The format of will consist of original lines, then the vocabulary, and then followed by the translation and ends with notes and contexts.
As to why the rescript is important to understand, all IJA/IJN personnels were expected to be able to memorize the rescript, with officers needing to memorize the whole rescript.
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Original and Pronunciation:
我國の軍隊は世々天皇の統率し給ふ所にそある
Waga Kuni no Guntai wa Yoyo Tennou no Tousotsushi Tamau Tokoro nizo aru
Vocabulary:
1. 世々 - Yoyo
Throughout the ages
2. 統率 - Tousotsu
To lead
3. そある - Zo aru
Be (Literary copula); Similar in usage and meaning to "De aru", but stronger emphasis
Translation:
Our country's military is lead throughout the ages by the emperor.
Notes:
To be said at the very beginning of the rescript is the language that emphasizes the fact that the emperor has been, and will continue to be holding the military power directly. That the military is in it's essence an extension of the emperor direct power, and not the civilian government that the emperor has delegated his responsibilities to. This concept is also echo'd in the Imperial Japan Constitution in article 11, "The Emperor Shall Command the Army and the Navy". Interpretation during the 20s in the article 11 crisis was largely the result of different political opinions on this specific interpretation.
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Original and Pronunciation:
昔神武天皇躬つから大伴物部の兵ともを率ゐ中國のまつろはぬものともを討ち平け給ひ高御座に即かせられて天下しろしめし給ひしより二千五百有餘年を經ぬ此間世の樣の移り換るに隨ひて兵制の沿革も亦屢なりき
Mukashi Jinmu Tennou Mizukara Otomo Mononobe no Tsuwamono tomo wo Hiki, Nakatsukuni no Matsurowanu monotomo wo Uchi Tahirage Tamai, Takamikura ni Tsukasarete Amanoshita Shiroshimeshi tamai shiyori nisen gohyaku yonen wo ehnu, Kono aida yonozama no Utsurikaeru ni Shitagatte Heisei no Enkaku mo Mata Shibashiba Nariki
Vocabulary:
1. 大伴 - Otomo
A name of an ancient clan. It was said that they are the decendents of Ameno-Oshihino-Mikoto. According to ancient mythology, their ancestor Michi-no-Omi-no-Mikoto assisted Jinmu Emperor in his Eastern conquest. During the ancient era they served as the emperor's personal body guards.
2. 物部 - Mononobe
A name of an ancient clan. Much like the Otomo clan, their ancestor (And god) Nigi-Haya-Hinomikoto also assisted in the Eastern conquest. I won't be going into details but it was quite convoluted. Their clan originally was famous for weaponsmithing and carry weapons. Thus became another name for Samurais and Bushi, as Mononofu (Co-opted in the modern day by an idol group)
3. 中國 - Nakatsukuni
While the kanji can be read as China, that is not the case here. In here it means the "country of the center", referring to Japan.
4. まつろはぬ - Matsurowanu
Does not follow; the whole phrase "Matsurowanu tomo" means "The ones who do not follow"
5. 高御座に即かせられて - Takamikura ni Tsukasarete
To ascend to the throne; Takamikura means the emperor's seat.
6. 天下 - Amanoshita
The world; in this case, Japan.
7. しろしめし - Shiroshimeshi
To know ( -su); the polite and archaic form of "Shiru"
8. 二千五百有餘年を經ぬ - Nisen gohyaku yonen wo Ehnu
2500 something year has pass; The year the rescript was written was in Meiji 15, equaling to the Imperial year 2542.
9. 移り換る - Utsuri Kawaru
To advance.
10. 兵制 - Heisei
The organization of the military.
11. 沿革 - Enkaku
To evolve.
Translation:
In the old days, the emperor Jinmu led the Otomo and Mononobe clan and successfully united the Yamato area of Japan. 2500 something year has past after his ascendance to the seat of the emperor, and the organization of our military has continued to evolve.
Notes:
The first sentence was to focus on the fact that the emperor leads his military, while followed by the history. This gives the reader context that the very first emperor lead his military, and is doubling down on that being a tradition. While in the end letting the reader know that while the organization of the military has changed and will always change, the emperor is a constant that will not change. The mentioning of the years that has past also serves as a reminder that this constant has not changed in 2500 years.
