Emperor Shomu
Encyclopedia
was the 45th emperor
of Japan
, according to the traditional order of succession.
Shōmu's reign spanned the years 724 through 723.
, his personal name (imina) is not clearly known, but he was known as Oshi-hiraki Toyosakura-hiko-no-mikoto.
Shōmu was the son of Emperor Mommu
and Fujiwara no Miyako, a daughter of Fujiwara no Fuhito
.
Shōmu had four Empresses and six Imperial sons and daughters.
Shōmu continued to reside in the Hezei Palace.
Shōmu is known as the first emperor whose consort was not born into the imperial household. His consort Kōmyō was a non-royal Fujiwara commoner. A ritsuryo
office was created for the queen-consort, the Kogogushiki; and this bureaucratic innovation continued into the Heian period.
of Nara
. At the time, this was such a massive undertaking that later chroniclers accuse him of having completely exhausted the country's reserves of bronze
and precious metals. In 752, the Shōmu held the Eye-opening Ceremony of the Great Buddha.
Earlier in 741, he established the system of provincial temple
s, making this the closest anyone ever came to declaring Japan a Buddhist nation. In addition he commissioned the observance of the ohigan holiday for both spring and autumnal equinox
.
Emperor Shōmu died at age 56.
The actual site of Shōmu's grave
is known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial
Shinto
shrine
(misasagi) at Nara.
The Imperial Household Agency
designates this location as Shōmu's mausoleum
. It is formally named Sahoyama no minami no misasagi. The tomb site can be visited today in Horenji-cho, Tenri City near Nara City. The Imperial tomb of Shōmu's consort, Empress Kōmyō
, is located nearby.
in pre-Meiji eras.
In general, this elite group included only three to four men at a time. These were hereditary courtiers whose experience and background would have brought them to the pinnacle of a life's career. During Shōmu's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
, 光明皇后) (701-760), daughter of Fujiwara no Fuhito
Bunin: Agatainukai no Hirotoji (県犬養広刀自) (?-762), daughter of Agatainukai no Morokoshi
Bunin: A daughter of Fujiwara no Muchimaro
(?-748)
Bunin: A daughter of Fujiwara no Fusasaki
(?-760)
Bunin: Tachibana-no-Hirooka no Konakachi (橘広岡古那可智) (?-759), daughter of Tachibana no Sai
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, according to the traditional order of succession.
Shōmu's reign spanned the years 724 through 723.
Traditional narrative
Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum ThroneChrysanthemum Throne
The is the English term used to identify the throne of the Emperor of Japan. The term can refer to very specific seating, such as the takamikura throne in the Shishin-den at Kyoto Imperial Palace....
, his personal name (imina) is not clearly known, but he was known as Oshi-hiraki Toyosakura-hiko-no-mikoto.
Shōmu was the son of Emperor Mommu
Emperor Mommu
was the 42nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Mommu's reign spanned the years from 697 through 707.-Traditional narrative:Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Karu-shinnō....
and Fujiwara no Miyako, a daughter of Fujiwara no Fuhito
Fujiwara no Fuhito
Fujiwara no Fuhito was a powerful member of the imperial court of Japan during the Asuka and Nara periods...
.
Shōmu had four Empresses and six Imperial sons and daughters.
Events of Shōmu's reign
Shōmu was still a child at the time of his father's death; thus, Empresses Gemmei and Gensho occupied the throne before he acceded.- 724 (YōrōYoroYoro is the capital city of the Yoro department of Honduras....
8, 1st month): In the 9th year of Genshō-tennō 's reign (元正天皇9年), the empress abdicated; and her younger brother received the succession (‘‘senso’’). Shortly thereafter, Emperor Shōmu is said to have acceded to the throne (‘‘sokui’’).
- January 31, 724 (JinkiJinki (era)was a after Yōrō and before Tenpyō. This period spanned the years from February 724 through August 729. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* 724 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
1): The era name is changed to mark the accession of Emperor Shōmu.
Shōmu continued to reside in the Hezei Palace.
Shōmu is known as the first emperor whose consort was not born into the imperial household. His consort Kōmyō was a non-royal Fujiwara commoner. A ritsuryo
Ritsuryo
is the historical law system based on the philosophies of Confucianism and Chinese Legalism in Japan. The political system in accord to Ritsuryō is called "Ritsuryō-sei"...
office was created for the queen-consort, the Kogogushiki; and this bureaucratic innovation continued into the Heian period.
Timeline
- 724 (JinkiJinki (era)was a after Yōrō and before Tenpyō. This period spanned the years from February 724 through August 729. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* 724 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
1): Emperor Shōmu rises to throne.
