幕末期における藩儒の『孟子』講義

―吉村秋陽・斐山に着目して―

抄録

　This paper clarifies the characteristics of lectures given by Yoshimura Shuyo, who served as a Confucian scholar for Mihara Domain, near Hiroshima in the late Edo Period. This paper examines notes taken by his son, Yoshimura Izan, in order to compare Shuyo’s lectures on Mencius delivered at Choyo-Kan, the public academy in Mihara Domain, and at Kosai-Juku, a private school in Mihara.

　This comparative analysis reveals that Shuyo tailored his lecture content on the same topic (Mencius) based on student’s social status within the Edo status hierarchy. The central premise of Shuyo’s lectures were adapted to his student’s social standing.

　On the one hand, at Choyo-Kan where pupils came from a higher social status and were expected to be politicians and rulers of districts, Shuyo did not deliver tutorial commentary on Mencius, but focused on grasping big concepts and expounding virtuous lessons. Shuyo’s lecture aligned with Mihara Domain policies, implying that Shuyo’s intent was to develop students’ governmental and ruling mentality.

　At Kosai-Juku, on the other hand, he delivered tutorial commentary on Mencius for pupils to demonstrate how to read classical texts. Pupils at Kosai-Juku were of commoner status for whom Shuyo could not delivere political instruction because it was considered a taboo for commoners. For Shuyo, learning for commoners was autotelic rather than for political purpose.