Rule Lineage Heir Shibata Toyaki (eldest son of Shibata Akihiro?) — Thoughts on Shibata Rule Line “Proverb” 108 Tales collection —
Reflecting back, since I apprenticed under my father at nineteen and became involved with ruled lines, I have reached the age of seventy-seven on my seventieth birthday year, and with life dwindling, I thought to act before my mind slows and my old bones falter, to take up the pen for one final service. I did not write in the elegant script of the classic literati on a hanging scroll, but in handwriting that anyone could read.
As a father and son duo, more than eighty years have passed. Based on my father Akihiro’s research and many refinements, I have aimed to present historical materials; if I did not publish these artifacts, the two generations would leave regrets for future ages. I believed the time had come to disclose all the techniques, and so I began this writing.
We grew up in the era of militarism; sadly, even children and grandchildren can easily operate computers, while English presents a great difficulty for me. I wrote manuscripts by hand, and ideas flowed one after another, making it a continuous struggle. I have chronicled up to today, noting what I learned from my father Akihiro and what I noticed and questioned during many years in the financial markets. I have woven these into proverbs, hoping they will assist those involved in line-based investments in times of doubt in the future.