Emperor Suzaku
Encyclopedia
was the 61st emperor
of Japan
, according to the traditional order of succession.
Suzaku's reign spanned the years from 930 through 946.
, his personal name (imina) was Hiroakira-shinnō. He was also known as Yutaakira-shinnō.
Hiroakira-shinnō was the 11th son of Emperor Daigo
and Empress Consort Onshi, a daughter of the regent and great minister of the council of state, Fujiwara no Mototsune
.
Daigo had two Empresses or consorts and one Imperial daughter.
The actual site of Suzaku's grave
is known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a memorial
Shinto
shrine
(misasagi) at Kyoto.
The Imperial Household Agency
designates this location as Suzaku's mausoleum
. It is formally named Daigo no misasagi in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto
near the Buddhist temple, Daigo-ji
.
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 have brought them to the pinnacle of a life's career. During Suzaku's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
: Princess Hiroko/Kishi (熙子女王) (?-950), daughter of Imperial Prince Yasuakira(son of Emperor Daigo
)
Nyōgo
: Fujiwara no Yoshiko (藤原慶子) (?-951), daughter of Fujiwara no Saneyori (藤原実頼)
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.
Suzaku's reign spanned the years from 930 through 946.
Traditional narrative
Before his ascension of 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) was Hiroakira-shinnō. He was also known as Yutaakira-shinnō.
Hiroakira-shinnō was the 11th son of Emperor Daigo
Emperor Daigo
was the 60th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Daigo's reign spanned the years from 897 through 930. He is named after his place of burial.-Traditional narrative:...
and Empress Consort Onshi, a daughter of the regent and great minister of the council of state, Fujiwara no Mototsune
Fujiwara no Mototsune
, also known as Horikawa Daijin, was a statesman, courtier and politician during the Nara period.Mototsune continued the trend begun by Yoshifusa of monopolizing the position of regent to the Japanese emperor. He was third son of Fujiwara no Nagayoshi, brother of Yoshifusa, and Fujiwara no Otoharu...
.
Daigo had two Empresses or consorts and one Imperial daughter.
Events of Suzaku's life
Suzaku's older brother died unexpectedly young, as did his brother's son. These untimely deaths opened the way for Suzaku to accede to the throne.- October 16, 930 (EnchōEnchowas a after Engi and before Jōhei. This period spanned the years from April 923 through April 931. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:* January 20, 923 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
8, 22nd day of the 9th month): In the 33rd year of the reign of Daigo-tennō (醍醐天皇33年), the emperor abdicated; and the succession (the senso) was received by his eleventh son, Hiroakira-shinnō (also known as Yutaakira-shinnō). - 930 (Enchō 8, 11th month): Emperor Suzaku, who was only 8 years old, acceded to the throne (the sokui).
- May 16, 931 (Enchō 9, 26th day of the 4th month): The era name was changed to mark the beginning of the new emperor's reign.
- August 5, 931 (JōheiJohei, also romanized as Shōhei, was a after Enchō and before Tengyō. This period spanned the years from April 931 through May 938. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:...
1, 19th day of the 7th month): The former-Emperor UdaEmperor Udawas the 59th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Uda's reign spanned the years from 887 through 897.-Name and legacy:Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was or Chōjiin-tei....
(867-931) died at the age of 65. - 932 (Jōhei 2, 8th month): The 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...
(Minister of the Right) Fujiwara no SadakataFujiwara no Sadakata, also known as Sanjo Udaijin , was a Japanese poet. A poet Kanesuke is his cousin and son-in-law. His son Asatada is also a poet. One of his poems is included in Hyakunin Isshu.-External links:* in Japanese....
(873-932) died at the age of 65. - 933 (Jōhei 3, 8th month): The 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....
(Counselor) Fujiwara no Nakahira is named udaijin. Nakahira is the brother of sesshō (regent) Fujiwara Tadahira. - 933 (Jōhei 3, 12th month): Ten of the chief dignitaries of the empire went falcon-hunting together in Owari provinceOwari Provincewas an old province of Japan that is now the western half of present day Aichi Prefecture, including much of modern Nagoya. Its abbreviation is Bishū .-History:The province was created in 646....
. Each of them was magnificent in his formal hunting attire. - 935 (Jōhei 5): The Great Fundamental Central Hall (kompon chūdō) on Mt. Hiei burned down.
- September 7, 936 (Jōhei 6, 19th day of the 8th month): Fujiwara Tadahira was named daijō-daijin (Prime Minister); and in this same period, Fujiwara Nakahira was named sadaijin (Minister of the Left), and Fujiwara Tsunesuke was named udaijin.
- 937 (Jōhei 7, 12th month): The former-Emperor YōzeiEmperor Yozeiwas the 57th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Yōzei's reign spanned the years from 876 through 884.-Traditional narrative:...
celebrated his 70th birthday. - 937 (Jōhei 8, 4th month): Serial intermittent ground-tremors were felt in Heian-kyoHeian-kyoHeian-kyō , was one of several former names for the city now known as Kyoto. It was the capital of Japan for over one thousand years, from 794 to 1868 with an interruption in 1180....
from the 10th through the 29th days of this month.
