I suppose Japan is a country which is not in Chinese culture area and which is affected by Chinese civilization. Chinese called Japan "倭", which is a derogatory term. But Japan called itself 日の本の国, which means "country where sun rise". 聖徳太子(Shotoku Taishu) sent a message to Chinese Emperor. The introduction was:
日出處天子致書日沒處天子(This is very famous sentence in Japan)
"The Emperor whose country is where the sun rises send this letter to the Emperor whose country is where the sun sets."
I think this is a gutsy letter. It is said Chinese emperor exploded so much. I suppose Shotoku Taishi declared that Japan was civilized by writing this letter. The representative example of the civilizing was Japan's first constitution.
Shoutoku Taishi is the first person who established constitution in Japan. It is called Seventeen Article Constitution established in early 7th century.(604, 602, 603, opinion is divided). The first article's first sentence was 以和為貴 written in Chinese classic. 以和為貴 is "和を以て貴しと為し。, Wa wo mote toutoshi to nashi" in Japanese. It means "Place importance on harmony.".
It is often said 以和為貴 is a spirit of Japanese. Someone say this is an evidence that Japanese love peace. Hmm, might be. However, I think this article don't say "we love peace". I think this says "Don't stir up a fight.". Because the next sentence is 無忤為宗。. It means "place importance on "no rebellion". Japan in this era was an union consist of local ruling families. There was no civilized laws. The local ruling families often brought on wars. Shotoku Taishi aspired to becoming peace country by making a centralized government ruled by constitution. In addition, he was the person established Horyu-ji temple known as the existing oldest timber building in the world.
Shotoku Taishi was an academian who studied confucianism and buddhism. It is said the concept of "以和為貴" is a syncretic concept originated in Confucianism and Buddhism. As for Confucianism, Someone said the base was 五行(Gogyo) which consist of 仁義礼智信. Put simply, 仁 is nurturance. 義 is moral and ethics. 礼is norms in society, 智 is ability to make decisions by right. 信 is honesty. As for Buddhism someone said he thought the harmony is the concept in which all livings should live. Shotoku Taishi chanted the praises of Buddhism.
The first article is:
(I hope these English make sense. It was a little difficult to translate because these are classic Chinese words. I translated these sentence in Chinese to English.)
一曰。以和為貴。無忤為宗。人皆有黨。亦少達者。是以或不順君父。乍違于隣里。然上和下睦。諧於論事。則事理自通。何事不成。
Firstly, place importance on harmony, and regard that a matter of prime importance is not to defy. people tend to form groups but person of integrity is rare. Therefore people tend not to accordance with lord and father, and tend to jeopardize relations with neighboring people. However, if we discuss with superiors and inferiors with peaceful mind, it is speak for itself that things accord with reason by itself, things are put over whatever we do.
二曰。篤敬三寳。三寳者仏法僧也。則四生之終帰。萬国之極宗。何世何人非貴是法。人鮮尤悪。能教従之。其不帰三寳。何以直枉。
Secondly, espouse three treasures. Three treasures are Buddha, its philosophy and monks, those are supreme cornerstones of which all livings live on the authority, and are rule of all countries. In any worlds, any people respect its philosophy. People who are flagrantly immoral are rare. Good education makes people to follow the right way. However, If we don't follow Buddha's lore, people can't righten their heart.
三曰。承詔必謹。君則天之。臣則地之。天覆地載。四時順行。万氣得通。地欲覆天。則致壊耳。是以君言臣承。上行下靡。故承詔必慎。不謹自敗。
Thirdly, when you are ordered by emperor, never fail to follow the order. Emperor is heaven. Vassals are ground. Heaven covers ground, and ground let heaven on. Therefore revolution of the four seasons behave accurately and "qi" of all things circulates. If ground covers heaven, this cosmos will be collapsed. Therefore, vassals must follow emperor's order. Inferiors must follow superiors. Thus, when you are ordered by emperor, follow the order respectfully. If people don't follow it, the world will be ruin by itself.
四曰。群卿百寮。以礼為本。其治民之本。要在乎礼。上不礼而下非齊。下無礼以必有罪。是以群臣有礼。位次不乱。百姓有礼。国家自治。
Forth, high officers and regular servants must place importance on courtesy(norms in society) as principle. Fundamental of ruling is courtesy. If superior don't place important on it, inferior's eutaxy roil. If inferior don't place important it, inevitably it will be crime-infested. Therefore when vassals are not in a state of confusion, people are not in a state of confusion. When people
place importance on courtesy, the country is governed by itself.
Well, like this, Japan was affected by Chinese civilization. At this phase, Japan civilized but I think at least Japan was not a civilization at this phase. As for the achievement of Shotoku Taishi, opinion is devided. He was the face of Japanese bank bills.
I think this constitution is better constitution than current Japan's constitution in a certain sense. Because this constitution reflects national backgrounds well.
Hmm, I hope my translation is OK.
I took the photo at Tamagawa Josui ryokudo in Kokubunji city, Tokyo.
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