After the executive training course on the Seiryoku zen’yō kokumin taiiku - 1931

去る11月4日より一週間大阪毎日新聞社後援の下に、同社講堂において日本西部の国民体育の幹部講習を挙行し、12月5日より一週間、東京日々新聞講堂および講道館下富坂道場において、日本東部の同様の講習を行った。これら、両講習会に出席した人々に手伝ってもらって、来年一月全国的の講習会をひらくつもりであったが来年一月といえばあまり今日から差迫っているので、講習に来る人々の準備もむつかしかろうし、手伝ってもらう人々も今一層練習を積んでからの方が都合よろしからんとの議が起こり、全国的の講習は多分来年4月の初旬になることと考えられる。去る11月10日大阪における講習修了の際、精力善用国民体育普及会日本西部の中央委員と普及会員をそれぞれ依嘱したが、東京における東京に於ける講習修了の際にも文部省督学官森岡常蔵、文部省知育課長代理岩原拓、内務省衛生局保健課長伊藤武彦、東京府学務課長中原啓造、東京市社会教育課長池園哲太郎、陸軍戸山学校体操課長此小野原誠一、少年団日本連盟春日嘉藤治、 東京日々新聞社事業課長羽野秀介、同課正木健吉の諸民ほかに有段者のうちより村上邦夫、松岡辰三郎、田口利吉郎、宮崎静二、の四氏に日本東部の中央委貝を、講習 を受けた大部分の人に普及会委員を依嘱した。

For a week from the last 4 November, under the auspices of the Ōsaka Mainichi Shinbun, we held an executive training course in national sports in western Japan at their auditorium, and for a week from 5 December, we held similar courses in eastern Japan at the Tōkyō Nichinichi Shinbun auditorium and at the Kōdōkan Shimotomizaka Dōjō. The intention was to hold a national seminar in January next year with the help of those who had attended these two seminars, but as January next year was so close to today, it was agreed that it would be difficult for those coming to the seminar to prepare, and that it would be more convenient for those helping to practice more now. The national training course will probably be held at the beginning of April next year. On the occasion of the completion of the course in Ōsaka on 10 November last year, the central committee member and the popularising member of the Western Japan section of the Energetic National Physical Education Promotion Association were commissioned respectively, and on the occasion of the completion of the course in Tokyo, the following members were commissioned: Morioka Tsunezō, Director of the Ministry of Education, Ihara Taku, Deputy Director of the Intellectual Education Division, Ministry of Education, Itō Takehiko, Director of the Health Division, Health Bureau, Ministry of Home Affairs, Nakahara Keizō, Director of the School Affairs Division, Tokyo Prefectural Government, Ikezono Keizō, Director of the Social Education Division, Tokyo City. In addition to these, the following four people were appointed as central committee members for eastern Japan: Murakami Kunio, Matsuoka Tatsusaburō, Taguchi Toshikichirō and Miyazaki Seiji, and most of those who had received training were appointed as dissemination committee members. The majority of those who took the course were commissioned to be members of the Promotion Committee.

それら幹部講習貝はなお引続き毎週一回寄合い 練習を続けているから、来る4月全国的の講習を開くころまでには相当熱練して指導の任に堪えることと思う。技術上のことはこういうふうにして各地方にそれぞれ地方の幹部委貝を作り、 それらの人が中心となりその地方に普及させるようにしたいのである。この体育の特色は一通り覚えるには大抵の人は一週間の講習くらいでたくさんである。しかし上手になるには1年 より5年、5年より10年、10年より20年というふうに長く練習すればするほど動作が巧みになり、美的になり、面白くもなり、限りなき広さと深さとを持っているということにあるのである。また仮に少々くらい間違った教え方をしても身体に害を及すようなことがないから、教える、必ずしも熟練した人を要しない。さりとて上手な人が教えれば面白味も生じ、体育としても価値を増すのであるかあら、最初は覚束ないながらも一通り覚えて人に教えていると、追々練習を積んでついには名人にもなり得られるのである。

