NEMAWASHII
Symbol of the Nemawashii movement, representing the "national body (kokutai)" or "trinue sovereignty".
天上寶日月星晨 Heaven’s treasures are the sun, moon and stars
地上寶五穀金銀 Earth’s treasures are grain, gold and silver
國需寶正直忠臣 A kingdom’s treasures are righteous officials
家需寶孝子賢孫 A family’s treasures are filial off-springs
黄金白玉非為寶 Gold and jade are not real treasures
只有生命一世閒 Only a life of tranquility is
百歳三萬六千日 To live to a hundred is only 36,000 days
若無生命最可憐 Without purpose life is abject misery
來時糊塗去時亡 We come confused and we leave dying
空渡人生夢一場 An empty life is meaningless as a dream
口中吃盡百和味 I have tasted a best of a hundred flavors
身上穿成朝服衣 I have worn only the finest court clothes
五湖四海為上客 My guests are the most esteemed in all the world
如何落在帝王家 How is it that I am born as an emperor?
世間最大為生死 The greatest event in the world is life and death
白玉黄金也枉然 Gold and jade are meaningless then
淡飯清粥充一飢 Even plain rice and porridge can satisfy
錦衣那著幾千年 But the finest clothes can’t last a thousand years
天門久為初人閉 Long has heaven’s doors been shut by the first man
福路全是聖子通 The blessed way is opened by the sacred Son
我願結受神聖子 I am willing to receive the Sacred Son of God
兒子明分得永生 To have the birthright of a son to eternal life.
Symbol of the Nemawashii movement, representing the "national body (kokutai)" or "trinue sovereignty".
天上寶日月星晨 Heaven’s treasures are the sun, moon and stars
地上寶五穀金銀 Earth’s treasures are grain, gold and silver
國需寶正直忠臣 A kingdom’s treasures are righteous officials
家需寶孝子賢孫 A family’s treasures are filial off-springs
黄金白玉非為寶 Gold and jade are not real treasures
只有生命一世閒 Only a life of tranquility is
百歳三萬六千日 To live to a hundred is only 36,000 days
若無生命最可憐 Without purpose life is abject misery
來時糊塗去時亡 We come confused and we leave dying
空渡人生夢一場 An empty life is meaningless as a dream
口中吃盡百和味 I have tasted a best of a hundred flavors
身上穿成朝服衣 I have worn only the finest court clothes
五湖四海為上客 My guests are the most esteemed in all the world
如何落在帝王家 How is it that I am born as an emperor?
世間最大為生死 The greatest event in the world is life and death
白玉黄金也枉然 Gold and jade are meaningless then
淡飯清粥充一飢 Even plain rice and porridge can satisfy
錦衣那著幾千年 But the finest clothes can’t last a thousand years
天門久為初人閉 Long has heaven’s doors been shut by the first man
福路全是聖子通 The blessed way is opened by the sacred Son
我願結受神聖子 I am willing to receive the Sacred Son of God
兒子明分得永生 To have the birthright of a son to eternal life.
PREFACE
Much has been written on the Nemawashi, also known as the neo-tengaku, and many of those points a foreigner can not understand, especially when he is not acquainted with Nifonese culture at all, nor understands where the origin of Nifonese thought comes from. Those unfamiliar with the history of the Sage - Emperor Kogyoku and the school of heavenly learning (tengaku) he established when converting to true Christian faith will indeed find understanding the problems a little difficult. At that time the Sage - Emperor, after handling over governance of his land to Shogun Chosokame no Yorimoto, a sage and ruler equal to himself, felt need of pursuit of more heavenly matters, especially teaching proper virtues of Heavenly Father to his subjects, educating them in orders of Jesus the Heavenly Sovereign, re-establishing the morality for so long forgotten, and addressing their own spiritual needs. For at that time, Nifonese did not believe in neither heaven nor hell, reincarnation was their primary spiritual concern, and oni were sometimes worshiped. The wise Emperor guided many to Heavenly Father's paths, showing them the true evilness of oni, debunking the superstition of various Buddhist sects that arose like mushroom after a rain and throwing out the dragons from the Imperial Palace. In order to do so, he had little issue with employing philosophers of the Empire of Mizuho to defend his faith and promote it's dogmas. After writing many works by himself, virtuous Emperor established school of heavenly learning, the Tengaku, to cultivate the Nifonese political thinking and advise the next generation of Shoguns and Emperors.
