A query about the source of a passage of the Kon-yo zushiki

[Nobumi Iyanaga]

Dear Colleagues,

I have a question about the source of a passage, the first paragraph of the first kan, of the Kon-yo zushiki 坤興圖識 by Mitsukuri Shōgo 箕作省吾 (1845). Here is this passage:

亞細亞洲總括
名義未ダ詳ナラズ。或曰。厄勒祭亞（ギリシア）國の語、中を言テ亞細ト称ス、此洲歐邏巴（エウロッパ）、亞弗利加（アフリカ）洲ノ中間ニ在ルヲ以テ名ク、又一説ニ、亞細亞ハ神ヲ云フ。神聖首出ノ郷、故に尊デ是称有リ、猶神洲ト云ハンガ如シ。

It is known that Mitsukuri Shōgo compiled this geography book using several Dutch sources (I found this study: 宮地哉恵子, "幕末期における海外情報の受容過程——蘭書の輸入と受容形態をめぐって", 参考書誌研究, No. 39（1991, 3), p. 1-20: p. 6-8). Miyaji counts 7 books. I would like to know wha the source of this particular passage　is, and what the word of 神聖 in the original language is (Dutch; but the source book may be itself a translation of some book in another language). I wonder if this may be "religion" or perhaps "sacred" or something like this in English (I don't know Dutch, nor German; but I think I can find the meaning with some AI translation tool...).

-------

The background of my question is research on the evolution of the meaning of the term 神聖 in Japanese. One of the first occurrences of this word in Japanese literature is the beginning of the 日本書紀, where it designates one of the primordial deities. Except this occurrence, it seems that ancient and medieval sources use it very scarcely. In the Edo period Confucian sources, it may appear more frequently as an honorific adjective for emperors (天皇) -- this use is well known in Chinese Confucian literature. This kind of use is very apparent in 水戸学 writings (for example, in the 新論 of 会沢正志斎, the term 神聖 appears at least 16 times).

However, from the later Edo period, it begins to be used in 洋学 works, as a translation of some European (Christian) words for "holy", "saint", "sacred" or some words like these (as far as I can guess...). I think the occurrence in the 坤興圖識 is probably one of the oldest occurrences of this use.

This passage of the 坤興圖識 is quoted in Takeo Masatane's 竹尾正胤 (a late kokugaku author) Daiteikoku-ron 大帝国論 (1863) (岩波「日本思想大系」vol. 51, 『後期国学』p. 490):

亜細亜と云るが如きは、アシハラの転語ならむ歟と云説も有れど、西夷が脱には、「亜細亜ハ神ヲ云フ。神聖首出ノ郷、故ニ尊デ是称有り。猶神州卜云ハンガ如シ」と云り。此説まことにしかる可し。

In a later passage in the same 大帝国論, the author quotes another (?) work, which is a very similar statement (p. 517):

「ゼルマニア」人「ヨハン—ヒブネス」が書る万国伝信紀事に、「亜細亜洲ハ世界開闢ノ初地ニシテ、神聖肇ニ出テ、人類出生シ、帝王国ヲ興シ、法教首ニ立チ、其他文字、諸技芸ノ類ニ至ルマデ、多クハミナ此洲ヨリ権輿（けんよ）セリ」と云ひ...

According to a note by the editor of this edition, this "万国伝信紀事" by 「ゼルマニア」人「ヨハン—ヒブネス」 is a translation in Japanese of the Dutch book titled De Staats-en Koeranten Tolk, of Woordenboek der Geleerden en Ongeleerden, published in Leiden in 1732 [池田哲郎「江戸時代のオランダ系「歴史」」、『福島大学学芸学部論集　社会科学』8-1, 1957, p. 38-53: p. 51: Bibliography No. 81], which is itself a Dutch translation of a German book, Johann Hübner's Reales Staats- Zeitungs- und Conversations-Lexicon (published in Leizig) [but I was unable to find out who translated this Dutch work into Japanese, nor when...]. In fact, this German work is a kind of early encyclopedia authored by several scholars, and Johann Hübner was only the author of the Preface. But it was known as the "Hübner's Dictionary" in Germany and more largely in Europe in the Enlightenment period.

It is known that one of the main sources of the 坤興圖識 was Hübner's Kurtze Fragen aus der alten und neuen Geographie, translated in Dutch as Kort Begryp der Oude en Nieuwe Geographie. So, I guess if this was the source of the passage that I quoted at the beginning of this mail -- but this is only a guess without any evidence.

I would be very grateful for any insight on this problem.

Best regards,

Nobumi Iyanaga

[Nobumi Iyanaga]

Dear Colleagues,

I posted my query below to the PMJS on May 29th, and I didn't receive any reply to it for about two weeks. I was almost desperate when I received the following mail from Sven Osterkamp of Bochum University, who is not subscribed to the PMJS. I think some kind person showed him my post, and he was so kind as to send me his answer.

