菜根譚 河東 丈二

久しぶりに化学から離れたタイトルです。

『菜根譚』は中国明代末期の人、洪自誠がまとめた処世訓です。堅くて筋の多い菜根（根菜類）をかみしめてこそ、世の中の真の味わいがわかるという意味の書名のとおり、『論語』や老荘思想をふまえた、人生の滋養となる言葉が三五七条並んでいます。本書はその中から九十九の言葉を選び、『老子』から『徒然草』まで引用しながらその含意をわかりやすく解説しています。こころにスーッと沁み込んで今日から役に立つ滋味あふれる言葉の数々は、「ちょっとつらいな」と思ったとき、大きな元気の素になります。

内乱や政争が相次ぎ混迷を極めた明代末期、万歴帝の時代（1572-1620）に生まれた「菜根譚（さいこんたん）」。処世訓の最高傑作のひとつに数えられ、田中角栄など各界のリーダーたちから座右の書として愛されてきました。

「菜根譚」が書かれた時代は、儒教道徳が形骸化し、国の道筋を示すべき政治家や官僚たちが腐敗。誰もが派閥争いにあけくれ、優れた人材が追い落とされ、ずるがしこい人物だけがとりたてられていました。「菜根譚」は、そんな生きづらい世相の中、何をよすがに生きていいかわからない人に向けて書かれました。それは既存の価値観がゆらぐ中で、とまどいながら生きている現代の日本人にも通じます。そこで今回は、混迷する時代の生きる指針の書ともいうべき「菜根譚」を取り上げたいと思います。

「菜根譚」は、明代末期に優秀な官僚として活躍後、政争に巻き込まれ隠遁したと推測される人物、洪自誠（こう・じせい）が著したものです。前集222条、後集135条の断章からなり、主として前集は人の交わりを説き、後集では自然と閑居の楽しみを説いています。「菜根」という言葉は、「人はよく菜根を咬みえば、すなわち百事をなすべし」という故事に由来。「堅い菜根をかみしめるように、苦しい境遇に耐えることができれば、人は多くのことを成し遂げることができる」という意味です。

辛酸をなめつくした洪自誠が「人は逆境において真価が試される」という思いをこめてつけたと考えられています。そこには、逆境を経験したからこそ生まれた「生きるヒント」が満ち溢れています。

「菜根譚」が時代をこえて読みつがれるのはなぜでしょうか。中国哲学が専門の湯浅邦弘大阪大学教授は、その理由を、「洪自誠が本流から外れて不遇をかこったからこそもちえた冷徹な視点があり、そこから時代を超えた普遍性、鋭い人間洞察が生まれた」と語ります。

本稿では湯浅邦弘さんの言葉を借りて、「菜根譚」の世界を分り易く解説。様々な言葉を現代社会につなげて解釈するとともに、そこにこめられた独特の【幸福論】や【交際術】、また、現代にも通じる【人格の磨き方】をひもといていきます。

「菜根譚」には「逆境は良薬」「逆境は人間を鍛える溶鉱炉」など、本来ならマイナスにとらえてしまう「逆境」を前向きにとらえ、それをばねにしてさらに高みを目指す生き方が数多く示されている。そこには、政争に巻き込まれ隠遁せざるを得なかったと推測される著者、洪自誠自身の境遇が色濃く反映している。辛酸をなめつくしたからこそ、「逆境」を生かしきる珠玉の言葉を生むことができたのだ。単に「逆境」に対する姿勢だけではない。逆境にあって、力を蓄積することの大事さ、冷静に物事をみる方法等、「逆境をすごす方法」まで書かれている。人生、誰もが陥る「逆境」にどう立ち向っていくか？

逆境を乗り切る知恵を「菜根譚」から学ぶ。

明代末期は、それまで人々の価値観を支えていた儒教が形骸化し、何が幸福かがゆらいだ時代だった。「菜根譚」は、形骸化した儒教道徳に、「道教」や「仏教」の中の最良の部分を導きいれ、新しい命を吹き込む。あくまで現実に立脚しながらも、「富貴や名声によらない幸福」「欲望をコントロールすることの大切さ」「世俗を超えた普遍的な価値に身をゆだねることの重要性」などを説き、新しい「幸福論」を再構築しようとしているのだ。儒教、道教、仏教を融合した「菜根譚」ならではの「幸福論」を学ぶ。

醜い政争に揉まれながらさまざまな人間模様を見続けたと推測される洪自誠は、人間洞察の達人でもあった。「菜根譚」には、「人づきあいの極意」ともいうべき交際術も数多く記されている。「家族との接し方」「友人との接し方」「組織人としての振舞い方」「人材育成法」……およそ人とかかわるあらゆる局面で、どう振舞ったらよいかを具体例とともに細かく指南しているのだ。「菜根譚」から「人づきあいの極意」を学ぶ。

晩年に達観の境地に至ったとされる洪自誠は、人格の陶冶には長い年月がかかると繰り返し述べその重要性を訴える。既存の価値観がゆらぐ現代、「どう生きれば人間的に成長できるのか」は多くの人たちの共通の課題だ。「菜根譚」は、「自分の心を見つめること」「ゆとりをもつこと」「中庸」「高い志」などを、人間的な成長に不可欠なものとして提示する。「菜根譚」から「人間の器の磨き方」「人間力の高め方」を学ぶ。

論語の次に必ず読んで欲しい古典の名作であります。

Caigentan　　　　　　　　　　　　　Joji Kawahigashi

It's been a long time since I've been away from chemistry.