Many need to understand that Nemawashi, which by itself means "root trimming" it not an old ideology, but merely a transition of ideas of Nifon of old into a modern day. While realizing that societies evolve slowly, Shogun Kojiro and now deceased Emperor Go-Shuyan understood that societies slowly evolve on basis of their cultural, spiritual and traditional influences, adapting them under the times they find themselves under. This does not mean rejection of Western thinking - on the contrary, Shogun Kojiro shown very honest respect for ideas of Colombian founding fathers, Inyurstan counter-liberalism and Aravean monarchs, although he realized that due to cultural differences most of them could not be implemented in Nifon, he still highly praised their devotion to Heavenly father and respect for virtues. Nifon, after all, is not purely Eastern - but neither is it purely Western culture, rather a bridge between the two, fusing best elements of both without rejecting it's national identity.
Is Nemawashi related to Christianity? Yes. Does it require belief in God? No. Nemawashi was meant to be a national ethnical and moral teaching, which is based in return on teachings of Jesus the Heavenly Sovereign, but not necessarily requires belief in them. Of course, huge majority of the Nifonese do. But those among us who do not believe easily recognize greatness of moral and ethical teachings the Bible holds. In short, Nemawashi is separate from Kogyokist Christianity, although points the way to the Heavenly Father as originator of virtues.
Nemawashi is exactly that - an attempt to restore the identity of the Nifonese people in the times of dark, when globalization is slowly promoting more and more conflicts across the globe and erodes sovereign cultures, leaving empty husks of once great civilizations which left countless monuments behind itself. It is a domestic philosophy of reaction that aims at preventing the Nifonese to melt into the global melting pot, but rather regain the original ideas upon which Nifon was built, opposing cosmopolitanism and giving the Nifonese far better chances for competition in the global age - as Nifonese, not as identity - less drones of the liberal world order.
" Study the past, if you are predicting the future. "
Before we go to asses the role and nature of the government, we need to ask ourselves the most important question: what the humans really are. From the distance, the question about human nature seems to be most distant one reserved only for top philosophers who would bother with it while avoiding boring the general public. Yet, at the same time, when we analyze the evidence at hand, a sad fact comes to realization: that the very human nature is why various utopian projects aimed at satisfying and pleasing everyone failed. There were many utopianists during past centuries, most important of them being the great enemy himself, Karl Marx. This oni - worshiper was the first one who attacked private property openly, playing on how fundamental human trait - greed to have more, and laziness to earn them through a legalized plunder of property of those who have more rather than through hard work. Yet, Marx's utopia failed instantly when it was confronted with true nature of human. Marx wrote, after all, that everyone deserves to have the same amount: but couldn't, in any way, find a remedy to the fact that people by their nature wanted to have more and more goods, in other words, to profit. Temporary and ineffective solution that socialists applied was to have the wealth redistributed at gunpoint by a central authority, goal of which was to force the individuals not to profit more. Those practices, more akin in their activity to folk of Robin Hood, Janosik or Ishikawa Goemon rather than to virtuous shikken of the past, led only to countless abuses, impoverishment to finally end in violation of private property and all virtues of heavenly father, when government finally grown into a bureaucratic monster feasting on the fruit of the people's work, the very opposite it claimed to be.
Much to dismay of proponents of democracy, human nature attacked and harmed that system as well when voters realized that they can use the very mechanism that gives them the right to partake in the governance of the state to give themselves additional benefits - thus voting usually on candidates that promised them more. Knowing that the people will exchange current living status into a new one only if promised more goods than in current one, democracy became a giant marketing contest in which only the people who promised more gained prominence, and lying demagogues aided by an entire hordes of PR experts turned many systems into the rule of media - on whom the TV station or radio will tell, on this person will the population vote. Even the founders of one of greatest republics the world had ever known, the Organized States of Colombia, too well understood danger of this type of behaviour...
In fact, in accordance with what we said, we can not conclude that human nature is, as many have said before us, good. On the contrary, it is evil and rotten to the core. To properly observe the consequences, one just has to remove any form of established authority from human affairs and observe what would have happened. Desires will run open as human will raise against human, seeking to mutually devour each other in order to satisfy their own lusts. If there will be no protection, thieves will take private property at will. If there will be no watch, beautiful women will be raped. If there will be no law enforcement, people will die, killed by the stronger ones just to satisfy their lusts. Such is the fallen nature of man; if it was good, as multiple utopianists claimed, there would have been no need for the virtues, no need for laws - and above all, no need for justice.
A man can not acquire his nature nor can he change it, nor will he be able to completely deny it. Every person, especially the authority (執権 - Shikken) in power, will have the same temptations and lusts. Wasn't it David the wise Sage - King of Israel who raped a woman and killed a man, yet he is portrayed as one of most virtuous and holy people in the Bible? By our own nature, without wisdom of the sages of the past and apostles of heavenly father, all of us would have been morally blind and unable to discern the good from evil, everyone fighting everyone in grand battle for satisfying the lusts. But what separates the good shikken from bad one? Wasn't nature of Hezekiah and Manesses the same? Was not nature of the Sage - Emperor Kogyoku and his brother, Go-Jimmu, the dishonorable traitor the same?