- 940 (TengyōTengyowas a after Jōhei and before Tenryaku. This period spanned the years from May 938 through April 947. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:* February 2, 938 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
2): During his reign Taira no MasakadoTaira no Masakadowas a samurai in the Heian period of Japan, who led one of the largest insurgent forces in the period against the central government of Kyoto.-History:...
raised and insurrection in the Kantō regionKanto regionThe is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....
and declared himself emperor, but his forces were put down by Taira Sadamori. - 941 (Tengyō 3): Fujiwara Sumitomo staged a rebellion in the east, but his army was defeated by Tachibana Tōyasu.
- 946 (Tengyō 9, 4th month): Suzaku abdicates, having ruled for 16 years. The emperor was succeeded by his younger brother, who would become Emperor MurakamiEmperor Murakamiwas the 62nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Murakami's reign spanned the years from 946 to his death in 967.-Traditional narrative:...
.
- October 7, 952 (TenryakuTenryakuwas a after Tengyō and before Tentoku. This period spanned the years from April 947 through October 957. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:* January 25, 947 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
6, 15th day of the 8th month): Suzaku died at the age of 30.
The actual site of Suzaku's grave
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 Kyoto.
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 Suzaku'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 Daigo no misasagi in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto
Fushimi-ku, Kyoto
is one of the eleven wards in the city of Kyoto, in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. Famous places in Fushimi include the Fushimi Inari Shrine, with thousands of torii lining the paths up and down a mountain; Fushimi Castle, originally built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, with its rebuilt towers and gold-lined...
near the Buddhist temple, Daigo-ji
Daigo-ji
is a Shingon Buddhist temple in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Japan. Its main devotion is Yakushi. Daigo, literally "ghee," is used figuratively to mean "crème de la crème" and is a metaphor of the most profound part of Buddhist thoughts.- History :...
.
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
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
eras.
In general, this elite group included only three to four men at a time. These were hereditary courtiers whose experience and background have brought them to the pinnacle of a life's career. During Suzaku's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
- Sesshō, Fujiwara no TadahiraFujiwara no Tadahirawas a Japanese statesman, courtier and politician during the Heian period.He is also known as Teishin-Kō or Ko-ichijō Dono or Ko-ichijō daijō-daijin.-Career:...
, 880-949. - Kampaku, Fujiwara no Tadahira.
- Daijō-daijin, Fujiwara no Tadahira.
- 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...
, Fujiwara no Tadahira . - Sadaijin, Fujiwara no NakahiraFujiwara no Nakahira, also known as Biwa no daijin, was a Japanese statesman, courtier and politician during the Heian period.-Career at court:He was a minister during the reigns of Emperor Daigo and Emperor Suzaku.* 932 : Nakahira was made udaijin.* 945 : Sadaijin Nakahira died; and he was posthumously honored by the...
. - 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...
, Fujiwara no Sadakata (藤原定方). - Udaijin, Fujiwara no Nakahira.
- Udaijin, Fujiwara no Tsunesuke (藤原恒佐).
- Udaijin, Fujiwara no SaneyoriFujiwara no Saneyori, also known as Onomiya-dono, was a Japanese statesman, courtier and politician during the Heian period.-Career:He was a minister during the reigns of Emperor Reizei and Emperor En'yu....
, 900-970. - Nadaijin
- 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 Nakahira.
Eras of Suzaku's reign
The years of Suzaku's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.- EnchōEnchowas a after Engi and before Jōhei. This period spanned the years from April 923 through April 931. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:* January 20, 923 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
(923-931) - JōheiJohei, also romanized as Shōhei, was a after Enchō and before Tengyō. This period spanned the years from April 931 through May 938. The reigning emperor was .-Change of era:...
(931-938) - TengyōTengyowas a after Jōhei and before Tenryaku. This period spanned the years from May 938 through April 947. The reigning emperors were and .-Change of era:* February 2, 938 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of events...
(938-947)
Consorts and children
NyōgoKokyu
The is a traditional Japanese string instrument, the only one played with a bow. Although it was introduced to Japan from China along with the shamisen, its material, shape, and sound are unique to Japan...
: Princess Hiroko/Kishi (熙子女王) (?-950), daughter of Imperial Prince Yasuakira(son of Emperor Daigo
Emperor Daigo
was the 60th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Daigo's reign spanned the years from 897 through 930. He is named after his place of burial.-Traditional narrative:...
)
- Imperial Princess Masako (昌子内親王) (950-999), Empress consort of Emperor ReizeiEmperor Reizeiwas the 63rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Reizei's reign spanned the years from 967 through 969.-Traditional narrative:...
Nyōgo
Kokyu
The is a traditional Japanese string instrument, the only one played with a bow. Although it was introduced to Japan from China along with the shamisen, its material, shape, and sound are unique to Japan...
: Fujiwara no Yoshiko (藤原慶子) (?-951), daughter of Fujiwara no Saneyori (藤原実頼)
See also
- Emperor of JapanEmperor of JapanThe 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...
- List of Emperors of Japan
- Imperial cultImperial cultAn imperial cult is a form of state religion in which an emperor, or a dynasty of emperors , are worshipped as messiahs, demigods or deities. "Cult" here is used to mean "worship", not in the modern pejorative sense...
- Emperor Go-SuzakuEmperor Go-Suzakuwas the 69th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Suzaku's reign spanned the years from 1036 through 1045.This 11th-century sovereign was named after the 10th-century Emperor Suzaku and go- , translates literally as "later;" and thus, he is sometimes called the...