『林政八書』中の「山奉行所規摸帳仕次」:その和訳•英訳と内容分析

摘要

概要 この「山奉行所規模仕次帳」は、全13項目の条文のうち、伐 木に関わるものが5項目、山役人の職務と伐採の仕方に関す るものがそれぞれ3件、盗伐の取締りが2項目となっている。 とくに目を引くのが、山の保全に関する禁止事項である。山を 保全する抱護の場所や、山を囲む山野の境の樹木は、厳しく伐 採を禁止されている。抱護にはその閉じ口 （山の稜線が谷間に 入り組んでいる所）の樹木の保全が大切という。その場所を切り 開くと、風が山中に吹き込んで、山が荒廃していく原因になる。さ らに寄伐(よせばつ）といって、1箇所に集中して手当たり次第に 有用な木を伐り尽くすやり方を戒めている。これは今日でいえ ば、皆伐のようなものであるが、それによつて山気（山の空気）が 乱れ、奥山の木々が衰退していくとしている。 材木の納入については、まず王府から各間切番所に、手形 (納品書)が発送される。その手形には、御用の木の寸法（長さ-太さ)や用途が詳しく書き記されている。その手形にもとづいて、 山役人たちが山地で寸法に合致した樹木を選別し伐採する。そ の伐採木が寸法に合わず、王府に届けられた後、差し替えされ る事態が発生する。これは伐採木の無駄遣いになるので、その 責任は山役人にある、と戒めている。それを防ぐために、山役人 には、山工の正法（山の保育•管理の技術）を伝授してあるの で、そのことをよく心得て職務に励むよう言い渡している。%Yamabugyousho Kimochou Shitsugi consists of 13 articles in total, five of which focus on tree felling, three that relate to the duties of forest-related officials and the proper method of cutting trees and two dealing with crackdowns on illegal tree felling. Particularly worthy of attention are the provisions related to forest conservation. It was strictly prohibited to cut down trees at places of hougo that are of great importance to the preservation of the forest or to cut trees at the borders of community forests (sanya) that surround the somayama (government-use forests). In terms of the concept of hougo the trees located at the so-called 'gate of hougo (gate of embraced protection)' are of critical importance. If such areas are opened up by reckless tree felling this will allow damaging winds to enter the inner forest and will eventually bring ruin to the forest. There is also the idea of yosebatsu (destructive felling) that warns against the damage that can be caused to the inner forest by cutting down too many useful trees at one concentrated area (such as the gate of hougo). In today's terms this is close to the idea of clear-cutting (kaibatsu) that would disturb the sanqi (forest atmosphere) and lead to the decline of the trees in the very inner forest. With regard to the delivery of timber, the Royal Government would first send a tegata (goods request) to each magiri bansho. This tegata would specify the type of tree, the required dimensions and any other important details. Based on the information in the tegata forest officials would go to the most appropriate forest site, select and cut down the timber requested. If the timber delivered to the Royal Govemment did not match the dimensions requested in the tegata it would have to be replaced. Because this constituted a waste of valuable wood resources regulations were put in place so that forest officials would be held accountable. In order to prevent such waste forest officials were taught the so-called 'yamaku no shouhou' (forest care and management techniques) and commanded to work hard in carrying out their duties.