ASHIKAGA YOSHIMASA ORIGINATES THE FOUR-AND-A-HALF MAT TEA-ROOM

足利義政、四畳半の茶室を考案

In the days of Ashikaga Yoshimasa there occurred the wars of the eras Onin and Bummei (1467-1480), and the Empire was rived asunder like flax.

足利義政は室町幕府八代将軍で、この時“応仁の乱”が起きました。それは幕府の将軍職をめぐっての麻を裂くがごとく真っ二つの争いでした。

In the eighth year of Bummei (1477) he handed over the administration to his son Yoshihisa and retired to his Palace of Higashiyama to spend his remaining years.

文明八年、義政は将軍職を息子の義尚（よしひさ）に譲り東山御殿へ隠居しました。

One part of his Palace had two stories: in the upper part there were three rooms, and this was called the Shinku -den, while the lower, known as the Cho-on- kaku , had four apartments.

この建物は二層になっていて、一層部分は「心空殿」と言い三つの部屋があります。二層部分を「潮音閣」と言い、四部屋あります。

The garden was most tastefully arranged with a lake and trees, and by comparison with the Kinkakuji or Golden Pavilion on the Northern hills it was called the Ginkakuji or Silver Pavilion, though it never was covered with silver, for even Yoshimasa meant to do so he died before it was finished.

庭は池と樹木が趣きのある景色をなし、北山にある金閣寺に対し総称して銀閣寺と言います。しかし、銀を貼られたことは無く、義政は強く希望していましたがその前に逝ってしまいました。

The garden, laid out by Soami has since been regarded as a model of this type.

庭は「相阿弥」好みであるとされています。

Yoshimasa's Buddhist Shrine in the same place is a small building called the Tokyudo in which his favourite Kwannon was installed.

東求堂と言う小さな建物があり、義政の持仏堂で観音様が祀られています。

Its construction, lighting and detail were intended to give an impression of simplicity, purity and calm.

構成から視点、詳細は「簡素と清らかさ、静寂」を印象付けるように意図されています。

In it is the four-and-a-half mat room known as the Cha-no- yu Chamber which was the first example of this style of Tea-room in the country.

茶の湯のための四畳半の部屋があり、日本で始めての茶室形式として知られています。

Above, Interior of the Four-and-a-half Mat Tea-room of the Tokyu -do, showing its arrangement with Shoin and Chigai-dana , but no Tokonoma .

上の図は東求堂の四畳半の茶室内部、書院と違棚があり床の間はありません。

Right, plan of the whole building, (a) being the Buddhist shrine and (b) the shrine of the tutelary Kwannon , while (c) holds a statue of Yoshimasa .

右の図は全体の見取図、 (a) は仏様の安置、 (b) は観音様の安置、 (c) は義政ぼ像が安置されています。

Yoshimasa lived far from the sound of war and turmoil, devoted to Tea and poetry and giving himself up entirely to the study of the harmony and rhythm of a life of elegance and taste, so that refinement in these things reached its culmination in his day.

義政は喧騒や争いから逃避して暮らし、茶や詩など芸事に専心しました。彼の優雅さや教養の深さへの追及は洗練され、最高潮へと昇華していったのです。

So devotees of Tea are reminded that the art was founded in a troubled period of civil war, and when we consider the waning power of the Ashikaga house at this time a pathetic interest is lent to a poem written then by him which still survives.

茶芸への傾倒は内乱の中の芸術になり、同時に足利家の衰退の過程を思い起こさせてくれます。ここに彼が作った詩が残っています。

See the moon shine forth

O'er the pine-clad mountain peak

‘Neath which stands my cell.

There is nought to trouble me

But the dark clouds in the sky.

輝いている月

松が覆う鋭い山頂の風景

その下に我の庵はある。

争い事など何も無い日々

でも、空には暗闇の雲ばかり。

The Seiren- tei at the Toji -in temple Kyoto , approved by Ashikaga Yoshimasa . There is a single mat Jodan or Dais with a board Toko on the floor level ( Fumi-komi-toko ).

京都等持院の清漣亭、足利義政監修とされる、一段高い一畳に床があります。踏み込み床と言います。

The Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa once invited the Three Kwanryo – Hosokawa, Shiba and Hatakeyama – to a Tea after he had taken counsel with them on a certain occasion, and though it was one of the points of etiquette that no one should take part with a sword in his belt, yet an old retainer of Hosokawa named Mibuchi Yamatono-Kami Harukazu came wearing one sword.

足利将軍義政が彼の三人の閣僚に謁見した際の出来事が、その後の茶の湯の役割を示すポイントとなりました。細川、芝、畠山の三人が茶の接待を受けることになり“腰の刀を外して”茶室に入りますが、細川の家臣、ミブチ大和守ハルカズと言う家来が刀を身に付けていました。

He was immediately bidden to leave it outside by Yoshimasa , but instead of acceding he replied, “Pray allow me to retain it since I have my Lord to guard.”

義政が刀を外へ置いてくるように命令すると、「殿を守るお役目ですからご勘弁を」っと彼は即座に返答しました。

Harukazu did not understand the spirit of Tea very well, perhaps, but he thoroughly understood that of Loyalty.

ハルカズは忠義は徹底的に理解していたけれども、茶の湯の精神はよく解らなかったのです。

That such precautions were not always unnecessary the case of Gamo Shirobyoye bears witness.

これらの用心についてはいつも不必要と言う訳ではありません。例えば、蒲生シロビョウエ事件というものが存在します。

When Gamo Ujisato died his son Hideyuki was quite young, and Watari Hachiemon looked after the administration on his behalf, and at the same time tried to lead the young lord into evil ways.

蒲生氏郷が逝った時、その子であるヒテユキはとても幼く、ワタリハチエモンという家臣が後見を勤め政治を取り仕切ることになりました。同時に、彼は役職を利用して権力を行使しだしました。

This enraged Gamo Shirobyoye and he invited Hachiemon to a tea and assassinated him in the tea-room, which was by no means always a very safe place during this period of Civil Wars, whatever it may have become later on.

蒲生シロビョウエは怒り、ハチエモンを茶の湯に呼んで茶室内で暗殺してしまいます。内乱の時代においては常に安全な場所ではけしてなかったのです。