Biographies XLVII: The Fujiwara Ministers, the Ōnakatomi, and the Wake

Fujiwara-no-Nagate

¶Fujiwara-no-Nagate was the second son of Fusasaki, Chūei-taishō, Commander of the Inner Guards. In the Tenpyō era he was granted Junior Fifth Rank Lower. At the beginning of Tenpyō Shōhō he advanced to Junior Fourth Rank Lower, and soon afterward became Governor of Yamato. In the sixth year of Tenpyō Shōhō (754) he rose to Junior Third Rank, and he served in succession as Shikibu-kyō, Minister of Ceremonial, and Nakatsukasa-kyō, Minister of Central Affairs, holding both posts concurrently. In the first year of Tenpyō Hōji (757) he became Chūnagon, Middle Counsellor, and some years later also held the post of Hyōbu-kyō, Minister of Military Affairs. In the eighth year of Tenpyō Hōji (764) he advanced to Senior Third Rank and was transferred to Dainagon, Major Counsellor. In the first year of Tenpyō Jingo (765) he was awarded the Second Order of Merit and advanced to Junior Second Rank. In the second year (766) he was appointed Udaijin, Minister of the Right. The edict said: "When Emperor Tenji, who ruled the realm at the Ōtsu Palace in Ōmi, mourned the Minister Fujiwara (Kamatari), and afterwards when he mourned the minister's son, he said on both occasions: 'If his descendants serve the court with pure and bright hearts, they shall surely be treated generously, and their house shall never be allowed to die out.' Now, remembering the command of the former sovereign, We appoint you Minister of the Right." The emperor visited Nagate's residence and bestowed Senior Second Rank upon him. His wife, Ōno-no-Nakachi, was granted Junior Fourth Rank Lower. In the same year he was transferred to Sadaijin, Minister of the Left. In the second year of Jingo Keiun (768) he was granted twenty thousand ton of floss from the Dazaifu. In the third year (769) the emperor again visited his residence, and he advanced to Junior First Rank. Nakachi and his sons Ieyori and Oyori were also each advanced one grade. Soon afterward he was granted one hundred thousand bundles of rice. When the emperor fell ill, Nagate was ordered by edict to take charge of the affairs of the Konoe (Inner Guards), the Geki (Outer Guards), and the Left and Right Hyōe (Palace Guards). At that time the successor to the throne had not yet been determined, and the monk Dōkyō harbored ambitions beyond his station. When the emperor died, Fujiwara-no-Momokawa and others devised a plan and, by forging the dying edict, placed Emperor Kōnin on the throne; Nagate also exerted himself to the utmost in this. On the emperor's accession he was advanced to Senior First Rank, was granted two hundred chō of mountain land in the village of Izumi in Sagara district of Yamashiro province, and was also given a fief for his meritorious service. In the second month of the second year of Hōki (771) he was suddenly struck by illness. At that time the emperor was on a progress to Naniwa, and on the return journey, when he arrived at the temporary palace at Takeharai, the pole of a ceremonial banner broke for no reason. People whispered, "It is an omen that the minister who holds the government is about to die." The next day Nagate died, at the age of fifty-eight. The emperor grieved and lamented deeply and sent the Chūnagon Funya-no-Ōichi and the Ingai Chūnagon, Supernumerary Middle Counsellor, Ishikawa-no-Toyonari to offer condolences and gifts, and the words of his message were most pitiful. Praising his merit and virtue, the emperor showed him the utmost grief and honor, posthumously granting him the title of Dajō-daijin, Chancellor, and sending envoys to oversee the funeral (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). Because Nagate lived at Nagaoka, he was called the Nagaoka Minister (Note: following the Sonpi Bunmyaku and the Kugyō Bunin). His son Ieyori became Sangi, Counsellor, of Junior Third Rank. Oyori became Ōkura-kyō, Minister of the Treasury, of Senior Fourth Rank Lower, but was implicated in the faction of Ōtomo-no-Tsuguhito and exiled to Oki (Note: following the Nihon Kiryaku). Nagate's younger brothers were Matate and Uona (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi).

