A Critical Review of the Causes of Sen no Rikyu's Ritual Suicide

IR Web Site

Bibliographic Information

Other Title
  • センノリキュウ ノ セップク ノ ジョウキョウ オヨビ ゲンイン ニ カンスル イチコウサツ カンケイ シリョウ ノ ブンセキ ケントウ オヨビ セップク ゲンイン ニ カンスル ショセツ ノ ヒハンテキ ケントウ
  • 千利休の切腹の状況および原因に関する一考察 : 関係史料の分析・検討および切腹原因に関する諸説の批判的検討

Search this article

Abstract

Sen no Rikyu (1522-1591) was one of the well-known founders of the traditional tea ceremony (Sado) in medieval Japan. Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537-1598) ordered Sen no Rikyu to commit ritual suicide (seppuku) in February, Tensho 19 (1591), because he was the general who won the final victory in the military conflicts among the Samurai and unified medieval Japan. Various opinions have been offered concerning the reasons for Sen no Rikyu's death. However, no firm hypothesis has yet been reached. The author has critically reviewed a large number of historical materials and theories regarding this episode to try to elucidate the truth. The official announcement of the Toyotomi Hideyoshi regime gave as the principal reasons for Sen no Rikyu's punishment, was his lese majesty toward both General Toyotomi himself and the emperor, together with his unreasonable valuation and trade in tea-ceremony items. Sen's lese majesty charge also included his construction of an overly splendid gate to the Daitokuji Temple in Kyoto, and his order to place a wooden sculpture of himself on the gate. However, the author has managed to locate many descriptions from sources about the miscellaneous circumstances of his death that differ quite considerably from information found in other cases of ritual suicides. Using these idiosyncratic materials, the author seeks to further elucidate the truth about the causes of Sen no Rikyu's seppuku.

1

KJ00006963099

論文

Article

Journal

Keywords

Details 詳細情報について

Report a problem

Back to top