Chapter 16 first quarter

The first news that Arai Shiraishi's masterpiece "Historical Suspicion" still exists in the world is that a cultural and educational reporter of a newspaper went to Hokuriku to travel and cover things after returning to Tokyo. At first, the cultural and educational reporter brought the news to an associate professor of a certain university that he frequented.The associate professor didn't really believe it, but after listening to the reporter's explanation, he gradually felt that it might not be a bunch of nonsense.The collector now lives in the countryside of Fukui Prefecture, and claims to be a descendant of a Confucian scholar in the former Kaga Domain.His surname was "Utsuhara" and his first name was "Heisuke". He was already sixty-seven years old.He has a weird temper. He drove out his family twenty years ago and still lives alone.The old lady was taken care of by the children who lived elsewhere, and the father had almost no contact with the children.There are a large number of ancient documents and records handed down from ancestors in the family.The old man was a bibliophile, not only refused to lend books to others, he was not even allowed to read them.Just like a miser who hides gold coins in a pot and buries them in the ground, it is the greatest pleasure to take them out occasionally to have a look.

Prior to this, the county government had also discussed the acquisition and sent people to negotiate, but the old man Pingzhu refused to agree to anything.However, to occasional visitors, he would sometimes triumphantly show the hand-made catalog, which was not a complete catalog.The old man himself revealed to the reporter that the book of secrets is not listed on it.The house is old and spacious, and the library room is off the building. To prevent thieves, the windows are embedded with tight iron grids.The reason why he doesn't want to build another warehouse is because he can freely go to that room to browse hundreds of books every day. According to him, if he keeps books in the library, he will be separated from Ai'er, and the loneliness will be unbearable.

The associate professor searched for the "Wu Jian" of the Kaga clan, and confirmed that there was indeed a fan Confucian "Utsuhara Hirazaemon" in the clan in the past. Then why did the old man Pingzhu reveal to the journalists that there was a book "Historical Doubts"?It is because this reporter is very eloquent, especially good at making people talk, and accidentally revealed the secret that was not passed on.The reporter said that after the old man Pingzhu said this, he regretted deeply, and repeatedly asked him not to tell others, otherwise it would spread, and people would come everywhere to ask for the book, which was impossible to deal with.

Although the old man asked repeatedly, the reporter still told the associate professor.When the associate professor decided that it was possible, he suddenly became excited and begged the reporter not to disclose it to other scholars.The associate professor said: If this is true, it is a great discovery, I hope to read it, and then write a paper that can shock the academic world. Even if the journalist had told other historians, he could not be accused of being immoral.At first, he didn't understand the value of "historical doubts". The associate professor was excited about it, and he felt baffled.So he felt that it was a pity to only tell one person about this matter, maybe it should be revealed to the entire academic circle.He thought so, and told more famous scholars.

—— Arai Shiraishi left a huge number of works after his death.Almost all of them have been handed down in the form of "manuscripts", and some of them only have the titles but no real objects. "Historical Suspects" is one of them.During his lifetime, Shiraishi showed his talents in the encyclopedia style that appeared in France in the eighteenth century, especially in the field of historical research, and was the first person to introduce positivism.In this regard, he is also the originator of modern Japanese historiography.After entering the Meiji era, empirical historiography began to flourish, and almost all promising historians were not unaffected by Shiraishi.

Shiraishi's historical works include the famous "Fan Hanpu", "Remaining Comments on Reading History", "Ancient History" and "Ancient History Or Questions", etc., which were written at the invitation of the sixth general of the Tokugawa shogunate, Jia Xuan.However, "Historical Suspicion" is that Baishi was belittled by the eighth general Ji Zong, just as it is also recorded in his "Ben Chai Ji", and he started writing in frustration.Its content, according to Baishi’s letter to his friends, is based on “records and records” like “Gu Shi Tong” and “Gu Shi Tong or Wen”, and rationally verifies the works of ancient history; he seems not satisfied with the first two The book, and it goes a step further, revealing its meaning of contemporary governance through ancient history.He said to himself: "This is the first book in ancient and modern times, and it records the doubts of the ages..." It can be seen from his lofty ambition when he wrote it.

This "Historical Suspicion" was heard by Maeda Hou, the lord of the Kaga Domain at the time, and asked to borrow it.As far as Shiraishi was concerned, Marquis Kaga was another of his supporters, so he refused and lent the twenty-one volumes of the book.Unexpectedly, at Maeda’s house, I don’t know whether he intends to make a manuscript, but he has not returned it after borrowing it, while Baishi was insured on December 29th, the ninth year (1724) when the manuscript of “Historical Suspects” was released, and in the following year. Died in May of ten years.Perhaps Kagahou's side deliberately refused to return because of this, and it is unknown.