Fujiwara-no-Matate

¶Fujiwara-no-Matate was at first named Yatsuka. In the Tenpyō era he became Tōgū Daishin, Senior Secretary of the Crown Prince's Household; he was moved to Ueji-no-kami, Commander of the Right Guards, and Shikibu-tayū, Senior Assistant Minister of Ceremonial, and then also served as Saemon-no-kami, Commander of the Left Gate Guards; advancing by degrees to Junior Fourth Rank Lower, he was changed to Jibu-kyō, Minister of Civil Affairs. Matate was broad and deep in capacity and possessed the talent of a minister and counsellor. In office he was just and incorruptible, and, wary lest private feeling intrude, Emperor Shōmu specially ordered that he be given the task of presenting memorials and conveying edicts. His speech was keen and clear, and the emperor's favor toward him was very great. His cousin Nakamaro privately envied his talent. Matate perceived this, withdrew to his house on the pretext of illness, and devoted himself entirely to books. After a time he went out to the provinces as Governor of Yamato. In the Tenpyō Shōhō era he was moved to Settsu-no-daibu, Governor of Settsu, was granted a rank equivalent to Junior Fourth Rank Upper, and was appointed Sangi. At the beginning of Tenpyō Hōji he advanced to Senior Fourth Rank Lower and concurrently held the post of Nakatsukasa-kyō. By imperial command he joined Nakamaro in revising the titles of the offices. In the fourth year of Tenpyō Hōji (760) he advanced to Junior Third Rank and became Dazai-no-sotsu, Governor-General of the Dazaifu. In the sixth year (762) he was appointed Chūnagon and concurrently Shinbu-kyō, Minister of Trust. Soon afterward he advanced to Senior Third Rank. In the first year of Tenpyō Jingo (765) he was awarded the Second Order of Merit. In the second year (766) he was transferred to Dainagon and concurrently served as Shikibu-kyō. When he died, he was fifty-two. Fujiwara-no-Nawamaro, Chokushi-taifu, Senior Assistant of the Imperial Edict Office, and Ōtomo-no-Hakumaro, Minor Controller of the Right, were sent to offer condolences, and he was granted the funeral ceremony of a minister (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi).

¶His son Uchimaro was appointed Chūnagon in the Enryaku era (Note: following the Kugyō Bunin and the Sonpi Bunmyaku). At the beginning of Daidō he was appointed Dainagon and concurrently Konoe-taishō, Commander of the Inner Guards, and rose to Udaijin of Junior Second Rank. In the third year of Kōnin (812) he died, at the age of fifty-seven (Note: following the Nihon Kōki and the Kugyō Bunin). He was posthumously granted the rank of Sadaijin of Junior First Rank (Note: following the Nihon Kōki and the Sonpi Bunmyaku. The Kugyō Bunin says he was posthumously granted the title of Dajō-daijin), and was later called the Nagaoka Minister (Note: following the Kugyō Bunin and the Sonpi Bunmyaku). From his youth Uchimaro had a fine reputation; his virtue and capacity were gentle and refined, and he served three sovereigns, who each held him in deep regard. When the emperor asked his opinion, he never flattered or bent to the sovereign's wishes. If his own view did not agree with the emperor's, he still did not presume to adopt an attitude that would defy the sovereign's will. For more than ten years he held the central posts of government, and he was without a single fault. The deposed Crown Prince Prince Osabe delighted in harming people and owned a vicious horse that kicked and bit anyone who rode it. Once he made Uchimaro ride it, hoping to enjoy the sight of him being hurt. But the horse lowered its head and did not move, and even when struck with a whip it only turned in a circle. The people of the time, seeing this, judged Uchimaro to be a man of extraordinary capacity (Note: following the Nihon Kōki). Uchimaro had thirteen sons, of whom Manatsu, Fuyutsugu, Nagaoka, Arachi, Ōtsu, and Eisuke were the best known (Note: following the Sonpi Bunmyaku). Fuyutsugu and Nagaoka have separate biographies.

