TOKUGAWA MITSUKUNI
徳川光圀
There was an old man who lived at a place called Kanzaki in the province of Mito who had been fond of Cha-no-yu all his life, and who had always found solace in it if he happened to be lonely.
水戸の神崎と呼ばれる所に一人の老人がいて、彼は孤高で茶の湯の道に精進三昧していました。
His name was Kuwaya Sanmu, and though he was now over eighty and rather crippled in his movements he still continued to practice his favorite diversion.
彼の名は桑屋三無、八十歳を超え体が不自由にもかかわらず修行を続けていました。
Now Tokugawa Chunagon Mitsukuni lord of Mito , who had now retired, came to hear of Sanmu, and one day when he happened to be in that part, he called to see him.
水戸藩主徳川中納言光圀は隠居し、三無の話を耳にして、ある日彼と面会する機会がありました。
His dwelling was just a tiny straw-thatched hut, and could hardly be called a Tea-room, for it was merely an ordinary cottage interior rather quaintly arranged, with a hearth cut in the floor, but it sufficed him for his pleasure proceeded from within his own mind.
彼の住まいは小さな藁葺の家でしたが、茶室と呼ぶにふさわしく、その普請は行き届き、部屋には炉が切られ、彼の精神の高さが十分に表現されていました。
Since the cottage was so small Mitsukuni had to leave his retinue outside and went in with only two attendants.
庵はとても小さいため、光圀は随行の家来達を外に待たせて従者二人を伴い中へ入りました。
Sanmu tried to sit in the proper ceremonial manner, saying, “I am afraid my old bones won't allow me to sit quite as I ought before a nobleman.”
三無はきちんと座り言いました、「高貴な方に対し老骨のお相手にてお許し下さい。」
But Mitsukuni forbad him, telling him to sit in the most comfortable position.
光圀はお気を楽にいつもの様にするように促しました。
So, again excusing himself, he sat easily like a child and served his lord with tea.
そして、彼は恐縮し子供座りになって殿様に茶を点てました。
Mitsukuni observed that the tea-caddy was an uncommon one and asked him what it was called, “Oh, it has no-special name,” said Sanmu.
光圀は使われた珍しい茶入を見て云われを尋ねると、三無は「別にございません」と答えました。
“It seems to have a mark like a cloud on its shoulder,” said Mitsukuni, “so give it the name ‘Yoko-kumo' ‘Cloud-bank'.”
「肩の部分が雲のよう様ですな、さすれば、横雲と名付けたらいかがでござろう？」と光圀が言いました。
When the Tea was over and he returned home Mitsukuni sent a fine Ashiya kettle to the old man as a present.
茶の湯が終り光圀は帰城するとお礼の品として芦屋釜を彼に贈りました。
Tokugawa Mitsukuni had all his life been fond of Cha-no-yu, but when he retired ha gave it up, with the remark that that kind of taste gave one too much love for Tea-utensils and such thing to be compatible with true detachment of mind.
徳川光圀は茶の湯を修めましたが、隠居後は止めました。理由として、茶の湯道具に懲りすぎる事が精神の真の意味から外れる事を回避したのだと思います。