The evolution and succession of 'text on martial strategy ' in medieval Japan: Focusing on the instruction of sacred books to laypeople and its actual status

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K03027
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Japanese history
• Research Institution: Aichi Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: FUKUSHIMA KANEHARU 愛知学院大学, 文学部, 教授 (70319177)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 兵法書 / 島津家文書 / 人吉願成寺文書 / 密教 / 修験道 / 聖教

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Under what circumstances was a 'text on martial strategy' formed in medieval Japan? And through what kind of human network was it passed down as traditional text? To answer these questions, research has been done about the following three items using the documents in Shimadzu and Ganjo-ji temple, the Sagara family’s temple.1)The discovery and introduction of the text which looks like the sacred teaching of esoteric Buddihism.2)The secret style of the initiation to laypeople by a master.3)The character and content of the medieval text.Through this examination, clarification was made as to the initiation style of the text taken by a master to teach laypeople at a secret religious ceremony. Moreover, the accumulated sacred text became the support systtem of Daimyo family for his ruling of retainers and the people of his domain. Also as seen in the case of Bussetsu-kyuho- daranikyo, possessed by Sagara Yoshihi, the “text on martial strategy ” helped daimyo maintain their ruling power

Free Research Field

日本中世史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまでの中世兵法書に関する研究は、１）近世の兵法流派の一流、もしくは前史、２）「兵法秘術一巻之書」等の呪術的性格とその伝来、３）大名権力の権威の称揚の基盤、などが注目されてきた。今回の研究は、密教・修験道の聖教に類する兵法書を発掘し、中世社会ではたした意味を検討した。これにより、中世に成立した兵法書の性格を明確にし、兵法書が密教僧・修験者の影響下で形成され俗人に伝授されることで軍配者の知識・技能となり、大名権力の地位を論理的に説明すものであったことを指摘した。この点は以前の研究ではあまり検討されてこなかった。大名権力を思想的に補完する兵法書は、中世後期の国家論の検証にもつながるだろう。