Fujiwara-no-Uona

¶At the end of the Tenpyō era Fujiwara-no-Uona was granted Junior Fifth Rank Lower and appointed Jijū, Chamberlain. At the beginning of Tenpyō Shōhō, an oracle was received from the Great Deity Usa Hachiman, and it was decided that the deity be enshrined in the capital. Uona, together with Ishikawa-no-Toshitari, became a Geishi, Envoy to Welcome the Deity, and entered the capital bearing the portable shrine. In the Tenpyō Hōji era he served successively as Governor of Bitchū and Governor of Kazusa, advanced to Junior Fourth Rank Lower, and was moved to Kunai-kyō, Minister of the Imperial Household. In the second year of Tenpyō Jingo (766) he was granted Junior Third Rank. In the second year of Jingo Keiun (768) he was appointed Sangi and soon afterward concurrently held the posts of Ōkura-kyō and Sakyō-daibu, Governor of the Left Capital. At the beginning of Hōki he was granted Senior Third Rank, was appointed Dainagon, and concurrently served as Nakatsukasa-kyō. In the eighth year (777) he advanced to Junior Second Rank. The emperor visited Uona's private residence, granted Junior Fifth Rank Lower to his son Suemochi, and gave goods to his attendants as well. Soon afterward he concurrently held the posts of Konoe-taishō and Dazai-no-sotsu. In the following year (778) he was appointed Uchi-no-omi, Inner Minister, and the title was changed to Chūshin, Loyal Minister. In the tenth year of Hōki (779) he became Naidaijin, Inner Minister of State. In the first year of Ten'ō (781) he was granted Senior Second Rank and transferred to Sadaijin, still holding the post of Dazai-no-sotsu. In the first year of Enryaku (782) he was implicated in an incident and dismissed from his ministerial office, and was to go to the Dazaifu. When he reached Settsu he fell ill and could not proceed. By imperial command he was permitted to remain at his country estate in Settsu and was given medical treatment. In the summer of the following year (783) an edict said: "The Dazai-no-sotsu, Fujiwara-no-Ason Uona, is aged and ill, and has halted along the road. Let him be brought back to the capital and be cared for by his kinsmen." In the seventh month he died in the capital, at the age of sixty-three (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). He was called the Kawabe Minister (Note: following the Sonpi Bunmyaku and the Ichidai Yōki). The emperor issued an edict granting ashiginu (coarse silk), cloth, rice, salt, and laborers. Another edict said: "To record merit according to service is clear in the ancient rites; to pardon offenses retroactively is likewise an established custom. The late Dazai-no-sotsu of Senior Second Rank, Fujiwara-no-Ason Uona, had a grandfather and father who, generation after generation, achieved distinguished service. Some served their sovereign with complete loyalty, and some spread the wind of virtue and aided their age. When We think of this, We cannot forget it. We therefore now posthumously restore to him his original office and rank, in repayment of the merit of his ancestors." The edicts, official orders, and other documents issued on the fourteenth day of the sixth month of the first year of Enryaku were all to be burned (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi).

¶Uona had five sons, named Takatori, Washitori, Suemochi, Fujinari, and Mawashi (Note: following the Sonpi Bunmyaku). Takatori rose to Jiju of Senior Fourth Rank Lower, but was implicated in his father's incident and demoted to Iwami-no-suke, Assistant Governor of Iwami. Soon afterward he was recalled by imperial command and became Sakyō-daibu. Washitori became Nakatsukasa-no-taifu, Senior Assistant of the Ministry of Central Affairs, of Junior Fifth Rank Upper. Suemochi became Chūei-shōshō, Lesser Captain of the Inner Guards, but was implicated in his father's incident and demoted to Tosa-no-suke. He was pardoned and appointed Governor of Iyo. Implicated in an incident again, he was lowered to Hyūga-no-suke, but was pardoned once more. He rose to Takumi-no-kami, Director of the Bureau of Craftsmen, of Junior Fifth Rank Upper (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). Fujinari stammered but was capable. He served in a succession of offices in the capital and the provinces, was said to be well versed in his duties wherever he went, and rose to Ise-no-kami, Governor of Ise, of Junior Fourth Rank Lower (Note: following the Ruijū Kokushi). Mawashi was granted Junior Fifth Rank Lower and followed his father to the Dazaifu. He was recalled and became Daigaku-no-kami, Director of the University; serving as Governor of Hōki and Udaiben, Major Controller of the Right, in turn, he rose to Dazai-no-daini, Senior Assistant Governor-General of the Dazaifu (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi).

