영어속독--Tokugawa retainer, Meiji politician and naval engineer

Tokugawa retainer, Meiji politician and naval engineer

Katsu Kaishū (勝海舟, 1823-1899) was born in Edo (江戸, in modern-day Sumida-ku, Tokyo). Throughout his life he used a lot of aliases and was also known as Katsu Rintarō (勝麟太郎), Katsu Yoshikuni (勝義邦), Awa (安房) from his title Awa-no-kami (安房守) and after the Meiji Restoration as Katsu Yasuyoshi (勝安芳).

He was born into a family of hatamoto (旗本), samurai in the direct service of the Tokugawa shogunate. His father Katsu Kokichi (勝小吉), leading an idle life and barely able to support his family, had to cede his role as pater familias once Kaishū/Rintarō reached the age of fifteen. Katsu Kokichi’s autobiography, Musui’s Story (夢酔独言 他 Musui Dokugen), describes the escapades of a stealing, brawling and self-indulging samurai and provides a refreshing perspective on Japanese society, customs, economy, and human relationships in the late Edo Period.

His sword master urged Rintarō to give up fencing and focus on rangaku (蘭学, literally “Dutch Learning”), the study of Western technologies, and Dutch language. Reluctant at first, Kaishū/Rintarō became fascinated with Western culture and was recruited into government service, serving as translator for the Shogunate. From 1855-59, he studied at the Nagasaki Naval Academy as one of thirty-seven Tokugawa retainers.

In 1860, Katsu Kaishū was commissioned an officer in the shogunal navy and commanded the Kanrin-maru (咸臨丸), Japan’s first sail and screw-driven steam corvette, ordered in 1853 from the Netherlands. The Kanrin-maru escorted Japan’s first delegation to the United States on the first authorized overseas voyage in the history of the Tokugawa Shogunate. The journey served to study Western science and technologies, but was also meant to show off Japan’s ability to master modern technologies. Katsu Kaishū stayed in San Francisco for two months, observing all aspects of American culture. It is beyond doubt that his subsequent commitment to modernization and political liberalism can be attributed to his exposure to foreign cultures and ideas.(311 words)

 

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