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ISSUE THREE 31 MEIROKU ZASSHI Issue Three Undated industries and ten thousand arts burst forth one after another. By these means, the virtues of social intercourse will spread through the liberal expansion of commerce, products will reach perfection as machines are increasingly refined, and men will ultimately ap- preciate the true value of civilization. I would say that only then can countries defend their prestige and enter the glorious realm First Essay on Enlightenment’ [of enlightenment]. Mori Arinori Scholars are of the opinion that the course of world civiliza- tion since creation has never turned downward notwithstanding the rise and fall of nations. Judging from the evidence of the past, it is indeed true that there has generally been progress and change in man’s means ofsupport. Thus, in the beginning when men were savages, their means of support were hardly different from those of beasts. As they progressed, men learned hunting and fishing, impressed and most fearful when I observed changes in the seasons, understood techniques for sowing tries. When Greece first aro and harvesting, and then advanced sufficiently to appreciate how to conserve their labor by employing horses and oxen. These may be regarded as the means of support at the first stage of enlighten- rections. The cou ment. We may term half-enlightened those who have come to look upon the products of labor as private property, to see hard work finement of the at time, however, as a source of happiness, to recognize the assignment of occupa- the customs of the peopl : luxury, greed, frivolity, tions as a requirement for community living, and to regard the and. cunning were preval rly spirit of bravery and strength was completely extl ; and Greece was finally expansion of social relations as a source of increased pleasure. ,’ Many instances may be found in history of people who have conquered by the Romans. stopped temporarily at this point of half-enlightenment. In the Since the rugged and st s at first had a spirit that long run, this arises when men have become unable to stimulate was bold and indomit to expand their ter- their intellects, their thought being out of harmony with their ritory by conquering E the world was obliged feelings so that they are credulous, or misled, or boastful, or hesi- to respect their autho me’s national power tant. Those who overcome these uncertainties and advance reached its zenith steadily against a myriad of difficulties will finally attain a bril- liant level of talent and virtue, having understood the wonders of creation and the principles in things, encouraged brotherly love, replaced by the VI and developed discrimination. These should be called men who ing; and Rome was finally have reached the level of enlightenment. Once national customs have achieved this level in some part, countries can construct ma- chines, erect buildings, dig mines, build ships, open seaways, produce carriages, and improve highways. Thus will the thousand 30 38 MEIROKU ZASSHI ISSUE THREE 39 Methods for Advancing EnlightenmentlO Now, when religion spreads among the people, the pressure for i, the superior to overcome the inferior and for the new to win over Tsuda Mamichi I the old is as steady as the flow of water. The examples of this tendency in the histories of the various foreign countries are be- Nowadays, men talk of “enlightenment, enlightenment” when- yond counting. Setting these aside for the moment, I would turn ever they open their mouths. For the reason that learning and to our own land. Before the introduction of Chinese characters, religion are generally circulating through the country, the level of our country was a Shinto theocracy in which administration and enlightenment is gradually changing, just as night gives way to religious rites were one and men were confused with gods. Upon day. In the final analysis, learning falls into two major categories. the introduction of the Analects and the Thousand Character Classic There are empty studies (kyogaku) that are devoted to such lofty by Achiki,rd Chinese writing spread with extreme rapidity in the doctrines as nonexistence and Nirvana [of Buddhism],” the theory 1 court. Nakatomi Kamako and Moriya b-murajirs thereafter were of the five elements [of Sung Confucianism],12 or intuitive knowl- c helpless to halt the eastward flow of Buddhism even though they edge and intuitive ability [of 2”8meigaku].ls And there are practical ; opposed it with all their might, and the religion was rapidly dif- studies (jitsugaku) that solely explain factual principles through F fused through the country. When the Zen, Pure Land (Jodo), and actual observation and verification, such as astronomy, physics, Lotus (Hakke) Sectsr6 subsequently emerged or were introduced, chemistry, medicine, political economy, and philosophy of the f, there were none who stopped them, although many tried to hurt modern West. We may call a society truly civilized