A Study on Shumisen (Sumer Cosmology) Controversy from later Tokugawa period to the early years of Meiji

(1)我在各个图书馆，特别是大谷大学图书馆、国立天文台图书馆、横滨市立大学图书馆，对相关资料进行了研究，并发现和收集了远津、远木等自佐田怀石以来的作家的手稿。(2)据卡莫纪清，一个从著名天文学家边间茂富那里听到一段插曲的日本神道信徒说，远津尽管年事已高，但他仍然积极参与了他的舒米森（苏美尔宇宙学）理论的运动。现存一份他1817年在三重县大津的一座寺庙演讲的手稿，在这篇演讲中，他将佛教历法与“孔子或其他王子的历法”等同起来。“这样的表达一定吸引了普通观众，他们已经多次被告知孔子的伟大。(3)这样的讲义也可以在远津的弟子中找到，如新育（1837年和1855年的讲座），宽中（1854年）和远木。应该指出的是，他们中的大多数人，从现存的手稿判断，对同一大炮讲座：Ryusei Abidon-ron Nachigetsu Kohon。(4)德川末至明治初年的亲佛运动，是出于对来华新教传教士著作中所讨论的西方地球圆论和日心说的警惕，并从苏美尔宇宙观的角度进行批判。Sada Kaiseki等人的苏美尔宇宙学运动应该在亲佛教运动的更广泛背景下考虑。(5)尽管怀石的努力，苏美尔宇宙学运动在明治中期消亡的原因是由于从1872年起建立了学校系统，科学知识占了上风。

(1) I have made researches on relevant materials at various libraries, especially at Otani University Library, the Library of National Observatory, Yokohama Municipal University Library and have found and collected manuscripts by Entsu, Enki and other writers after Sada Kaiseki.(2) According to Kamo Norikiyo, a bakumatsu shintoist who heard an episode from an eminent astronomer Hazama Shigetomi, Entsu was active in his campaign for Shumisen (Sumer cosmology) theory despite of his old age. A manuscript note of one of his lectures given at an temple in present Tsu, Mie in 1817 is extant, In this lecture, he identifies Buddhist calendar with "calendar by Confucius or other princes." Such expression must have appealed to general audience who had been told many times of the greatness of Confucius.(3) Such lecture notes are also found in the case of Entsu's disciples like Shingyo (lectures given in 1837 and 1855), Kanchu (1854), and Enki. It should be noted that most of them, judging from extant manuscripts, gave lectures on the same cannon : Ryusei Abidon-ron Nachigetsu Kohon.(4) Pro-Buddhism campaign from the end of Tokugawa period to early years of Meiji, were motivated by their precaution against Western theory of the idea of round earth and heliocentric system discussed in works by Protestant missionaries in China and criticized them from the viewpoint of Sumer cosmology. Campaings for Sumer cosmology by Sada Kaiseki et al. should be considered in such broader context of pro-Buddhism movement.(5) The reason why campaigns for Sumer cosmology died out in the middle of Meiji despite of Kaiseki's efforts is due to the fact that scientific knowledge had prevailed thanks to the establishment of school system from 1872 on.