Fujiwara-no-Toyonari

¶Fujiwara-no-Toyonari was the eldest son of Muchimaro, Minister of the Right. In the Yōrō era he became Uchi-toneri, Palace Attendant. At the beginning of Jinki he was granted Junior Fifth Rank Lower. In the Tenpyō era he advanced by degrees to Junior Fourth Rank Lower, was appointed Sangi as Hyōbu-kyō, was moved to Nakatsukasa-kyō, and concurrently held the post of Konoe-taishō. At that time the emperor often went on progresses, and each time Toyonari remained in charge of the capital. He was appointed Chūnagon with a rank equivalent to Junior Third Rank, concurrently serving as Tōkaidō Chinbushi, Pacification Commissioner of the Tōkaidō; he advanced to Junior Second Rank and was transferred to Dainagon. In the first year of Tenpyō Shōhō (749) he was appointed Udaijin. When the Crown Prince was deposed, Toyonari, together with his cousin Nagate, sought to put Prince Shioyaki on the throne. His younger brother Nakamaro did not agree, and in the end Prince Ōi was installed. Nakamaro became Naishō, Inner Minister, and his power had no equal in the realm. Toyonari was by nature generous and sincere and enjoyed great public confidence. Nakamaro, envious of his talent and reputation, tried to ensnare him at every opportunity. When the plot of Tachibana-no-Naramaro to depose the emperor was discovered, Nakamaro used as a pretext that Toyonari's son Otodada was on close terms with Naramaro, falsely accused him of siding with the rebels, and by imperial command had Toyonari hand over Otodada. Toyonari had no choice but to arrest Otodada and deliver him to the officials. A further edict was then issued: "Toyonari serves his sovereign without loyalty and acts as a subject without righteousness. He privately had dealings with the rebel faction, secretly stood in awe of the Naishō (Nakamaro), and though he knew of the plan for a great rebellion, would not presume to report it. Even when the affair came to light, he still would not pursue it. Had it been delayed by a few more days, the imperial line would almost have been harmed. How can such conduct be permitted in one entrusted with the office of minister? He is therefore dismissed from the post of Minister of the Right and demoted to Dazai Ingai-no-sotsu, Supernumerary Governor-General of the Dazaifu." Toyonari went as far as his estate at Naniwa, and on the pretext of illness did not proceed to his post. When Nakamaro was put to death, the emperor realized the injustice done to him, restored him to his office and rank by edict, granted him forty sword-bearing attendants, and conferred Junior First Rank upon him. After Nakamaro's death Toyonari could not feel at ease in his heart, and submitted a memorial saying: "Our great-grandfather, the Daishokkan Uchi-no-omi (Kamatari), trod righteousness and cherished loyalty and gave his own person to serve the state. In return for his incomparable merit, the court bestowed upon him boundless rewards. His son, the Dajō-daijin of Senior First Rank (Fuhito), sincerely and firmly declined, and passed on to his descendants only a portion of the two thousand households granted to him. As a family of renowned lineage we have long enjoyed honor and favor, but unexpectedly the rebel Nakamaro came forth from among our close kin and carried his wickedness and treason to such an extreme. Now we are already kinsmen of a vicious rebel, and yet we still receive the benefit of the households granted for meritorious service. With what face could we continue to accept such generous treatment? We humbly beg that the households granted for merit by previous reigns be returned, so as to quiet in some small measure the censure of the realm." The emperor granted this. In the first year of Tenpyō Jingo (765) he died, at the age of sixty-two (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). He was called the Naniwa Minister, and also the Yokohaki Minister.

¶Toyonari had four sons and one daughter. The sons were Yoshiyori, Tsugutada, Otodada, and Nawamaro. Tsugutada has a separate biography. His daughter Chūjō-hime became a nun and lived at Taimadera. Yoshiyori became Governor of Hōki, of Senior Fifth Rank Lower (Note: following the Sonpi Bunmyaku). Otodada (Note: in the original text "otodada" is sometimes written with the character for "younger brother" in place of the first character) was first granted Senior Sixth Rank Upper, but was falsely accused by his uncle Nakamaro and demoted to Hyūga Ingai-no-jō, Supernumerary Secretary of Hyūga. When Nakamaro was put to death, he was pardoned and recalled to the capital and granted Junior Fifth Rank Lower. At the beginning of Jingo Keiun he was appointed Ōkura-no-taifu, Senior Assistant of the Ministry of the Treasury, and served as Governor of Tosa, Mimasaka, and Shimōsa and as Danjō-no-in, Head of the Board of Censors, in turn, rising to Gyōbu-kyō, Minister of Justice, and Sangi, of Junior Fourth Rank Upper. Nawamaro, in the Tenpyō Hōji era, served successively as Hyōbu-no-shō, Junior Assistant of the Ministry of Military Affairs, Governor of Bitchū, and Reibu-no-taifu, Senior Assistant of the Ministry of Rites, concurrently held the post of Jijū, and was granted Junior Fourth Rank Lower. At the beginning of Tenpyō Jingo he was awarded the Third Order of Merit. When the emperor made a progress to Kii, he served as Gozen Kihei Shōgun, Commander of the Mounted Soldiers before the Emperor. Soon afterward he became Minbu-kyō, Minister of Popular Affairs, was appointed Sangi, and concurrently served as Chokushi-taifu and Governor of Ōmi. In the second year of Jingo Keiun (768) he was granted Junior Third Rank and became Ōmi Azechi, Inspector of Ōmi. When Empress Kōken died, he joined Fujiwara-no-Nagate and others in devising the plan and installed Emperor Kōnin. In the Hōki era he was appointed Chūnagon, concurrently served as Kōtaishi-no-fu, Tutor to the Crown Prince, and was moved to the post of Konoe-taishō. In the tenth year (779) he died, at the age of fifty-two. The emperor grieved and mourned deeply, and sent Ishikawa-no-Toyohito, Governor of Yamato, and Fujiwara-no-Yoshio, Jibu-no-taifu, Senior Assistant of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, to posthumously grant him Junior Second Rank and the post of Dainagon; the cost of the funeral was borne by the government, and men of the Kosuishi, Bureau of Drums and Pipes, were also assigned (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi).

