SOSHITSU AND THE KOREAN EXPEDITION
宗室と朝鮮遠征
In the third month of the eighteenth year of Tensho(1591) with a view to beginning his subjugation of Korea , Hideyoshi sent a secret message to Soshitsu that, since he had long had a branch house in Koria, he had better go there and under cover of a business tour carefully observe the geography of the country.
天正十八年（１５９１）三月、朝鮮征服をもくろむ秀吉は宗室に隠密の仕事を指示しました。それは、朝鮮に支店を創設し商売の開拓をしながら滞在し、この国の詳細な地理を調べる使命でした。
Since Sohitsu was a man of affairs who was not in any way lacking in daring and endurance, he accepted at once and before he went Kobayakawa Takakage, Lord of Najima in Chikuzen, gave a Cha-no-yu party to speed him, which Kuroda Josui also attended.
それまでの宗室は事務屋で、そのような経験はありませんが忍耐力はありました。急遽、筑前の小早川隆景と茶の湯を催し、黒田如水も同席しこの件内々に快諾をしました。
On the fifteenth day of the sixth month he set out from Hakata with Saito Denuemon, Motoyama Uemon, and a certain Shima who was a retainer of Kobayakawa.
六月十五日に博多を出発、斉藤伝右衛門、本山右衛門、小早川藩士若干名が一緒に行きました。
They soon arrived at Fusan in Korea , and then, accompanied by retainer of So Yoshimoto, Lord of Tsushima, they disguised themselves as Koreans and wandered all over the peninsula making careful observations as went.
彼らは朝鮮の釜山に到着、そこで、先の対馬藩主宗善元が合流同行、朝鮮人に変装して半島をくまなく歩き詳細な観察報告書を作りました。
After six months they came back safely and reported it to Hideyoshi, who ordered Soshitsu to go to Osaka to see him personally.
半年後彼らは無事帰国し、宗室が個人として大阪へ秀吉に報告に出向きました。
When he arrived, Ishida got hold of him beforehand and said, “The country has not yet recovered from the effect of the wars here, and now if an army be sent abroad the hardships of the farmers will be much greater.
到着すると、石田三成が彼を出迎え「あの国への戦の準備はまだ整っておりませぬ、今派兵すると参戦者の負担が大変でござる。
We have all given this advice, but his Lordship takes no notice ; but he will trust what you say, so pray tell him of all the difficulties of this expedition when you see him and so try to turn him from it.”
我々は報告をお聞きしますが、太閤さまの決定は未定です。しかし、殿はそなた方を信頼し、偵察された御一行の苦難の末の帰国喜び、大変なご苦労を感謝されると存じます」。
Soshitsu quite sympathized with this view himself, but he knew how hard it was to move the Taiko when he had once determined on a thing.
宗室は三成の立場に同情しました。この件を太閤が決定するのが難しい事は宗室自身も良く分かっていました。
So when he was summoned into his presence he simply reported all the results of the information he had gathered.
そして彼は太閤の御前に呼ばれ、簡単に結果報告をしました。
Hideyoshi was delighted.
秀吉は信頼を込めて。
“Ah,” he exclaimed, “my plans are quite ready.
「おう！」っと彼は叫び「計画が出来た！
We will soon start, and after crushing Korea we will then overwhelm the four hundred odd provinces of China .
すぐ進軍だ、そして朝鮮を蹂躙し四百超えるシナをも制圧する。
What do you say, Hakata Bozu, will you guide us?”
博多坊主よ我々を案内してくれるな！」
“Please excuse me,” replied Soshitsu, “this may be a brave and gallant expedition in its way, but the expense will be great and the profit small, and even though it is your Lordship, I don't think a losing business is any good, so would not it be better to give it up?”
「恐縮至極ではございます」宗室は床にひれ伏し、「勇猛果敢な道ではございます、が、労多くして益少なしのごとく、閣下、利益を考えますと良い方法とは思えません、中止された方が賢明と存知上げます」。
Hideyoshi flew into a rage at once.
秀吉は激怒して飛び上がり。
“This is beyond anything,” he burst out, “that a mere tradesman like you should dare to dictate to the Kwanpaku.
「先に何も無いと申すか！」怒りが爆発して「そちの様な単なる伝承屋がこの関白へ命令すると申すか！
Here, let someone take the head off this confounded Bozu!”
だれか！この血迷った坊主の首をはねよ」
And he stamped on the floor and left the room.
床をドカドカ踏み鳴らし退室してしまいました。
Kazushige and Naganori and all the rest who were there were much astonished, and with Rikyu and Imai Sokyu they had some trouble in calming the anger of Hideyoshi.
一重や長則などその場に居たその他の人々はびっくり仰天、利休と今井宗久も秀吉の怒りをかってしまします。
Later on next year, when the campaign began, Tokugawa Ieyasu asked through Hakata on his way to Nagoya in Hizen, and Soshitsu gave him all the information he needed about Korea , Honda Masazumi sitting by them and writing it all down.
翌年その戦いは始まり、徳川家康は肥前名護屋にて宗室から朝鮮の情勢を本多正純を同席させ記録させながら聞き取りました。宗室は全てを説明しました。
Soshitsu also gave Ieyasu a map he had made of Korea and promised to visit him at his house.
宗室は家康に朝鮮の地図を渡し家康は彼の家を訪ねる事を約束します。
On the day after Ieyasu and Uesugi Kagekatsu with all their great vassals went to Soshitsu's house in Hamaguchi Machi.
後日、家康、上杉景勝を始め重鎮達が浜口町の宗室の家に集まりました。
Before the gate were hung two wide curtains with his crest on them while within the rooms were all hung with purple damask.
門には家紋入りの大きな暖簾がかかり、各部屋も大きくて紫色のダマスク織のカーテンで仕切られていました。
In the Tokonoma was a pair of pictures of wind-blown bamboos by Yang Chia Sung of T'ang.
床の間には、唐のＹａｎｇＣｈｉａＳｕｎｇ筆の風になびく竹の一対が掛かっています。
The floor of the reception room was spread with leopard skins, while gold screens stood around the walls and the choicest works of art of China and Japan were displayed everywhere.
応接間には床にヒョウの毛皮が敷かれ、金屏風が壁にあって、中国と日本の選りすぐられた工芸品がそこかしこに飾られていました。
After a repast of the most costly delicacies they were invited into the tea-room, which was also furnished with utensils of the greatest rarity and interest.
贅と心尽しの食事の後、茶室に案内されます。そこはやはり貴重で興味深い道具が飾られていました。
Soshitsu and Sotan were by no means ordinary merchants or ordinary Chajin.
宗室と宗湛は普通の商人や茶人ではありませんでした。
They were men who were ready to make the greatest sacrifices for their country.
彼らはこの国の為にいつでも身を捧げる覚悟の男達でした。
They might be styled warrior merchants or warrior Chajin with equal truth.
商人、茶人の姿をした真の武人だったのです。
At this time the places where Cha-no-yu was most flourishing were Sakai in the East and Hakata in the West.
この時代、東の堺と西の博多が茶の湯の最も繁栄した地域でした。
The spirit of Sakai was esoteric and calm, that of Hakata dignified and magnificent.
堺の茶は深遠で静寂、博多の茶は高貴で壮麗です。
Rikyu and Sokyu were typical of the East, Soshitsu and Sotan of the West.
利休と宗久は東、宗室と宗湛は西。
Of Hideyoshi it might be said that he was inclined to make the East his teacher and the West his friend.
秀吉の場合、東の茶人は教師として、西の茶人は友として位置付けていたのかもしれません。