Date Munehiro

Date Chihiro

In this Japanese name, the family name is "Date".

Date Munehiro or Chihiro（Japanese:伊達 宗広 or 千広; June 24, 1802 – May 18, 1877）was a Samurai of Kii Domain and Scholar of Kokugaku, living during the late Edo Period and early Meiji Era. He was father of Mutsu Munemitsu（陸奥 宗光. His penname was Jitoku (自得)．

Life

In 1802, he was born as a son of Usami Sukenaga (宇佐美 祐長)who was a Samurai of Kii Domain, and he became an adoptive son of his uncle, Date Moriaki(伊達 盛明). He inherits a patrimony by 12 years old, and was appointed "Kansatsu (監察)" by 18 years old. He assisted Karō of Kii Domain, and promoted the reform of that Domain whereas took the lead Sonnō jōi movement. In 1852, he was arrested by the opponent by the reason that his dangerous Sonnō jōi activity and was imprisoned for nearly 10 years in Kii Tanabe (紀伊 田辺). In 1861, he was released by the agency of Yamanouchi Yodo(山内 容堂) who was a Daimyo of Tosa (土佐). He transferred a patrimony to his Adoptive son , Date Muneoki（伊達 宗興）and retired. But he returned to Sonnō jōi movement with Muneoki. They were arrested by Kii Domain, and were imprisoned again in 1865. After Meiji Restoration, he was released in 1869. In his sunset of life, he lived in Fukagawa of Tokyo with his son, Mutsu Munemitsu.

Works and books

Almost Date Munehiro's works was formed in confinement life. He learned at Motoori Ōhira（本居大平）when he was young. He despised Buddhism because he was a very active person. But When he was imprisoned in Kii Tanabe, he borrows Issai-Sūtra (一切経) from a temple in neighborhood and reads it every day. One day he had an enlightenment of the Buddhism at last.

• "Taizei Santenkō" : Japanese name (大勢三転考) The essay on history
• "Waka zenwa" : Japanese name (和歌禅話)In the form of the poem, it explains Buddhism.
• "Manimani Gusa" : Japanese name (随々草)Essays on Buddhism , Waka-Poem, and Chinese-Poem.
• "Yomigaeri" : Japanese name (余身帰)Essays and memoirs
• "Zui En syū" : Japanese name (随縁集)Anthology of waka poems
• "Kareno syū" : Japanese name (枯野集)Essays on history and literature
• "Date Jitoku Ō Zen syū" : Japanese name (伊達自得翁全集)His complete Works published in 1926

See also

• Mutsu Munemitsu

Persondata
Name	Date, Munehiro
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1802
Place of birth
Date of death	1877
Place of death