Fujiwara-no-Yoshitsugu

¶Fujiwara-no-Yoshitsugu was the second son of Umakai, Shikibu-kyō, and was at first named Sukunamaro. In the Tenpyō era he was implicated in the incident of his elder brother Hirotsugu and exiled to Izu. Before long he was pardoned and recalled and appointed Shō-hangan, Junior Judge. Some years later he was granted Junior Fifth Rank Lower and served as Governor of Echizen and Governor of Kazusa in turn. In the Tenpyō Hōji era he advanced to Junior Fifth Rank Upper and became Minbu-no-shō, Junior Assistant of the Ministry of Popular Affairs. Soon he was appointed Ukyō-no-ben, Middle Controller of the Right, changed to Zōgū-taifu, Senior Assistant of the Office of Palace Construction, and concurrently served as Governor of Kōzuke. At that time Emi-no-Nakamaro monopolized the government, and his three sons had all been appointed Sangi; Yoshitsugu's rank was below theirs, and he inwardly bore shame and resentment. Together with Saeki-no-Imaemishi, Isonokami-no-Yakatsugu, Ōtomo-no-Yakamochi, and others, he plotted to remove Nakamaro. Yuge-no-Ohiro, Ukone-no-toneri, Right Palace Attendant, learned of the plan and informed Nakamaro. When Yoshitsugu was arrested and questioned, he said: "I alone am the ringleader of this conspiracy; the others are not guilty." He was therefore charged with the crime of great disrespect, stripped of his surname, and deprived of office and rank. Two years later Nakamaro rose in rebellion and fled to Ōmi. On the same day an edict commanded Yoshitsugu to lead several hundred soldiers in pursuit. For this service he was granted Junior Fourth Rank Lower and the Fourth Order of Merit. When the rebellion was put down, he was granted Senior Fourth Rank Upper and became Dazai-no-sotsu. In the second year of Tenpyō Jingo (766) he advanced to Junior Third Rank. In the Jingo Keiun era, as Hyōbu-kyō, he concurrently served as director of the construction of Hokkeji. In the fourth year (770) he was appointed Sangi. The emperor died, and there was no successor. At the accession of Emperor Kōnin, Yoshitsugu took part in the deliberations and devised the plan. At the funeral ceremonies he served as Kihei-shi, Commander of the Mounted Guard, and guarded the palace. Soon he was moved to Shikibu-kyō, advanced to Senior Third Rank, and changed his name to Yoshitsugu (Note: the statement that he was appointed Chūnagon in the Kōnin era is an error, and is left as in the original text). In the second year of Hōki (771) he was appointed Uchi-no-omi, Inner Minister, with exceptional treatment. The edict said: "As for the rank, stipend, grants, and sundry goods attached to the duties of the Inner Minister, let all be the same as for a Dainagon. However, let a fief of one thousand households be given." From this time he monopolized the government as he pleased, and appointments and dismissals of personnel also came to depend on his own will. Soon he advanced to Junior Second Rank. In the eighth year of Hōki (777) he was raised to Naidaijin. In the autumn of that year he took to his sickbed, and the emperor, on his behalf, bestowed Senior First Rank on the Kashima deity, the clan deity, and Senior Fourth Rank Upper on the Katori deity, and had them pray for his recovery. Soon afterward he died, at the age of sixty-two. He was posthumously granted Junior First Rank, and the Chūnagon Mononobe-no-Yakatsugu and others were sent to offer condolences (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). His son Ienomi (Note: following the Sonpi Bunmyaku) became Governor of Echizen, of Junior Fifth Rank Upper. His daughter Otomuro became Empress of Emperor Kanmu and bore the two emperors Heizei and Saga (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). When Emperor Heizei took the throne, as Yoshitsugu was his maternal grandfather, he posthumously granted Yoshitsugu the title of Dajō-daijin of Senior First Rank, and Senior First Rank to his wife, of the Abe clan (Note: following the Nihon Kōki and the Nihon Kiryaku). Yoshitsugu's younger brother was Momokawa.

