馬の秘伝書
文政７年（1824）
山中鉄八筆
上質な和紙に丁寧な筆文字で書かれたこの2冊は、常心流(じょうしんりゅう)という馬術の秘伝書です。常心流は、江戸時代のはじめに尾張藩士の小谷勘左衛門が開いた流派で、以降、尾張藩士の間で盛んとなりました。
内容は、馬のさまざまな性質に合わせた乗りこなし方や馬の訓練方法について説くもので、巻末には、「これは、先師、つまり先代の師匠から受け継いだ教えで、秘密であるが、特に伝授するものである。軽んじて他人に伝えたりしてはならない」「文政七年申十月 山中鉄八広暉」とあり、花押と珍しい鞍形の朱印が押され、「久保田千治殿」と記されています。
つまり、馬術の師である山中鉄八から、弟子の久保田千治へ授けられた秘伝書である、とわかります。
この山中鉄八という人は、当時の尾張藩士の名簿である『尾陽分限帳(びようぶんげんちょう)』によると、200石取りの中級藩士で、住まいは主税(ちから)筋赤塚、現在では国道41号線沿いの、清水口の有名な宝石屋さんの少し南にあたります。鉄八まで五代にわたって常心流の師範を務めた家系です。
紺色の表紙に、野を駆ける馬の絵が金泥で美しく描かれ、表紙見返しを銀の切箔で飾るなど、格調高い装丁となっています。また、鉄八の署名の前には、流祖の小谷勘左衛門から鉄八に至る、８人の師匠の名前が記されています。連綿と続く伝統の重みごと、この秘伝書を授けるのだ、という強い思いが伝わるような書です。
Book of Horsemanship Secrets
The 7th year of Bunsei (1824)
Writer: Kanehachi Yamanaka
These two books carefully written with a brush on good-quality Japanese paper are secret books of the Joshin way of the school of horsemanship. The Joshin way was developed at the beginning of the Edo era by Otani Kanzaemon, who belonged to the Owari clan. Thereafter, it became popular among the Owari clansmen.
The books contain explanations on the various temperaments of horses, as well as riding and training methods. At the end of one of the books it states, “This method has been brought down from a previous master through the generations and it is secret. However, these instructions are given as an exception. This information must not be passed on to others lightly.” It’s noted, “The 7th year of Bunsei, the year of the monkey, October. Yamanaka Kanehachi Hiroteru.” There is also a red seal in the unusual shape of a saddle and Esq. Kubota Senji is written.
In other words, it is revealed that this is a secret book that was given by the instructor, Kanehachi Yamanaka, to his student, Kubota Senji.
According to the notebook “Biyobugen” which is a name list of Owari clansmen, Kanehachi Yamanaka was a clansmen of middle rank receiving 200 koku ※ in salary, who lived on Chikaka road, Akatsuka, which is presently along National Highway 41, just south of Shimizuguchi intersection. Including Kanehachi, the Yamanaka family had mastered the Joshin way for five generations.
A painting of horses running in a field is beautifully drawn in gold paint on a dark blue cover and the inside cover is decorated with small cuts of silver leaf giving it a grand and expensive binding. In addition, before the signature of Kanehachi, the names of eight other masters are written, from the originator, Otani Kanzaemon on down. This book strongly impresses upon the reader the importance of these secret traditions brought down continuously and unbroken.
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200 koku ≒ 36m3 area of land for producing rice
Library010 人間記臆...