The answer lies in how all of them cultivated their character, how much they fought the lusts and desires within them. Despite it all, Hezekiah and Kogyoku overcame their nature by following the virtues of heavenly father, and once they mastered the virtues, those wise sage - rulers instructed the people on Heavenly Father's paths. Manesses and Go-Jimmu, on the contrary, gave unto their own desires, worshiping the oni and oppressing common man for their own good. To do evil is easy, to do good is hard, but the results, after the evil is overcame, recompense all the effort applied during destruction of evil within.
Yet the Heavenly Father in his glory established the natural order (天然秩序 Tennen Chitsujo) - a set of ethical laws, virtues, the way the things should be. Natural order was the basis upon which the wise sages of the past established their teaching upon. Every man has capability to automatically recognize and apply the virtues of heavenly father coming from the natural order of things, but often chooses not to do so because his nature complies him to ignore them for his own profit. Virtues of the natural order are timeless and applicable in every situation - for there has been no moral code so far that said that it is good to murder, steal, lie or rape. Natural order, in the social structure, represents society basic unit of which is a patrilineal household based on private property, which forms in cooperation with other families a national structure (国体 - Kokutai) based on ties of common blood, common tradition and common ethical system. It does not take much to defend the natural order using logic, science or careful analysis. Yet the order, as a result of human lust, is disturbed by anomalies and deviations contrary to it's virtues and laws. Such anomalies are purely human invention and never were meant to be so.
Natural order is based on self - restraint and obedience to virtues - this is the counter - revolution. First battle against natural order begun in the celestial sphere with rebellion of Satan who became the head oni to follow his own desires - that is revolution. Since then the history has been a permanent fight between revolution and counter revolution, two great forces guiding the human spirits and minds, with revolution aiming to amend the natural order; just as communists wanted to liquidate the social hierarchy, modern day "revolutions" aiming to remove the very concept of gender, and now the very concept of virtues is being spat upon.
Take for example egalitarianism - at different positions of the day the same person is not equal. At one time he is someone's superior at work. At another - father administrating his own house. How does anybody except to have equality in such stadium? Truth is, that we are all equal before foundation of our virtues - the heavenly father - but not in our standing, and above all, not in our merit. Above all however, men are not equal in their duties. Those who contribute more, who exercise more virtue, and who achieved more fully deserve to have better social and material standing than those who contribute less, although equal - if not harsher - judgment should fall on them should they decide to violate the virtue. Yet the idea of absolute equality, especially in areas such as wealth, is so laughable that only people with no moral education should take it seriously.
Nifonese national code of virtues comes from Bushido - an ancient and honorable codex. The Sage Shogun Chosokame, realizing that the age of warrior caste had come to an end due to changes in the military world, namely introduction of the firearm, opened the warrior caste and made all Samurai. The eight virtues are:
1: ( 義 - Gi ) Righteousness: Is a moral obligation to do good and lack toleration for injustice. Every shikken (authority) is by his definition expected to treat those under him like his own children, knowing that he will loose the mandate of heavenly father (tenmei) should he stray from his path.
2: ( 仁 - Jin) Benevolence: Refers to inter - human relationships, universal love manifesting itself in responsibility and caring for each other. A loving shikken educates those under him by being superior in virtues and being an example, also rightfully punishing violation of virtue. In short "a shikken should be servant of all".
Jin is also seen as a "Golden rule" in inter-personal relations - "Do not do unto others like you would not want them do to you".
3: ( 孝 - Kō ) Filial Piety: Refers not only to respecting your father, mother and elder brothers, but as well as respecting your superiors and treating the county like one, enormous family with proper respect.
4: ( 礼- Rei ) Reverence: both to the rulers, tradition, and above all reverence of the other virtues. Reverence is also a manifestation of Nifonese perfectionism which orders one person to be a an exemplary member of society.
5: ( 誠 - Makoto ) Honesty: refers to lack of toleration of untruth in society, especially for lack of tolerance for lying in public institutions.
6: ( 名 - Mei ) Honor: refers to upright character and willingness to sacrifice oneself in the name of society.
7: ( 忠 - Chū ) Loyalty: Refers to being loyal to one's superiors should they remain loyal to the virtues of heavenly father. Once he renounced his supposed godhood he had as the Emperor of Nifon, Sage - Emperor Kogyoku invoked mandate of heavenly father (tenmei) in accordance with Romans 13. By it, all under Shikken owe him respect and obedience as long as he does not violate the Heavenly Father's commands - or he will be deposed, by war or rebellion.
8: ( 制 - Sei ) Self control: refers to constant cultivation of one's character and constant fight against own human nature. Emperor Kogyoku himself seen this trait as most important element of Shikken - do (path of the ruler), knowing that those in authority will be most subject to temptations, and thus need to be especially spiritually predisposed in countering them.