However, until now, the "historical suspicion" borrowed by the Maeda family from Shiraishi has not been collected.Since there are as many as twenty-one volumes, even if they are lost, some of them should be preserved, and the fact is that they all disappeared. It can be seen that Kagahou handed it to the Confucian scholars for copying, and then it was forgotten, which is also a possible reasoning.In short, in the Maeda family, there is not even a single word in the records of this matter.Therefore, another possibility is that Fan Confucianism died before the writing was completed, and the feudal lord at that time also died, and "Shi Yi" disappeared from then on.

Historians are very interested in Baishi's "historical doubts".Because this book was written after the two books of "Gu Shi Tong" and "Gu Shi Tong or Wen", and it was not prepared to supplement the previous two books, and it reminded the momentum of "today's political affairs experience", so it was considered that there must be Baishi. Because of the strong subjectivity inside.That is to say, in terms of "Ancient History" and "Ancient History Or Questions", it is of great benefit to modern scholars writing ancient history, let alone this book.

The news that such a book exists in the Echizen countryside has caused a great shock to some academic circles.The part mentioned here is because some scholars who have learned about it are unwilling to let others know and refuse to make it public.Even so, everyone who heard about it rushed to the mountain village in the west of Fukui Prefecture.There, the towering mountains of Merion choked the southern sky. However, these scholars from Tokyo were ruthlessly shut down by Utsuhara Hirasuke.He severely rejected the requests of these people to read the "Historical Suspicions" one by one.However, other ancient documents and records were not rejected.Just looking at these ancient relics, scholars no longer suspect that the old man has "historical doubts".Among the ancient documents taken out by the old man, there are indeed out-and-out antiques from the Xiangbao era, and many of them are unheard of by scholars, enough for them to salivate over them, but their biggest goal is still Shiraishi's "Historical Doubts".

Scholars have their own ambitions.The joy when you have a unique new historical material is undoubtedly more than that of a woman when you get a precious gem.Maybe we can use this historical data to develop a new theory.It may also overthrow the theories of the predecessors, and it may also benefit the reinforcement of one's own theories. Among the historical works of Shiraishi, the originator of modern historiography, the "Historical Suspicion", which is considered to be the pinnacle, actually existed in the present era of Showa, so the attention of scholars has become more and more intense.They tried their best, worked hard, and went all out to capture Utsuhara Hirasuke.However, Hirasuke is tenacious.He announced: "I will never take it out while my eyes are still open." He shrugged his shoulders and said: I am sixty-seven years old, and there are not many years left. Maybe the puppy will show you after I die. In the past, no matter it was the order of the Ministry of the Interior, or the Prime Minister personally came to the house, it was absolutely not taken out." These words not only did not make people give up, but raised ardent expectations, which is also normal.There are also elderly scholars among them. It is really impossible to guarantee who can live longer.Therefore, these old scholars are eagerly looking forward to getting a glimpse of the "historical doubts" before they die.There are also some historians who have achieved achievements and established an unshakable status, and have the ambition to make waves in the academic world again in order to create another climax in academic life. Utsuhara Hirasuke persisted to the end, making those scholars helpless.In this way, only the son who asked Pingzhu allowed them to read after Lao Tzu died.Due to the disharmony between father and son, there is no hope of convincing the father through the son.Some of the scholars have thus begun to make friends with their sons in order to secure future assurance. In this way, although the existence of Arai Shiraishi's "historical doubts" was known, no one could get a glimpse of it, and two years passed in a flash.Among the historians, there are also some people who think that it is very meaningful to know the whereabouts of the "historical suspicion" whose whereabouts have been unknown for a long time.Needless to say, there are also scholars who doubt the old man's words.The reason why the old man Pingzhu refused to borrow the book was because it was a forgery.Some people think that Hirasuke doesn't have any at all, it's just empty talk and showing off.These views are not unreasonable, but scholars who have seen other ancient documents from the old man Pingzhu are convinced.Among them, there are even a small number of ambitious young scholars who have never even caught a glimpse, but rely on Hirasuke's words and phrases to catch the wind and speculate, and write about the content of "Historical Suspects". Speaking of the younger generation, Hira Naoki is one of them.He was a new historian at thirty-two years old.Which national university he graduated from, and which university he is currently a lecturer at, there is no need to list here in detail; it is enough to say that he has recently gained a reputation and is regarded as a promising historian.His writing is excellent, and occasionally his works are published in famous comprehensive magazines, and he has begun to gain popularity.And it is often revealed that the original insights have attracted much attention, and it is believed that they will eventually settle down on the professorship of the university and become a hero in the field of history. Hira Naoki was also deeply concerned after hearing Utsuhara Hirasuke's "historical doubts", but he stood still when they were fighting each other.There's nothing more boring than being among the contenders for a marijuana.Since Hirasuke is as stubborn as iron, he will be regarded as the same as those unattractive "stinky" scholars.He is waiting for the most effective method and opportunity.

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