張感から気をそらしてはなりません」。









INTRODUCTION-1 TITLE CONTENTS