There are many other virtues coming from multiple sources, but all of them serve common purpose. Over the centuries various men attempted to establish a "perfect institution" - and failed, always for the same factor - evilness of human nature. The Nifonese political system answers this question with an unified structure of ethics that are to be inserted not only into the framework of political systems, but into the core of very society itself to restrain both rulers and the ruled. Evil temptations exist in every man, no matter if he is a sage - ruler, president of Colombia, or mere voter in Inyursta. In fact, large bodies of men and groups have the same temptations as individuals - and this is why democracy so often murders and exhausts itself for a king or an aristocrat is no more virtuous than your usual common voter, and it is worthy to be noted that while individuals have conquered themselves - nations and groups never could accomplish such feat. As the result, rule of virtues, is the only solution to the shortcomings of political systems, deviations of which appear from the very faults in the citizens...
" The strength of a nation derives from the integrity of the home."
Just when in case of liberalism exists primary emphasis on right, in Nemawashi exists primary emphasis on virtue, and both schools of thought realize that none of those can be realized without a centralized state authority - in Nemawashi's case the goal of the state is to promote the virtues and punish the evildoers, and in fact is almost sole and ultimate purpose. Every virtue in social relations is based on the same Kogyoku's golden rule "Do not do unto others what you would wish him not to do you". The state, in Nifonese view, is product of hundreds years old careful process of selective evolution. This process does not mean that change itself is bad, because sole aim of "conservatism" is to conserve the natural order rather than particular institution or custom. For example, introduction of Christianity had very positive result when comparing it's influence on Nifonese culture, proving that not every change is to be resisted, but rather that new is to be carefully assimilated in accordance with timeless principles expressed in virtues of heavenly father.
In Nemawashist political theory exists the idea of "Triune sovereignty" referring to three ways that Nifonese rulers received legitimacy. First one was accomplished by will of the people and referred to man. Second one was by will of Heavenly Father and by merit, referring to heaven. Third one was by cultural and historical legitimacy, referred to Earth. Those three when combined are attributes of perfect government, which both has popular support, obeys virtues of heavenly father, and upholds historical and political continuity. For that very reason Nifonese parliament features three houses; first one is elected by popular suffrage, second one is composed of people who are considered most accomplished or acheived highest merit as well as religious leaders having 1/3 of the seats, and third one is composed of hereditary members of former samurai clans, each of them representing different legitimacy. The law needs to be approved by at least 2 of 3 houses in order to pass, and 3 - house victory signifies an "excellent law". In addition different ways of appointment make corruption and infiltration harder. An ideal shikken combines in his person all of the triune legitimacy.
As mentioned earlier, the doctrine of Tenmei (mandate of heavenly father) - stating that should a shikken violate the virtues, the heavenly father will remove him through either war or revolution is still very popular within Nifonese. Many scholars presented it as viable alternative for written constitutions - citing the fact that to amend constitution you only need several votes, when you can not amend the virtues of heavenly father nor change them at will. In addition, the constitution presents no source of the rights, while Heavenly father's virtues present an ultimate source legitimizing social harmony.
Maki Kojiro in his writings created a method of classifying the governments in accordance of heavenly father's virtues. The first and lowest on the scale is the shikken who relies solely on fore to cement his rule and creates enormous and extensive taxation to finance himself - such shikken will, most likely, meet a bad end. Second on the scale is a person who possess formidable governance skill, puts only light taxes and can successfully win cooperation from the people. Third, and highest on the scale is the sage - ruler, who governs directly through virtues of heavenly father; his skill at administration is so great that people come to him on their own, knowing how beneficial it is for him, and when a threat comes, he can outmaneuver his enemy and defeat him already before the fight even begun.
Although Kojiro always - basing himself on 2nd law of thermodynamics - seen need for strong head of the state kept in check by parliament (but still guiding courts and executing laws, in addition to limited capability of announcing his own) - he still believes in principle "less a shikken does, the better the country is". In his own words:
"Task of the sage - ruler is solely to promote good and administer punishment for evil. By robbing people from providing for their families, we make them slaves to the government and deprive them of their social connections. The sole goal of virtuous ruler is to punish the lawbreakers, make peace between various groups and inspire people to good by his honorable conduct. For, as 2nd law of thermodynamics states, uncontrolled system will always descend into anarchy."
Nemawashi is seen as newest form of expression of Nifonese national identity. Due to it's domestic basis, it is seen as a traditionalist, nationalist, conservative meritocracy to compete with internationalist, progressive, socialist liberal democracy of the west. Many Nifonese take great pride in their political thinking... and who knows, maybe some nation would take inspiration from Kojiro's work?
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