Stop the fire to save the books
Born June 3, 1534, Hosokawa Fujitaka, who would later use Yusai’s “artistic name”, was born at the height of civil wars, when Japan was weakened in endless internal conflicts. They were good times for the Samurai who were engaged in the struggle and took advantage of the Hosokawa warrior dotes, first the last shogunes of the Ashikaga dynasty and, later, the Daimyo Oda Nobunaga conqueror and his successor Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In addition, in the tea ceremony there was master, expert calligrapher, historian, poet, painter, philosopher, art collector...
At the end of the sixteenth century, the old Yusai retired to his lands in the province of Tango. But peace lasted little; in 1600 war resumed. After the death of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Japan’s principal ruler, the new united empire was divided into two: Those of Toyotomi, on the one hand, those of the east; those of the west, by the mighty Tokugawa Ieyasu, on the other, including the Hosokawa family. All the great clans had to choose between them.
Tokugawa won the last battle in Sekigahara. But before that, 15,000 Toyotomi soldiers entered Tano and besieged the castle of Tanabe, where Yusai lived. The Samurai veteran, who was 66, had only 500 troops to defend the fortress, the BBC said.
With such a domain, the taking of the castle seemed an easy task for the Westerners. But in the Empire there was a lot of admiration and respect for Yusai and his enemies. And they didn’t make much effort to dominate the wise samurai, “forgetting” the load of guns, they just threw a lifeline on the walls without projectiles. However, the honor and the lands of Yusai were not the only ones in danger; Hosokawa possessed a collection of art and libraries of enormous value.
He asked the emperor to save him the writings and works of art and Go-Yōzei (1586-1611) agreed to the suit of the warrior poet. Thus, both sides agreed on a ceasefire for the evacuation of literature and the treasure of art.
But Emperor No. 107 placed a condition: along with the books, Yusai himself had to be saved, because his life was as valuable as the collection. He agreed and gave him the express order to leave the castle. Hosokawa Fujitaka surrendered on 19 October 1600. The last decade of his life took place in Kyoto, abandoning the issues of war and working in various artistic fields.
The irreverent order of the emperor had prevented the Samurai honor from Hosokawa Fujita. But he was able to save his library and, in addition, during the months that the siege lasted, holding 15,000 enemies at the castle door, made it easier for the eastern side to win the war.
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