The Tale of Vegetables is a life ethic compiled by Hong Zicheng, a man of the late Ming dynasty in China. As the title of the book means that you can understand the true taste of the world only by chewing on hard and sinewy root vegetables, 357 is a word that nourishes your life based on the Analects and the thought of Lao Zhuang. Lined up. This book selects ninety-nine words from among them and explains their implications in an easy-to-understand manner, quoting from "Laozi" to "Tsurezuregusa". Many nutritious words that sink into your heart and are useful today will be a great source of energy when you think "it's a little tough".

Caigentan（Saikontan） was born in the era of Emperor Wanli (1572-1620) at the end of the Ming Dynasty when civil wars and political strife continued to erupt. Counted as one of the greatest masterpieces of his life, it has been loved by leaders in various fields, such as Kakuei Tanaka, as his favorite calligraphy.

In the era when "Caigentan" was written, Confucian morality had become a mere shell, and politicians and bureaucrats who should show the country's path were corrupt. Everyone was open to factional strife, the best talent was pushed out, and only the cunning ones were touted. "Caigentan" was written for people who don't know how to live in such a complicated world. This is also true for modern Japanese people who live in bewilderment as existing values fluctuate. Therefore, this time, I would like to take up "Caigentan", which can be said to be a book of guidelines for living in a chaotic era.

The Tale of Vegetables was written by Hong, who is presumed to have become embroiled in political strife and retired after working as an excellent bureaucrat in the late Ming Dynasty. It consists of 222 articles in the first collection and 135 articles in the second collection. The word ``nakon(菜根)'' comes from a historical fact that ``if a person bites a rape well, he will do a thousand things''. It means, "If you can endure difficult circumstances, like chewing on a hard vegetable root, you can achieve a lot."

It is believed that Hong Ji-cheng, who suffered through bitterness, put it on with the thought that "a person's true worth will be tested in adversity." It is full of "hints to live" born from experiencing adversity.

Why is it that "Caigentan" has been read over time? Kunihiro Yuasa, a professor at Osaka University who specializes in Chinese philosophy, explains the reason for this, saying, ``Hong Zicheng has a cool-headed perspective that he possessed precisely because he strayed from the mainstream and faced misfortune. I was born,” he says.

This article borrows the words of Kunihiro Yuasa to explain the world of "Caigentan" in an easy-to-understand manner. In addition to interpreting various words by connecting them to modern society, we will also uncover the unique [happiness theory] and [dating skills] contained therein, as well as [how to polish personality] that is still relevant today.

"Adversity is good medicine" "Adversity is a blast furnace that trains people", etc. Many ways of life are shown in "Caigentan", such as "Adversity is a good medicine" and "Adversity is a blast furnace that trains people". ing. The story strongly reflects the circumstances of the author, who is presumed to have been embroiled in political strife and had no choice but to retire. It was precise because he licked the bitterness and sourness that he was able to come up with such a gem of words that could make the most of "adversity." It's not just a stance on "adversity". In adversity, the importance of accumulating strength, how to look at things calmly, and even "how to overcome adversity" is written. Life, how to face the "adversity" that everyone falls into?

Learn the wisdom to overcome adversity from "Caigentan".

By the end of the Ming dynasty, Confucianism, which had supported people's sense of values until then, had become a mere shell, and it was an era in which people began to question what happiness meant. "Caigentan" introduces the best parts of "Taoism" and "Buddhism" into Confucian morality, which has become a mere skeleton, and breathes new life into it. While firmly grounded in reality, he preached ``happiness that does not depend on wealth or fame,'' ``the importance of controlling desires,'' and ``the importance of surrendering oneself to universal values that transcend the mundane.'' They are trying to reconstruct the theory of happiness. we will learn about the idea of happiness that can only be found in the Tale of Vegetables, which is a fusion of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism.

Hong, who is presumed to have continued to see various human patterns while being tormented by ugly political strife, was also a master of human insight. In ``Caigentan,'' there are many descriptions of the art of dating, which can be called ``the secret of socializing. He gives detailed instructions on how to behave in all aspects of dealing with people, such as "how to treat family members", "how to treat friends", "how to behave as a member of an organization", and "how to develop human resources". I am doing it. Learn the "secrets of human relations" from "Caigentan".

Hong, who is said to have reached the realm of philosophical observation in his later years, emphasized the importance of repeatedly stating that it would take a long time to develop his personality. In today's world where existing values fluctuate, many people have a common question, "How can I grow as a person?" "Caigentan" presents such things as "looking at one's own heart," "having leeway," "moderation," and "high aspirations" as essential to human growth. Learn "How to polish human vessels" and "How to enhance human power" from "Caigentan".

It is a masterpiece of classics that you should definitely read after the Analects.