次に精神方面のことについで一通り述べよう。

在来世に行われている各種の体育も精神方面のことを閑却はしていない。しかしそこにこういう相違がある。たとえばスポーツのごときは目的は競技であって精神修養ではない。

The cadres continue to practise together once a week, so that by the time the national training course is held in April, they will be well trained and ready to teach. We would like to establish local cadres in each region to take the lead in spreading the technical aspects of the sport in their area. Most people can learn all the features of this sport in a week's training. However, the longer you practise, from one year to five years, from five years to ten years, from ten years to twenty years, the more skilful, beautiful and interesting the movements become, and the greater the depth and breadth of the movements. In addition, even if a slightly incorrect teaching method is used, there is no harm done to the body, so it does not necessarily require a skilled person to teach it. However, if a skilled person teaches it, it becomes more interesting and more valuable as a form of physical education, and, although it may not be easy to learn at first, if you learn it and teach it to others, you will gain more and more practice and eventually become a master.

Next, I would like to talk about side of things relating to the psyche[1].

The various types of physical education practised in the past have not neglected the psychic aspect. However, there are differences. In sports, for example, the aim is competition, not spiritual cultivation.

しかし指導よろしきを得れば競技を行っている間に自然に養われる幾多の徳性がある。指導者はそれを機会を逸せず養おうとするのである。かくして養い得られる徳性は決してーにして足らぬが、 夥多ある徳性のうちの一部に過ぎぬのである。それも指導よろしき得なければ思うように養い得られるものでない。これ競技運動が盛んになってもその割合に品性の優れた人が多く出来ぬゆえんである。武術のごときも徳性を涵養する手段として練習されている。競技に依って徳性がやしなわれるように武術の練習に依っても幾らかの徳性は養われぬ限りではない。しかし多くの人が武術に依って武士の精神を養うことが出来ると思っているのは考え違いである。封建時代に武上は武術を学び同時に武士の精神教育を受けたのである。武士の精神教育とは当時の武士階級の者に必要と見徹された道徳であって、古来の国民道徳に儒教の加わったものといってもよい。武術はなくともそういう道徳は成立ち得またそういう道徳はなくとも武術は成立ち得るのであるが、たまたまこれら両者が同一階級の人々に学ばれていたので、それらが必ず相 伴うもののように人をして考えさせるに至ったのである。そういう訳で武士の道徳はただ武術を練習しただけで養われるものではない。それが剣術や槍術を学んだ人が、その修行に比例して武士の精神を有するといい得られないゆえんである。

However, there are many moral qualities that can be cultivated naturally during competition if one has good guidance. The instructor must try to cultivate them without missing the opportunity. The virtues that can be cultivated in this way are never enough, but they are only a part of a great many virtues. It cannot be cultivated without good guidance. This is why, even though athletics are flourishing, there are not many people of good character among them. Martial arts are also practised as a means of cultivating moral character. Just as competitions nourish moral character, it isn’t impossible for martial arts practice to nurture moral character too. However, it is a misconception that many people think that they can cultivate the spirit of the warrior by practising martial arts. During the feudal era, the bushi[1] learnt martial arts and at the same time received education in the spirit of the samurai. The education to the spirit of the samurai was the ethics that were considered necessary for the warrior class at that time, and could be said to be an addition of Confucianism to the ancient national morality. It is possible to have such ethics without the martial arts and to have the martial arts without such ethics, but because they happened to be studied by the same class of people, they were made to think of them as being necessarily compatible with each other. For this reason, a warrior's ethics cannot be cultivated simply by practising martial arts. This is why a person who learns swordsmanship or spearmanship cannot be said to possess the spirit of a bushi in proportion to his training.

