This master’s thesis examines the woodblock print series Kyōkun zen’aku zukai (Moral lessons of good and evil) by the ukiyo-e artist Tsukioka Yoshitoshi. Furthermore it addresses the socio-cultural, intellectual and historical backgrounds of the series. At first glance the series appears unassuming. Specialist literature tends to dismiss it as “moralizing“ and “educational“ when in reality it offers comprehensive and fascinating insights into the popular consciousness, moral perceptions as well as the daily life of the common people during the Edo and Meiji era. The series is comprised of forty separate images accompanied by texts, both depicting and explaining the predominant moral concepts of the time. The careful reading, translation and detailed analysis of the texts in combination with the images of the prints unveiled these moral concepts, which can be attributed to the “conventional morality” (tsūzoku dōtoku) taking shape during the Edo period. Until the mid-Meiji period practicing “conventional morality” in the form of virtues and values like diligence, self-discipline, honesty, abstinence, harmony, frugality and filial piety was of great significance. In fact “conventional morality” was the essence of the common folk and furthermore constituted the basis of the yonaoshi movement towards a better world and the modernization of Japan. Since the end of the 18th century natural disasters and great famines had severely affected Japan’s rural population. This led to the impoverishment of the common people and increased conflicts within society. Therefore people stood up for the “renewal of the world” by engaging in popular uprisings in which they demanded and fought for peace, justice, equality and freedom. Despite the arrival of the Meiji period conventional morality was able to maintain its status in the educational system as well as the ethical education. The Meiji period brought about countless changes, new interpretations and misappropriations of conventional morality. There were even attempts to integrate conventional morality into the ideological efforts of Japan. Moreover external factors like the forced opening of Japan and the signing of the “unequal treaties” led to an increased interest in traditional moral concepts, since it was Japan’s primary goal to gain parity with the advanced Western countries. All available resources were mobilized to overcome and remove the “lack of civilization” and backwardness alleged by the West in the shortest time possible.