Fujiwara-no-Momokawa

¶Fujiwara-no-Momokawa was at first named Odamaro. From his childhood he had capacity. In the Tenpyō Hōji era he was granted Junior Fifth Rank Lower and appointed Shikibu-no-shō, Junior Assistant of the Ministry of Ceremonial. In the Tenpyō Jingo era he became Sanyōdō Junsatsushi, Inspector of the Sanyōdō. He reported: "The post roads of the districts of this circuit are long and distress many of the people. Pray restore the relay-station system and have goods transported by it. Moreover, in Toyoura district and Asa district of Nagato province and elsewhere, sericulture should be carried out. Let the collection of tax in cash be abolished and ashiginu be submitted in its place." The court at last adopted his proposals. Soon he was appointed Sachūben, Middle Controller of the Left, and Jijū. In the Jingo Keiun era he concurrently became Ukyōe-no-kami, Commander of the Right Hyōe, was appointed Governor of Musashi, and advanced to Junior Fourth Rank Lower. Moved to Nakatsukasa-no-taifu, he supervised the deputy commander of the Armory, concurrently served as Naijū-no-taifu, Senior Assistant of the Office of Inner Pages, served as Governor of Kawachi and Governor of Echizen in turn, and was transferred to Udaiben, Major Controller of the Right. In every post he held, he gained a reputation for diligence and discipline (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). At that time Empress Kōken indulged in licentious conduct, and Momokawa, seeing the state about to fall into disorder yet powerless to save it, constantly resented and lamented. In the fourth year of Jingo Keiun (770), when the empress's illness grew grave, a certain nun came forward and said, "There is a method of treatment." Momokawa suppressed this and did not pass it on, and so the empress at last died. While the successor to the throne was not yet determined, Momokawa wished to install Prince Shirakabe. Kibi-no-Makibi, Minister of the Right, strongly objected. Momokawa secretly consulted with his elder brother Yoshitsugu and his cousin Nagate, Minister of the Left, forged the dying edict, and had an announcer of imperial edicts read out: "Prince Shirakabe is senior in years and has also rendered meritorious service. For this reason the former sovereign established him as Crown Prince." Makibi could only fall silent. Momokawa at once arranged the ceremonial guard, welcomed Prince Shirakabe, and had him take the throne. This was Emperor Kōnin (Note: following the Mizukagami and the biography of Momokawa quoted in the Nihon Kiryaku). In the second year of Hōki (771) he became Dazai-no-sotsu, changed his name to Momokawa, and was appointed Sangi. Momokawa was loyal by nature, and moreover had the merit of the enthronement. The emperor trusted him deeply and employed him as a confidant (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). After the emperor deposed the Crown Prince (Prince Osabe), Momokawa petitioned that Prince Yamabe (later Emperor Kanmu) be installed; amid the tumult of debate, Momokawa obstinately refused to bend from his original proposal. When the emperor rose to go inside, Momokawa raised his voice and said, "Until I receive the sacred decision, I shall by no means withdraw," and stood before the emperor for more than forty days. The emperor was moved by his sincerity and at last granted his request. Before the words were finished, Momokawa clapped his hands in great joy, and hastily welcomed the prince in and installed him as Crown Prince. The people of the time said that Momokawa's serving his sovereign without any double-mindedness, and giving all his strength and offering his life, had no parallel since ancient times (Note: following the Mizukagami). Soon he advanced to Junior Third Rank, became Shikibu-kyō, and concurrently served as Konoe-taishō. There was no important matter of government, within or without, in which he did not take part. In the tenth year of Hōki (779) the emperor fell ill. Momokawa showed his anxiety in his face and exhausted all his heart and strength on medicine and prayers. The emperor came to hold him in still greater regard. In this year Momokawa died, at the age of forty-eight. The emperor grieved and lamented deeply, sent an envoy to his residence to proclaim an edict, posthumously granted him Junior Second Rank, and had the necessary expenses paid by the government. In the second year of Enryaku (783), in recognition of his merit, the emperor posthumously granted him the post of Udaijin (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). His sons were Otsugu and Tsugunari. Otsugu has a separate biography. His daughter Tabiko became a Buin, Lady, of Emperor Kanmu and bore Emperor Junna. On the accession of Emperor Junna, in recognition of his maternal grandfather, Momokawa was posthumously granted the title of Dajō-daijin of Senior First Rank, and Senior First Rank was granted to his wife, of the Fujiwara clan (Note: following the Nihon Kiryaku). Tsugunari was upright and dignified in character, fond of the bow, and skilled in the music of the koto and song. In the third year of Tenchō (826), as a maternal relative of the emperor, he was granted Junior Third Rank. In the ninth year of Jōwa (842) he died, at the age of sixty-five (Note: following the Shoku Nihon Kōki). Momokawa's younger brother was Kurajimaro.