- 740 (Tenpyō 12, 8th month): In the Imperial court in NaraNara, Narais the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
, Kibi no Makibi and GenbōGenbō, also known as Gembō, was a Japanese scholar-monk and bureaucrat of the Imperial Court at Nara.In 717-718, he was part of the Japanese mission to Tang China along with Kibi no Makibi and Abe no Nakamaro...
conspire to discredit Fujiwara no Hirotsugu, who is Dazai shoni in Kyushu. - 740 (Tenpyō 12, 9th month): Hirotsugu creates an army in reaction to the growing influence of Genbō and others.
- 740 (Tenpyō 12, 9th month): Under the command of Ōno no AzumabitoOno no AzumabitoThis article is about a member of the Ono samurai clan; for the samurai of the Ōno clan, see Ōno no Azumabito. was a samurai and Court official of Japan's Nara period....
, an Imperial army of 17,000 is sent to Kyushu to stop the potential disturbance. - 740 (Tenpyō 12, 10th month): Hirotsugu is decisively beaten in battle; and he is beheaded in Hizen provinceHizen Provincewas an old province of Japan in the area of Saga and Nagasaki prefectures. It was sometimes called , with Higo Province. Hizen bordered on the provinces of Chikuzen and Chikugo. The province was included in Saikaidō...
. - 740 (TenpyōTenpyo, also romanized as Tempyō, was a after Jinki and before Tenpyō-kanpō. This period spanned the years from August 729 through April 749. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:...
12): The capital is moved to Kuni-kyōKuni-kyoKuni-kyō , was the capital city of Japan between 740 and 744, with the palace built in present-day city of Kizugawa by order of Emperor Shōmu. The city of Kuni-kyō was not completed, as the capital was once again moved to Naniwa-kyō , only four years later... - 741 (Tenpyō 13): The Emperor calls for nationwide establishment of provincial templeProvincial templeEmperor Shōmu of Japan established so-called provincial temples in each province of Japan...
s. Provincial temples ("kokubunji") and provincial nunneries ("kokubunniji") were established throughout the country. The more formal name for these "kokubunji" was "konkomyo-shitenno-gokoku no tera" (meaning "temples for the protection of the cournty by the four guardian deities of the golden light"). The more formal name for these "bokubunniji" was "hokke-metuzai no tera" (meaning "nunneries for eliminating sin by means of the Lotus Sutra"). - 743 (Tenpyō 15): The Emperor issues a rescript to build the Daibutsu (Great Buddha), later to be completed and placed in Tōdai-jiTodai-ji, is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall , the largest wooden building in the world, houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese simply as Daibutsu . The temple also serves as the Japanese headquarters of the ...
, NaraNara, Narais the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
. - 743 (Tenpyō 15): The law of Perpetual Ownership of Cultivated Lands (墾田永代私財法) issued
- 744 (Tenpyō 16): In the Spring, the court was moved to Naniwa-kyōNaniwa-kyois a historical Japanese capital city, which was located in present-day central Osaka city.Traces of ancient palaces in Naniwa were found in 1957. Through more recent excavations, the existence of a city was confirmed, at least for the latter period in the 8th century.- External links :*...
which then became the new capital. - 745 (Tenpyō 17): The Emperor declares by himself Shigaraki-kyō the capital
- 745 (Tenpyō 17): The capital returns to Heijō-kyō, construction of the Great Buddha resumes.
- 749 (Tenpyō 21, 4th month): Shōme, accompanied by the empress, their children and all the great men and women of the court, went in procession to Todai-ji. The emperor stood before the statue of the Buddha and proclaimed himself to be a slave to the three precious precepts of the Buddhist religion, which are the Buddha, the Buddhist law, and the Buddhist church.
- 749 (Tenpyō 21, 7th month): After a 25-year reign, Emperor Shōmu abdicates in favor of his daughter, Princess Takano-hime, who will become Empress Kōken. After his abdication, Shomu took the tonsure, thus becoming the first retired emperor to become a Buddhist priest. Empress Komyo, following her husband’s example, also took holy vows in becoming a Buddhist nun.
- 752 (Tenpyō-shōhōTenpyo-shohowas a after Tenpyō-kanpō and before Tenpyō-hōji. This period spanned the years from July 749 through August 757. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:...
4, 4th month): The Eye-opening Ceremony celebrating the completion of the Great Buddha is held at Tōdai-jiTodai-ji, is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall , the largest wooden building in the world, houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese simply as Daibutsu . The temple also serves as the Japanese headquarters of the ...
.