それでは精力善用国民体育はどうかというに、これは前両者と全く異なった関係を有するのである。というのはこの体育は単に体育とか武術とかして起ったのでなく、精力善用という主義に基づいて成立したものである。この 体育のいちいちの技には精力善用の精神が寵っている、したがって終始精力善用ということを 考えずには、この体育を行うことが出来ぬのである。それゆえに精力善用がこの体育を生み出 したと同時に、この体育を行う際には絶えず精力善用の精神から離れることが出来ぬのである。これだけはだれにも容易に呑込めるであろうが、精力善用ということは精神教育としてどれだ け価値のあるものかということをざっと述べてみよう。

精力善用は進歩発達向上目的達成の根本原理である、ということは毎々いっているがこれを 団体生活において徹底せしめようと思えば、団体を組織している各成員が、相互に衝突せず、 譲り合い助け合い自他共栄することに努めなければならぬのである。元来人間が社会を離れて 単独に生活することは、特別の場合のほかは想像出来ぬことであるから、実際においては精力善用を徹底させるには、相助相譲し自他共栄することを要する。約言していえば自他共栄しなければならぬのである。また団体生活は大きな国家というような形においても、小さな集合体においても、その結束には中心を要する。

What about the Seiryoku zen’yō kokumin taiiku? The relationship is completely different from the one between the two aforementioned elements. This is because this physical education did not originate simply as physical education or martial arts, but was established on the basis of the principle of the 'righteous use of vigour[1]'. The spirit of Seiryoku zen’yō is contained in every technique of this physical education, and therefore it is impossible to perform this physical education without thinking about Seiryoku zen’yō from beginning to end. Therefore, while Seiryoku zen’yō has given birth to this physical education, it is also impossible to be detached from the spirit of Seiryoku zen’yō when performing this physical education. This much should be easy for anyone to understand, but let us briefly discuss how much value Seiryoku zen’yō has as a form of education of the psyche.

We have always said that the righteous use of one’s vigour is the fundamental principle for achieving the goal of progress, development and improvement, If this is to be thoroughly implemented in group life, each member of the organisation must endeavour not to clash with each other, but to give and receive help, and to help each other so that they can achieve jita kyōei[2]. In fact, it is unimaginable for human beings to live alone apart from society, except in special cases, and therefore, in order to achieve Seiryoku zen’yō in practice, it is necessary for them to help and give mutual assistance to each other, and to achieve jita kyōei. In other words, it is necessary for self and others to be mutually prosperous. In addition, collective life, whether in the form of a large state or a small group, requires a centre for its unity.

鞏固なる中心があればその結束が固く、これを欠けば結束は崩れやすい。我が国は皇統連綿たる皇室を戴き麗しい歴史を有するのであるから、そういう歴史を有しない国に比すれば、 はるかに確かなる中心があるわけである。それゆえに皇室を尊崇し、国体を擁護することは、我が国における精力善用主義の帰結であるということが出来る。以上述べたところから考えでみると、精力善用主義は自他共栄主義と国体擁護主義とを包容するものである。語を換えていうてみれば、民の結束、力の充実、人の融和、とこれら三者が精力善用主義の徹底に依って得られるのである。これらは今日我が国の現状に照して、我々が最も大いに努めなければならぬ三大事である。相助け相譲り自他共栄を旨としなければ衝突し反噬し紛擾止まず、国はついに乱れるのである。仮に人々相助け相譲り融和協調 するも、その国に中心がなければ結束は固からず、団体としての力が弱い。またいかに国民が 結束しでいても、各自が精力を善用しなければ、国力の充実はとうてい望み得られぬ。今日我が国の経済上の行詰りも、精力善用主義の徹底に依らなければこれを救うことが出来ぬ。社会 の各方面における衝突不和も、自他共栄主義の実行に依らなければ免られることが出来ぬ。世人 は皇室の尊崇国体の擁護を歴史や感情から説くが、理論に基づいて万民に納得させることに 努めない恨みがある。