Fujiwara-no-Kurajimaro

¶Fujiwara-no-Kurajimaro began as an Uchi-toneri and became Izumo-no-suke, Assistant Governor of Izumo. In the Tenpyō Hōji era he became Sanyōdō Mon-mingu-shi, Commissioner to Inquire into the Sufferings of the People of the Sanyōdō, and advanced to Junior Fifth Rank Lower. He served in succession as Shōnagon, Minor Counsellor, and Governor of Bizen. When Emi-no-Nakamaro fled to Ōmi, Kurajimaro became Tōzoku-shōgun, General for the Suppression of the Rebels, fought hard, and defeated him. When the affair was settled, in recognition of this merit he was granted Junior Third Rank and was promoted to Ukyōe-no-kami. When the Deposed Emperor (Emperor Junnin) was moved to Awaji, Kurajimaro escorted him. In the first year of Tenpyō Jingo (765) he was awarded the Second Order of Merit, became Konoe-taishō, and concurrently served as Sakyō-daibu. In the first year of Jingo Keiun (767) he concurrently became Azechi, Inspector, of Iyo and Tosa. At the accession of Emperor Kōnin he took part in the deliberations for the enthronement. He was moved to Hyōbu-kyō and concurrently served as Tōgū-daibu, Master of the Crown Prince's Household. Soon he was appointed Dazai-no-sotsu and Sangi. In the sixth year of Hōki (775) he died in office, at the age of forty-two (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). His sons were Nawanushi, Tsunatsugu, and Kiyomoto. Nawanushi, from the Enryaku through the Daidō era, advanced by degrees in office, reached Sangi of Junior Third Rank, and became Dazai-no-sotsu. In the Kōnin era he was appointed Chūnagon and concurrently served as Hyōbu-kyō. In the eighth year (817) he died in office, at the age of fifty-eight. He was by nature fond of wine, but never neglected his duties. He was generous in kindness and gratitude and was loved by his kinsmen. In the first year of Tenchō (824) he was posthumously granted Junior Second Rank (Note: following the Kugyō Bunin). Tsunatsugu (Note: the main text also writes it "Tsunaki") served in a succession of honored and important offices from the Enryaku through the Kōnin era. At the beginning of Tenchō he was appointed Kurōdo-no-tō, Head Chamberlain, and Sangi. Soon he advanced to Senior Fourth Rank Lower and retired from office. The emperor specially ordered by edict that his son Yoshino be given the rank of Sangi. In the eighth year of Jōwa (841) he was granted Senior Third Rank with special treatment. In the fourteenth year (847) he died, at the age of eighty-five (Note: following the Shoku Nihon Kōki. His appointment as Kurōdo-no-tō and the conferral of the Sangi rank upon his son Yoshino are following the Kugyō Bunin). Yoshino has a separate biography. Kiyomoto rose to Ōkura-kyō of Junior Third Rank (Note: following the Nihon Kiryaku and the Sonpi Bunmyaku).