Legacy
Shōmu, a devout Buddhist, is best remembered for commissioning, in 743, the sixteen-meter high statue of the Vairocana Buddha (the Daibutsu) in Tōdai-jiTodai-ji
, is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall , the largest wooden building in the world, houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese simply as Daibutsu . The temple also serves as the Japanese headquarters of the ...
of Nara
Nara, Nara
is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
. At the time, this was such a massive undertaking that later chroniclers accuse him of having completely exhausted the country's reserves of bronze
Bronze
Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
and precious metals. In 752, the Shōmu held the Eye-opening Ceremony of the Great Buddha.
Earlier in 741, he established the system of provincial temple
Provincial temple
Emperor Shōmu of Japan established so-called provincial temples in each province of Japan...
s, making this the closest anyone ever came to declaring Japan a Buddhist nation. In addition he commissioned the observance of the ohigan holiday for both spring and autumnal equinox
Equinox
An equinox occurs twice a year, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the center of the Sun being in the same plane as the Earth's equator...
.
Emperor Shōmu died at age 56.
Grave (burial)
A grave is a location where a dead body is buried. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as graveyards or cemeteries....
is known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial
Memorial
A memorial is an object which serves as a focus for memory of something, usually a person or an event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or art objects such as sculptures, statues or fountains, and even entire parks....
Shinto
Shinto
or Shintoism, also kami-no-michi, is the indigenous spirituality of Japan and the Japanese people. It is a set of practices, to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present day Japan and its ancient past. Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written...
shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
(misasagi) at Nara.
The Imperial Household Agency
Imperial Household Agency
The is a government agency of Japan in charge of the state matters concerning Japan's imperial family and also keeping the Privy Seal and the State Seal...
designates this location as Shōmu's mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
. It is formally named Sahoyama no minami no misasagi. The tomb site can be visited today in Horenji-cho, Tenri City near Nara City. The Imperial tomb of Shōmu's consort, Empress Kōmyō
Empress Komyo
was the Nara period consort of Japanese Emperor Shōmu .A member of the Fujiwara clan, her father was Fujiwara no Fuhito and her mother was Agata Inukai no Michiyo . During her life she was also known as Asukabehime 安宿媛, Kōmyōshi 光明子, and Tōsanjō 藤三娘...
, is located nearby.
Kugyō
is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of JapanEmperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
in pre-Meiji eras.
In general, this elite group included only three to four men at a time. These were hereditary courtiers whose experience and background would have brought them to the pinnacle of a life's career. During Shōmu's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
- Daijō-daijin (720-735), Toneri-shinnō (舎人親王) (9th son of Emperor TemmuEmperor Temmuwas the 40th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Temmu's reign lasted from 672 until his death in 686.-Traditional narrative:...
). - Daijō-daijin (737-745), Suzuka-ō (鈴鹿王) (son of Prince TakechiPrince Takechiwas a member of the royal family in Japan during the Asuka Period. He was the eldest son of Emperor Tenmu. He fought on the side of his father in the Jinshin War , a battle of succession, which resulted in his father becoming Emperor...
). - SadaijinSadaijin, most commonly translated as "Minister of the Left", was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the Sadaijin in the context of a central...
(724-729), Nagaya-ōNagayaNagaya was a politician of the Nara period and an imperial prince of Japan, a son of Prince Takechi ....
(長屋王) (son of Prince TakechiPrince Takechiwas a member of the royal family in Japan during the Asuka Period. He was the eldest son of Emperor Tenmu. He fought on the side of his father in the Jinshin War , a battle of succession, which resulted in his father becoming Emperor...
). - SadaijinSadaijin, most commonly translated as "Minister of the Left", was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the Sadaijin in the context of a central...
(743-756), Tachibana no MoroeTachibana no Moroewas a Japanese Imperial prince and official and Empress Kōken.He was the father of Tachibana no Naramaro.* 738 : Moroe was created Udaijin in the Imperial court....
(橘諸兄) (formerly Katsuragi-ō, Prince Katsuragi) (half brother of Empress KōmyōEmpress Komyowas the Nara period consort of Japanese Emperor Shōmu .A member of the Fujiwara clan, her father was Fujiwara no Fuhito and her mother was Agata Inukai no Michiyo . During her life she was also known as Asukabehime 安宿媛, Kōmyōshi 光明子, and Tōsanjō 藤三娘...
) . - UdaijinUdaijinUdaijin , most commonly translated as the "Minister of the Right", was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the Udaijin in the context of a central...
(734-737), Fujiwara no MuchimaroFujiwara no Muchimarowas a Japanese politician of the Asuka and Nara periods. The eldest son of Fujiwara no Fuhito, he founded Nanke , one of the principal kuge families led by the Fujiwara's. His mother was Soga no Shōsi, daughter of Soga no Murajiko...