So, here is his message (I asked him to allow me to repost this message to the PMJS, so that people who might have been interested by my initial query would have all the answers to my questions, and I received his permission):

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Sven Osterkamp <Sven.Os...@ruhr-uni-bochum.de>
> Subject: Your query on PMJS regarding 神聖
> Date: June 12, 2026 at 21:24:06 JST
> To: n-iy...@nifty.com, n-iy...@ppp.bekkoame.ne.jp
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
>
> Dear Iyanaga Nobumi,
>
> I've recently seen your latest message on the PMJS mailing list -- but as I'm myself not subscribed to that list, let me write to you via email.
>
> As far as I could ascertain the passage in question goes back to the very beginning of the 19th c., specifically to 山村昌永's additions/commentary to the 采覽異言, who may also have been the person to baptize Hübner's "koeranten-tolk" as 万国伝信紀事.
>
> His additions quote two similar passages, of which the second is the most relevant for your question. (The first has 聖賢 instead of 神聖.) I'll nevertheless quote both below:
>
> 1)
> From 訂正増譯采覽異言 7 @ https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/2575536/1/5
> 　万国航海図説ニ曰・・・
> 　・・・抑モ亜細亜洲ハ人類肇
> 　テ生スルノ地聖賢首ニ出ルノ郷ニシテ国土ノ
> 　開闢及ヒ帝王ノ国ヲ建ル皆他洲ニ先タテリ
>
> 万国航海図説 = Pieter Goos: De Zee-atlas ofte water-wereld
> (the identification is clear from 訂正増譯采覽異言 itself, see https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/2575530/1/15 and https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/2575530/1/24)
>
> The original Dutch reads as follows (which much concerning Christianity):
>
> "Dit deel der wereldt is van alle voorige tyden het aller-vermaertste gheweest; want hier zyn eerst gesproten alle heerschappyen, daer by de werelt is geregeert geweest. De mensche is aldaer eerst van Godt geschapen, in den Paradyse gestelt, van den Satan verleyt, en door Christum onsen Salighmaecker verloft. Oock zijn alhier geschiet meest alle geschiedenissen des Ouden, en verre het meestendeel des Nieuwen Testaments."
>
> For a scan, see e.g.: https://objects.library.uu.nl/reader/1874-316519?_ga=2.233388762.575046899.1590076477-1734391929.1527609718&page=19
>
> 2)
> From 訂正増譯采覽異言 7 @ https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/2575536/1/6 (cont'd on 7)
> 　万国伝信紀事ニ曰・・・
> 　・・・故ニ此洲今亦称
> 　シテ五大君王ノ分国ト云フ抑モ亜細亜洲ハ
> 　世界開闢ノ初地ニシテ神聖肇ニ出テ人類出
> 　生シ帝王国ヲ興シ法教首ニ立テ其他文学諸
> 　技芸ノ類ニ至ルマテ多クハミナ此洲ヨリ権
> 　輿セリ
>
> 万国伝信紀事 = Johann Hübner: De staats- en koeranten-tolk
> (the identification is again clear from 訂正増譯采覽異言 itself, see https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/2575530/1/15 and https://dl.ndl.go.jp/pid/2575530/1/25)
>
> 1732 De staats- en koeranten-tolk, p. 69 reads:
>
> "In dit wereld deel is na de Schepping der wereld
> het land het eerste bewoont, Gods woord geopen-
> baard, de Heyland geboren, de drie eerste grote
> Monarchyen der wereld gesticht, de meeste weten-
> schappen uitgevonden, ende voornaamste Godsdien-
> sten uitgebreid."
>
> See e.g. https://books.google.de/books?id=rnZthX3oLhgC&pg=PA69
>
> The underlying German wording in 1722 Reales Staats-, Zeitungs- und Conversations-Lexicon, p. 143 reads:
>
> "In diesem Welt-
> Theile ist zu erst nach Erschaffung der Welt
> das Land bewohnet, GOttes Wort geoffen-
> bahret, der Heyland gebohren, die drey ersten
> grossen Monarchien der Welt gestifftet, die
> meisten Wissenschafften herfür gebracht, und
> die fürnehmsten Religionen ausgebreitet
> worden."
>
> See e.g. https://books.google.de/books?id=o8Sru7kQX4AC&pg=PA143 (or also cf. 1748 Neu-vermehrtes und verbessertes Reales Staats-, Zeitungs- und Conversations-Lexicon, p. 93 @ https://books.google.de/books?id=ix4-wwgP2BkC&pg=PA93 etc.)
>
> I hope this is helpful to some extent. -- What I so far couldn't figure out though is where the idea of 亜細 = 中 ("in Greek") and 亜細亜 = 神 comes from ... and I've also no idea what Greek expression may be behind the first claim of the two. Hopefully this will become clearer as well eventually.
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Sven Osterkamp

Below is my first message of query:

>> On May 29, 2026, at 0:32, Nobumi Iyanaga <n-iy...@nifty.com> wrote:
>>
>> Dear Colleagues,
>>
>> I have a question about the source of a passage, the first paragraph of the first kan, of the Kon-yo zushiki 坤興圖識 by Mitsukuri Shōgo 箕作省吾 (1845). Here is this passage:
>>
>> 亞細亞洲總括
>> 名義未ダ詳ナラズ。或曰。厄勒祭亞（ギリシア）國の語、中を言テ亞細ト称ス、此洲歐邏巴（エウロッパ）、亞弗利加（アフリカ）洲ノ中間ニ在ルヲ以テ名ク、又一説ニ、亞細亞ハ神ヲ云フ。神聖首出ノ郷、故に尊デ是称有リ、猶神洲ト云ハンガ如シ。
>>

>> It is known that Mitsukuri Shōgo compiled this geography book using several Dutch sources (I found this study: 宮地哉恵子, "幕末期における海外情報の受容過程——蘭書の輸入と受容形態をめぐって", 参考書誌研究, No. 39（1991, 3), p. 1-20: p. 6-8). Miyaji counts 7 books. I would like to know what the source of this particular passage　is, and what the word of 神聖 in the original language is (Dutch; but the source book may be itself a translation of some book in another language). I wonder if this may be "religion" or perhaps "sacred" or something like this in English (I don't know Dutch, nor German; but I think I can find the meaning with some AI translation tool...).

>>
>> -------
>>
>> The background of my question is research on the evolution of the meaning of the term 神聖 in Japanese. One of the first occurrences of this word in Japanese literature is the beginning of the 日本書紀, where it designates one of the primordial deities. Except this occurrence, it seems that ancient and medieval sources use it very scarcely. In the Edo period Confucian sources, it may appear more frequently as an honorific adjective for emperors (天皇) -- this use is well known in Chinese Confucian literature. This kind of use is very apparent in 水戸学 writings (for example, in the 新論 of 会沢正志斎, the term 神聖 appears at least 16 times).
>>
>> However, from the later Edo period, it begins to be used in 洋学 works, as a translation of some European (Christian) words for "holy", "saint", "sacred" or some words like these (as far as I can guess...). I think the occurrence in the 坤興圖識 is probably one of the oldest occurrences of this use.
>>
>> This passage of the 坤興圖識 is quoted in Takeo Masatane's 竹尾正胤 (a late kokugaku author) Daiteikoku-ron 大帝国論 (1863) (岩波「日本思想大系」vol. 51, 『後期国学』p. 490):
>>
>> 亜細亜と云るが如きは、アシハラの転語ならむ歟と云説も有れど、西夷が脱には、「亜細亜ハ神ヲ云フ。神聖首出ノ郷、故ニ尊デ是称有り。猶神州卜云ハンガ如シ」と云り。此説まことにしかる可し。
>>
>> In a later passage in the same 大帝国論, the author quotes another (?) work, which is a very similar statement (p. 517):
>>
>> 「ゼルマニア」人「ヨハン—ヒブネス」が書る万国伝信紀事に、「亜細亜洲ハ世界開闢ノ初地ニシテ、神聖肇ニ出テ、人類出生シ、帝王国ヲ興シ、法教首ニ立チ、其他文字、諸技芸ノ類ニ至ルマデ、多クハミナ此洲ヨリ権輿（けんよ）セリ」と云ひ...
>>
>> According to a note by the editor of this edition, this "万国伝信紀事" by 「ゼルマニア」人「ヨハン—ヒブネス」 is a translation in Japanese of the Dutch book titled De Staats-en Koeranten Tolk, of Woordenboek der Geleerden en Ongeleerden, published in Leiden in 1732 [池田哲郎「江戸時代のオランダ系「歴史」」、『福島大学学芸学部論集　社会科学』8-1, 1957, p. 38-53: p. 51: Bibliography No. 81], which is itself a Dutch translation of a German book, Johann Hübner's Reales Staats- Zeitungs- und Conversations-Lexicon (published in Leizig) [but I was unable to find out who translated this Dutch work into Japanese, nor when...]. In fact, this German work is a kind of early encyclopedia authored by several scholars, and Johann Hübner was only the author of the Preface. But it was known as the "Hübner's Dictionary" in Germany and more largely in Europe in the Enlightenment period.
>>
>> It is known that one of the main sources of the 坤興圖識 was Hübner's Kurtze Fragen aus der alten und neuen Geographie, translated in Dutch as Kort Begryp der Oude en Nieuwe Geographie. So, I guess if this was the source of the passage that I quoted at the beginning of this mail -- but this is only a guess without any evidence.
>>
>> I would be very grateful for any insight on this problem.
>>
>> Best regards,
>>
>> Nobumi Iyanaga
>>

I would like to express my gratitude to Sven Osterkamp, to the kind person who showe him my first message; and I would like to emphasize how PMJS is useful for its subscribers! Thank you!

Best regards,

Nobumi Iyanaga