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Original and Pronunciation:
古は天皇躬つから軍隊を率ゐ給ふ御制にて時ありては皇后皇太子の代らせ給ふこともありつれと大凡兵權を臣下に委ね給ふことはなかりき中世に至りて文武の制度皆唐國風に傚はせ給ひ六衞府を置き左右馬寮を建て防人なと設けられしかは兵制は整ひたれとも打續ける昇平に狃れて朝廷の政務も漸文弱に流れけれは兵農おのつから二に分れ古の徴兵はいつとなく壯兵の姿に變り遂に武士となり兵馬の權は一向に其武士ともの棟梁たる者に歸し世の亂と共に政治の大權も亦其手に落ち凡七百年の間武家の政治とはなりぬ
Inshi-e wa Tennou Mizukara Guntai wo Hikitamau Onokite ni-te toki arite wa Kougou Koutaishi no kawarase-tamau koto mo aritsuredo, Oyoso Heiken wo Shinka ni Yudane Tamau Koto wa Nakariki, Nakatsuyo ni Itarite Bunbu no Seido Mina Karakuni Buri ni Narawase tamai, Rokue-fu wo Oki Sa-u Meryo wo tate, Sakimori nado Maukerareshikaba, Heisei wa Totonotaredomo Uchi-tsuzukeru shou-hei ni narete Choutei no Seimu mo Youyaku Bunjyaku ni Nagaredereba Heinou onozukara Futatsu ni Wakare, Inishi-e no chouhei wa Itsutonaku Souhei no Sugata ni Kawari, Tsui-ni Bushi to nari, heiba no ken wa hitasura ni sono Bushi-domo no Touryou tarumono ni Kishi, Yo no rmidare to tomoni Seiji no Taiken mo Mata Sonote ni Ochi, Oyoso Shichi Hyakunen no Aida, Buka no Seiji to wa Narinu
1. 御制 - Onokite
Imperial Rule
2. 皇后皇太子の代らせ給ふ - Kougou Koutaishi no Kawarase Tamau
The Empress or the Prince leading in the emperor's stead; "Se" here is used as a polite form modifier. Several historical examples are referenced here, such as Empress Jinku's conquest of Korea.
3. ありつれと - Aritsuredo
While there was such example; Archaic form of "Attakeredo"
4. 大凡 - Oyoso
All
5. 兵權 - Heiken
Military Power
6. 委ね - Yudane
To delegate
7. 中世 - Nakatsuyo
The era starting from the Taika reform to the end of the Heian era.
8. 文武の制度 - Bunbu no Seido
The organization of the government, a combination of "Bun", literary, and "Bu", the military.
9. 唐國風 - Karakuni Buri
The style of the Tang dynasty; The style of china. The tang dynasty was so ubiquitous to the chinese culture that it was used colloquially the same as china, or shina.
10. 傚はせ給ひ - Narawase Tamai
To copy; To imitate. "se" and "tamai" are both polite form modifiers here, making this a double "Keigo"
11. 六衞府 - Roku-e Fu
The 6 guard offices. Originally a Chinese concept. Consists of the left imperial guard, the right imperial guard, the left soldier guard, the right soldier guard, the left gate guard, the right gate guard. The imperial guards are the emperor's personal body guards. the soldier guards were tasked with the cart security and palace guards, while the gate guards were tasked with the gates of the palace
12. 左右馬寮 - Sa-u Meryo
The left and right stable officials. An office that was tasked with the handling of all stable businesses in the palace.
13. 防人 - Sakimori
Soldiers that were selected to be on duty in far away lands such has Tsushima. Essentially an ancient form of border guards. The very first "drafted" soldiers, you usually need to serve three years in that capacity if selected. (Note: quite a few modern right wing groups have co-opted the term)
14. 昇平に狃れ - Shouhei ni Nare
Fallen peaceful and became complacent.
15. 政務 - Seimu
Political matters.
16. 文弱 - Bunjyaku
Adjective describing being weak and lost the respect towards martial capabilities. To become complacent in peacetime and to lose the will to become brave.
17. 兵農おのつから二に分れ - Heinou onotsukara futatsu ni wakare
The soldier and the farmer split into two different roles. During ancient times soldiers and farmers are both the same thing. However near the end of the Heian period, the two roles became more and more separate. (Note: While they still did drafted civilians into battle, the noble military class begun its rise right around here) "Onotsukara" means "Naturally becomes"
18. 壯兵 - Souhei
Volunteer soldiers.
19. 武士となり - Bushi to nari
Become bushi(Soldier). As the old style of drafting was replaced, a new class emerges from the noble warrior class.
20. 棟梁 - Touryou
The pillar.
21. 歸し - Kishi
To belong
22. 其手に落ち - Sonote ni Ochi
Fallen into ones hands.
Translation:
In the ancient times, the imperial rule was that the emperor personally leads his army. While there are cases of the empress or the prince leading an army in his place. Giving his follower the ability to lead an army was never heard of. As the time goes on into the medieval era, our political structure and organization started to imitate the Chinese. Those changes led to the creation of the 6 palace guard offices, the stable offices, the border guards. Our military became more structured. As we approach the nara, heian periods. People became complacent in the peaceful times and the court come to not relying on it's military strength. While in the old days, a farmer was a soldier at the same time. But they changed the old ways of drafting soldiers and our military became a volunteer army. In this volunteer army rises the new noble class. As they passes on their power into their successor, the power of the military falls more and more into the hands of the leaders of the warrior class. From the begging of the Kamakura shogunate to the end of the Tokugawa shogunate, the next 700 or so years the power became focused on the noble warrior class instead of the emperor.
Notes:
While there are a few historical mistakes, this is a short summary on how the emperors powers fell into the hands of the shoguns. It's trying to draw the parallels between the ancient drafting system to the new drafting orders. As if reminding the readers that drafting is an ancient tradition of Japan that was only lost because of the rise of the shogunate and the noble warrior class. Also makes a jab towards the Nara, Heian periods as it blames the peaceful era leading to a complacent court that gave rise to the warrior class and inadvertently caused the military power to fall into their hands.
This is just the first two paragraphs and I am hoping to continue writing more. There is a LOT more to cover and we aren't even close to the tenants yet!
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