Kanpyō Gyoki
Encyclopedia
The or is a diary
written in variant Chinese (hentai-kanbun) by Emperor Uda. It is the oldest extant Japanese court diary. Together with and it comprises the collection known as . Uda's diary is valued as a source of information on court practices during his reign and about the antagonism between him and the Fujiwara clan. In addition it provides glimpses into the private life and fears of Emperor Uda. In an entry for the year 889, titled A Dream denied, Uda reveals that at the age of 17 he wanted to become a Buddhist priest and did not anticipate ever to become an emperor
. On his father's (Emperor Kōkō
) enthronement in 884 he was "shuddering with fear". In an entry for the second month, sixth day of the same year (March 11, 889) titled For the Love of a Cat, Uda gives a detailed and humorous description of the physical characteristics of his cat and goes on to ascribe her a yin and yang
spirituality.
According to historical records, ten fascicles of the diary were known in 1313. Parts of the work were lost during the Ōnin War
(1467–77) and what remains of it today was compiled in the late Edo period
by from citations in secondary texts and extended by . In the early 20th century it was published in Zoku Zoku Gunsho Ruijū 5.1–14. The extant fragments cover the period from 887 to 890 and occupy about 14 pages in modern printed editions.
Nikki Bungaku
is a genre of Japanese diary literature including prominent works such as the Tosa Nikki, Kagerō Nikki, and Murasaki Shikibu Nikki. While diaries began as records imitating daily logs kept by Chinese government officials, private and literary diaries emerged and flourished during the Heian period...
written in variant Chinese (hentai-kanbun) by Emperor Uda. It is the oldest extant Japanese court diary. Together with and it comprises the collection known as . Uda's diary is valued as a source of information on court practices during his reign and about the antagonism between him and the Fujiwara clan. In addition it provides glimpses into the private life and fears of Emperor Uda. In an entry for the year 889, titled A Dream denied, Uda reveals that at the age of 17 he wanted to become a Buddhist priest and did not anticipate ever to become an emperor
Emperor 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...
. On his father's (Emperor Kōkō
Emperor Koko
was the 58th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Kōkō reigned from 884 to 887.- Traditional narrative :Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was or Komatsu-tei. He would later be identified sometimes as "the Emperor of...
) enthronement in 884 he was "shuddering with fear". In an entry for the second month, sixth day of the same year (March 11, 889) titled For the Love of a Cat, Uda gives a detailed and humorous description of the physical characteristics of his cat and goes on to ascribe her a yin and yang
Yin and yang
In Asian philosophy, the concept of yin yang , which is often referred to in the West as "yin and yang", is used to describe how polar opposites or seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, and how they give rise to each other in turn. Opposites thus only...
spirituality.
According to historical records, ten fascicles of the diary were known in 1313. Parts of the work were lost during the Ōnin War
Onin War
The ' was a civil war that lasted 10 years during the Muromachi period in Japan. A dispute between Hosokawa Katsumoto and Yamana Sōzen escalated into a nationwide war involving the Ashikaga shogunate and a number of daimyo in many regions of Japan....
(1467–77) and what remains of it today was compiled in the late Edo period
Edo period
The , or , is a division of Japanese history which was ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family, running from 1603 to 1868. The political entity of this period was the Tokugawa shogunate....
by from citations in secondary texts and extended by . In the early 20th century it was published in Zoku Zoku Gunsho Ruijū 5.1–14. The extant fragments cover the period from 887 to 890 and occupy about 14 pages in modern printed editions.