Basic research on "Seki-Hitsu-Monjo" (documents written in pencil) in the early modern period of Japan

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K00872
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 03020:Japanese history-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Iwasaki Yoshinori 九州大学, 人文科学研究院, 准教授 (60294849)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 石筆文書 / 石筆（鉛筆） / 松浦熈 / 松浦静山（清） / 平戸藩楽歳堂文庫 / 赤石筆（赤鉛筆） / 赤石脂

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, documents made with graphite (pencil) and Japanese paper are defined as "Stone pen Documents". The Dutch trading post in Nagasaki was the main contact point for the importation of stone pencils from Europe. The use of stone pencils by the shoguns, shogunate, feudal lords, Dutch scholars, and Dutch correspondents was also confirmed. However, almost only one stone calligraphy document, that of Matsuura Hiromu, a lord of the Hirado domain, has been handed down in Japan.
In this study, more than 45 stone handwritten documents of Hiromu were examined. Some of the documents were re-read with red pencil strokes, which is a characteristic feature of these documents. The Yoshimura family, a castle merchant in Hirado, is a notable example of the transmission of stone handwritten documents (over 30 items were handed down). The stone handwritten documents were actively used by Hiromu to communicate with the castle townspeople.

Free Research Field

日本近世史

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

石筆（鉛筆）の素材・形状，ヨーロッパからの受容などを検討した結果，石筆文書が近世期特有の文書であることを明らかにした。徳川家康・伊達政宗については，利用した石筆は周知であるが，この石筆を用いて利用された文書は伝来していない。国内では，平戸藩主松浦熈の石筆のみが伝来していることを確認した。さらに，その石筆の筆記原料の一つであった赤石脂は，平戸藩楽歳堂文庫に蔵置されており，熈の石筆利用をめぐって，平戸藩では特異な環境が形成されていたこと解明した。本研究により，今後，石筆と石筆文書の調査研究に必要な基礎的な知見が確立した。さらには，ヨーロッパ由来の筆記具の受容について，基礎的なデータを提供した。