(藤原武智麻呂) (son of Fujiwara no FuhitoFujiwara no FuhitoFujiwara no Fuhito was a powerful member of the imperial court of Japan during the Asuka and Nara periods...
). - Nadaijin, Fujiwara no ToyonariFujiwara no Toyonariwas a Japanese statesman, courtier and politician during the Nara period.-Career:Toyonari served as a minister during the reigns of Emperor Shōmu, Empress Kōken, Emperor Junnin and Empress Shōtoku....
(藤原豊成) (son of Fujiwara no MuchimaroFujiwara no Muchimarowas a Japanese politician of the Asuka and Nara periods. The eldest son of Fujiwara no Fuhito, he founded Nanke , one of the principal kuge families led by the Fujiwara's. His mother was Soga no Shōsi, daughter of Soga no Murajiko...
). - DainagonDainagonwas a counselor of the first rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century.This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century....
, Fujiwara no FusasakiFujiwara no FusasakiFujiwara no Fusasaki was a member of the Fujiwara clan and the founder of the Hokke branch of the Fujiwara.-Career:Fusasaki was a Sangi in the Daijō-kan....
(藤原房前) (son of Fujiwara no FuhitoFujiwara no FuhitoFujiwara no Fuhito was a powerful member of the imperial court of Japan during the Asuka and Nara periods...
).
Eras of Shōmu's life
The years of Shōmu's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.- JinkiJinki (era)was a after Yōrō and before Tenpyō. This period spanned the years from February 724 through August 729. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* 724 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
(724-729) - TenpyōTenpyo, also romanized as Tempyō, was a after Jinki and before Tenpyō-kanpō. This period spanned the years from August 729 through April 749. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:...
(729-749) - Tenpyō-kanpōTenpyo-kanpowas a after Tenpyō and before Tenpyō-shōhō. This period spanned mere months, April through July of 749. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:...
(749) - Tenpyō-shōhōTenpyo-shohowas a after Tenpyō-kanpō and before Tenpyō-hōji. This period spanned the years from July 749 through August 757. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:...
(749-757)
Consorts and Children
Empress: Fujiwara no Asukabe-hime (藤原安宿媛)(Empress KōmyōEmpress Komyo
was the Nara period consort of Japanese Emperor Shōmu .A member of the Fujiwara clan, her father was Fujiwara no Fuhito and her mother was Agata Inukai no Michiyo . During her life she was also known as Asukabehime 安宿媛, Kōmyōshi 光明子, and Tōsanjō 藤三娘...
, 光明皇后) (701-760), daughter of Fujiwara no Fuhito
Fujiwara no Fuhito
Fujiwara no Fuhito was a powerful member of the imperial court of Japan during the Asuka and Nara periods...
- Imperial Princess Abe (阿倍内親王) (Empress KōkenEmpress Koken, also known as , was the 46th and the 48th emperor of Japan respectively, according to the traditional order of succession. Empress Kōken first reigned from 749 to 758, then she reascended the throne as Empress Shōtoku from 765 until her death in 770....
) (718-770) - Prince Motoi (基王) (727-728)
Bunin: Agatainukai no Hirotoji (県犬養広刀自) (?-762), daughter of Agatainukai no Morokoshi
- Imperial Princess Inoe (井上内親王) (717-775), married to Prince Shirakabe(later Emperor KōninEmperor Koninwas the 49th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Kōnin's reign lasted from 770 to 781.-Traditional narrative:The personal name of Emperor Kōnin was given was As a son of Imperial Prince Shiki and a grandson of Emperor Tenji., his formal style was Prince Shirakabe...
) - Imperial Princess Fuwa (不破内親王) (?-after 795), married to Prince Shioyaki (son of Prince Niitabe)
- Imperial Prince Asaka (安積親王) (728-744)
Bunin: A daughter of Fujiwara no Muchimaro
Fujiwara no Muchimaro
was a Japanese politician of the Asuka and Nara periods. The eldest son of Fujiwara no Fuhito, he founded Nanke , one of the principal kuge families led by the Fujiwara's. His mother was Soga no Shōsi, daughter of Soga no Murajiko...
(?-748)
Bunin: A daughter of Fujiwara no Fusasaki
Fujiwara no Fusasaki
Fujiwara no Fusasaki was a member of the Fujiwara clan and the founder of the Hokke branch of the Fujiwara.-Career:Fusasaki was a Sangi in the Daijō-kan....
(?-760)
Bunin: Tachibana-no-Hirooka no Konakachi (橘広岡古那可智) (?-759), daughter of Tachibana no Sai