when the them. In the recent past, the single sect of Catholicism alone has reason of each individual has been illumined by the general circu- been successfully suppressed after the shogun’s might with one lation of practical studies through the land. Progress by the people i, blow exterminated thousands of lives at Shimabara.17 as a whole to the area of civilization, however, cannot be expected Still more recently, there were also efforts to crush Western $, scholarship when it was first introduced, but its circulation was for a very long time even in the various countries of the West. How I much more is this the case in the regions of the South and Eastern sspeeded with the changed conditions in the country after the ar- f Seas! Ah, when can our people reach the area of civilization? b:*‘ -rival of the American ships at Uraga.r8 And so we have finally When I contemplate the matter, I am in despair. When asked z ,reached the situation today in which men discuss enlightenment then by what means we should promote education generally r ,whenever they open their mouths. The persons who thus discuss among the people who have not achieved civilization, I would say : dnlightenment, however, do not exceed a few hundred scholars, by religion. On the whole, the object of religion is to lead the un- ! :officials, and newspaper editors. They thus really constitute only enlightened people so that they will advance along the good path. an infinitesimal fraction of our population of thirty million. In the Among the various religions of the world, two are practiced in final analysis, the people of our country, being men attached to our country: Shinto and Buddhism. Although the religions prac- 1; customs of the past, are generally rude fellows misled by ground- ticed abroad are innumerable, the most important are not many: & less theories of hades, paradise, cause and effect, reward and Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Islam, and Christianity. Of these, @ .punishment, the five elements, and geomancy.19 How can we call Christianity is the most fine. Christianity may in turn be divided b these people half-enlightened? into three sects : Greek, Roman, and Protestant, of which the Prot- f. :* Judging from present conditions, it is clear as the reflection in estant is the most fine. Protestantism is further divided into :. ia mirror that the Christian invasion of our country cannot be factions, among them the Lutheran and the Calvinist. And within prevented as it is just like a rushing torrent. There can be nothing these, there is a split between the old and the new groups, ofwhich f .like another Shimabara. the preponderantly liberal new elements come closest to civilized ‘; There is no religion in the world today that promotes enlighten- thinking. ‘ment as does Christianity. Nevertheless, since all Christianity is i 40 MEIROKU ZASSHI . ISSUE THREE 41 not an unmixed blessing, the best way at present to promote en- are not the parliaments of England and France regulated by the lightenment is to adopt the Christian ideas that are most liberal, most civilized, and most advanced. Now what if we should employ ffer as does Heaven from earth? Now the best and most enlightened missionaries to guide our people few years will suffice to develop tech openly, just’ as we are learning their arts and sciences from the lented students and have them t d in the West. numerous Westerners employed by the various ministries? I beg y be expected in due tours your comments on my proposal. charge them with admini iably hope for success litical matters if we e? Now let me inq rther into the think- r, it will rise toward the r thrust. Even if the pebble Refuting the Joint Statement by the Former Ministers to extreme h ill invariably fall, and its Nishi Amane ven a child of but three feet employ an indigent man with able to avoid some private doubts after reading ntact and provide him with one the memorial in in which the former ministers and other ase goods thirty miles away, do ularly elected assembly. Let me take up you know that the man w variably return with the goods, just ir arguments. The purport of their as you expect the stone to from the heights? Now I have heard memorial seems to lows. Strengthening the government that, according to We es in government, a rule will only lies in uniting the min :be successful if it is a the area and the times after the elected assembly will uni level of public enlig en clarified. Here is where the to introduce a popularly sciences and of government the rules governing parliame ,differ. The form nt to treat the two as one. Is as we make use of steam trains an have been discovered in the W rialists point out that .*’ The former e is a universal principle of the government really would undertake anything ghts to participate in, to should it delay using steam ing telegraphs until s affairs from their obli- we ourselves invent sue staken is their rea- taxes.

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