How to Read “天は人の上に人を造らず、人の下に人を造らず”
Ten wa hito no ue ni hito wo tsukurazu, hito no shita ni hito wo tsukurazu
Meaning of “天は人の上に人を造らず、人の下に人を造らず”
This proverb means that all human beings are born equal, and there are fundamentally no differences in social status or class.
The “heaven” referred to here represents the natural order and universal laws, understood as the fundamental force that created humanity. In other words, it expresses that everyone should be equally respected in terms of their essential human value and dignity. This phrase is used when cautioning against discrimination and prejudice based on social status, position, or wealth, and when wanting to affirm the fundamental equality of human beings. In modern times, it is understood as an expression that reminds us that even when there are hierarchical relationships in the workplace or differences in social status, our basic dignity as human beings remains unchanged.
Origin and Etymology
This proverb is widely known as the phrase written at the beginning of Fukuzawa Yukichi’s “An Encouragement of Learning” (1872). However, this was not Fukuzawa Yukichi’s original creation, but rather his Japanese adaptation of the American Declaration of Independence’s principle that “all men are created equal.”
When introducing Western thought to Japan, Fukuzawa emphasized not simple translation, but converting ideas into expressions that Japanese people could easily understand. This phrase was also his attempt to convey the Christian concept of “equality under God” to Japanese people using the more universal expression of “heaven.”
“An Encouragement of Learning” became a bestseller of the Meiji era, and this phrase spread rapidly. Since Japan at that time was a society where the class system remained deeply entrenched, the idea that “humans are born equal” was revolutionary and shocked many people.
What’s interesting is that Fukuzawa continued after this phrase by stating, “However, when we look broadly at this human world, there are wise people and there are foolish people.” In other words, he recognized both innate equality and real-world disparities, and advocated for the importance of education.
Interesting Facts
When Fukuzawa Yukichi wrote these words, the “shi-no-ko-sho” (samurai-farmer-artisan-merchant) class system was still deeply rooted in people’s consciousness in Japan. Therefore, “An Encouragement of Learning” was initially viewed with suspicion by the government as dangerous ideology.
The reason Fukuzawa Yukichi’s portrait is used on the current 10,000 yen bill is precisely because his contribution to spreading this “egalitarian thought” in Japan has been recognized.
Usage Examples
- During new employee training at the company, the department manager quoted the phrase “Heaven does not create people above people, does not create people below people” to talk about the importance of respecting each other regardless of position.
- When teaching children about human rights, it seems easier for them to understand when starting with the concept of “Heaven does not create people above people, does not create people below people.”
Modern Interpretation
In modern society, these words have taken on new meaning and challenges. As globalization progresses, human equality that transcends differences in nationality and cultural background has become increasingly important. In an era where people around the world can connect directly through social media and the internet, this universal principle of equality is receiving renewed attention.
On the other hand, there are also criticisms that in modern times, economic disparities and educational gaps function like new “class systems.” While proclaiming innate equality, the reality is that life choices are greatly influenced by family environment and economic circumstances.
Furthermore, with the development of AI technology, there is a tendency to quantify and rank human abilities and values. However, this makes the message of these words—that “fundamental human dignity is immeasurable”—all the more important.
In the workplace as well, we can see changes from traditional vertical society to organizational cultures that emphasize horizontal relationships. The idea that while there may be boss-subordinate relationships, there is no hierarchy in human value serves as the foundation for creating better work environments.
In modern times, we need to reinterpret these words not as mere idealism, but as practical guidelines for building a society that embraces diversity.
When AI Hears This
Anyone who has actually read Fukuzawa Yukichi’s “An Encouragement of Learning” would be surprised. Immediately after this famous opening line, it continues: “However, when we look broadly across this human world today, there are wise people and foolish people, poor people and wealthy people.”
In other words, Fukuzawa was arguing that “people are equal, but in reality there are differences. What creates these differences? The presence or absence of learning.” Yet in postwar educational settings, only the first half about “equality” was extracted and came to be taught as a symbol of human rights ideology.
This phenomenon is called “fragmentation of quotations.” It’s the same as extracting only part of a long text to fit into a 140-character social media post. While Fukuzawa’s true intent was an educational argument saying “therefore, let us narrow the gap through learning,” it was replaced with an ideological argument about “being born equal.”
The same phenomenon occurs today. Politicians’ statements are reported with the context cut out, or only the conclusions of academic papers become news. Fukuzawa’s words are a典型例 of how meaning changes in the process of information transmission. Words change like living creatures, sometimes taking on their own life beyond the author’s intentions.
Lessons for Today
What these words teach us modern people is that the practice of equality lies in our small daily choices. When talking with someone, are we facing that person themselves, rather than their title or appearance?
In modern society, we tend to judge people by their number of social media followers, income, or educational background. However, these words call out to us: “Wait a minute.” Isn’t a person’s true value found in something that cannot be measured by numbers or titles?
Practically speaking, it’s important to start with close personal relationships. In our interactions with family, friends, and colleagues, we should maintain an attitude of respecting others as individual human beings. Listen to others’ opinions and try to build equal relationships even when positions differ.
And this spirit of equality should also be directed toward ourselves. Rather than feeling inferior through comparison with others, or conversely basking in feelings of superiority, don’t forget that you too are a being deserving of respect. True equality means cherishing the fundamental value of being human while acknowledging each other’s differences.
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