If there is a strong centre of strength, the unity is solid; if it is lacking, the unity is likely to fall apart. Japan has a beautiful history with a continuous imperial lineage, so it has a much more solid centre of strength than countries without such a history. Therefore, it can be said that venerating the Imperial Household and upholding the national polity[1] is a consequence of the principle of Seiryoku zen’yō in our nation. In the light of the above, the principle of the 'righteous use of one’s vigour' encompasses both the principle of jita kyōei and the principle of the defence of the national polity. To put it another way, the unity of the population, the enhancement of strength and the harmony between people can be achieved by the enactment of the principle of Seiryoku zen’yō. These are the three most important things we must strive for in the light of the current situation in our country. If we do not make it our aim to help each other, to share in the mutual prosperity of ourselves and others, we will clash and turn against each other, and the country will be in turmoil. Even if people don’t help each other and cooperate in harmony, clashes and rancour, disputes and disturbances will not stop, and the country will be in disarray. No matter how much people help each other and cooperate with one another, without a centre in that country, cohesion will be less solid and the group is less powerful as an organisation. And no matter how united people are, if they do not use their vigour in the most righteous way, there is no hope for the enhancement of the country's strength. The current economic impasse in our country can only be solved thorough the application of the principle of Seiryoku zen’yō. Conflicts and discord in various sectors of society can only be avoided through the implementation of the principle of jita kyōei. People preach the veneration of the Imperial Household and the defence of the National Polity from historical and emotional perspectives, but I’m afraid they make no effort to convince all people on the basis of theory.

これが社会の一部に我が国体の秀でたるところを、正当に理解せぬもののあるゆえんである。精力善用自他共栄を社会生活万般のことに応用する時は、在来説かれていた道徳も一層その光を発つようになると思う。がそれらのことは別としても、前述の三大精神をこの体育に結び付けて養うことが出来れば、この体育の力に依って今日の行詰まった世態を一転して、光明ある将来を誘致することが出来ようと思う。すでにこの体育を学んだ人々は、 日々自らこれを練習し、他人にこれを教えられんことを希望する。まだこれを学ばぬ人は、一 刻も早くこれを覚えまず自己の身体を強健にし、精神を修養し、なお進んでこれを広く世に紹介せられんことを望む。

This is the reason why some parts of society do not understand the excellence of our national identity. I believe that when we apply the principles of Seiryoku zen’yō and jita kyōei to all aspects of social life, the ethics that have been preached in the past will also come to shine more brightly. But even apart from that, if we can cultivate the above-mentioned three major spirits in conjunction with this physical education, we can turn today's stagnant world around and attract a brighter future through the power of this physical education.

Those who have already learnt this physical education, I hope that they will practise it daily themselves and teach it to others. Those who have not yet learnt it, I hope that they will learn it as soon as possible, first of all to strengthen their own bodies and cultivate their own psyche, and then to introduce it to the world at large.

 

Kanō Jigorō Taikei, Vol.VIII, pp.194-199

 

Translation and notes by Emanuele Bertolani

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[1] 国体 kokutai the “substance” , in the sense of the Aristotelian ousia οὐσία, that which constitutes the unique characteristics of Japan and the basis for its exceptionalism. Namely, the existence of an unbroken imperial line.

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[1] 精力善用 We translate seiryoku 精力 as “vigour” to avoid misinterpreting it as a metaphysical concept. 善 is “good” and simultaneously “righteous”.

[2] 自他共栄prosper together with themselves and others. It has been translated as “all together to progress”, but there is no indication whatsoever that is is to be understood in democratic or egalitarian terms. See the subsequent discussion of Confucianism and national polity, and of Seiryoku zen’yō as a basis for achieving the goals of venerating the Imperial Household and upholding the National Polity.

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[1] 武士 Ideally, the bushi was distinguished from the simple man-at-arms because of his literary and moral cultivation. In doing so, he followed the Confucian principle of bunbu ryōdō, the two-fold way of the Lettres and the Arms.

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[1] 精神 seishin in the sense of “relative to the psyche of the individual. See the examples provided by Kanō himself in the successive passages of the text, all relating to ethical and moral matters.