Fujiwara-no-Tanetsugu

¶Fujiwara-no-Tanetsugu was a son of Kiyonari, the younger brother of Yoshitsugu (Note: following the Sonpi Bunmyaku). In the second year of Tenpyō Jingo (766) he was granted Junior Fifth Rank Lower and passed in turn through offices in the capital and the provinces. In the first year of Enryaku (782) he was appointed Sangi, advanced to Junior Third Rank, and became Shikibu-kyō. Soon he was appointed Chūnagon and granted Senior Third Rank. The emperor trusted him deeply and always had him attend at his side. All important affairs of government, within and without, were left to Tanetsugu's decision (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). At that time the emperor, fond of frequent progresses, had left the conduct of government to the Crown Prince (later Emperor Heizei). The Crown Prince wished to appoint Saeki-no-Imaemishi a Sangi, but Tanetsugu judged this improper and by a memorial had the appointment withdrawn. From then on the Crown Prince hated Tanetsugu deeply and constantly sought to remove him (Note: following the Mizukagami). When the capital was first moved to Nagaoka, Tanetsugu was the first to propose it. In the fourth year of Enryaku (785), when the emperor made a progress to the Heijō capital, Tanetsugu remained in charge together with Fujiwara-no-Koretada, Minister of the Right (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). While the emperor was away from the capital, the Crown Prince secretly sent men to watch Tanetsugu's movements (Note: following the Nihon Kiryaku and the Mizukagami). At this time the new capital was still under construction and the government offices were not yet complete; craftsmen and laborers worked day and night. While Tanetsugu was inspecting and supervising by torchlight, a bandit shot at him out of the darkness (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). Both arrows pierced his body (Note: following the Nihon Kiryaku). The emperor was greatly alarmed on hearing of the incident. When he returned to the capital the next day, Tanetsugu had already died, at the age of forty-eight. The emperor grieved and lamented deeply, posthumously granted him the title of Sadaijin of Senior First Rank, and ordered a search for the culprits (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). Ōtomo-no-Tsuguhito, Sashōben, Minor Controller of the Left; Hōki-no-Fumimaro of the Konoe; Oshika-no-Kozumimaro of the Chūei; and Ōtomo-no-Takeyoshi and others were arrested. By imperial command Ishikawa-no-Natari, Udaiben, conducted the investigation. Fumimaro was the first to confess, saying: "Ōtomo-no-Masamaro, Chikara-no-kami, Director of the Bureau of Taxation; Ōtomo-no-Fushi, Yamato Daijō, Senior Secretary of Yamato; Saeki-no-Takanari, Tōgū Shōshin, Junior Secretary of the Crown Prince's Household; and Takeyoshi and others sent Kozumimaro and me to shoot Tanetsugu." Tsuguhito, Takanari, and the others also confessed, saying: "Ōtomo-no-Yakamochi was the ringleader of this plot. He once told the Crown Prince, 'We should gather the Ōtomo and Saeki clans and remove Tanetsugu.'" When the rest of the faction was questioned, all confessed. The ringleaders Tsuguhito, Takanari, Masamaro, Takeyoshi, and others were therefore sentenced to death. Fumimaro and Kozumimaro were bound, and after their crimes were announced to Tanetsugu's coffin, they were beheaded south of Yamazaki Bridge. Yakamochi had already died, but his office and rank were stripped from him afterward. A great many others were implicated and exiled or punished. An edict made the crimes clear and was proclaimed to the hundred officials. On that day the Crown Prince was deposed (Note: following the Nihon Kiryaku). In the fourth year of Daidō (809) he was posthumously granted the title of Dajō-daijin (Note: following the Kugyō Bunin and the Ichidai Yōki), and was called the Kōfukuin Minister. His sons were Yamahito, Nakanari, Fujio, Kazuramaro, Yotsugu (Note: following the Sonpi Bunmyaku. The Nihon Kiryaku and the Kugyō Bunin make Nakanari the eldest son, and the Ruijū Kokushi makes Kazuramaro the second son and Yotsugu the fourth son. But for the order of Yamahito, Fujio, and the others there is no other material to examine; here the Sonpi Bunmyaku is provisionally followed), and Yumori (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). Yamahito became Gyōbu-kyō of Senior Fifth Rank Lower. Fujio became Governor of Ōsumi, of Junior Fifth Rank Lower (Note: following the Sonpi Bunmyaku). Kazuramaro, in the reign of Emperor Kanmu, served in turn as Kōgōgū-no-daishin, Senior Secretary of the Empress's Household, and Governor of Sagami (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi), and reached Junior Fourth Rank Lower. He was dull-witted by nature and given to wine and women, but passed through offices in the capital and the provinces solely on the reputation of his family. In the early years of Kōnin he died. Yotsugu became Daigaku-no-kami in the Enryaku era. In the Tenchō era he reached Junior Fourth Rank Upper. He was modest by nature, was not ashamed to ask questions of his inferiors, and treated others with respect. Later he became Governor of Ise, and when news of the death of his elder brother (Nakanari) reached him, he raced a hundred ri to the spot and died soon afterward (Note: following the Ruijū Kokushi). Yumori was struck from the register on account of an offense. In the sixth year of Enryaku (787) he was granted the surname Ide-no-Sukune (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi. The present work does not record Yumori's office, and for the time being there is no way to examine it).

Fujiwara-no-Nakanari

¶Fujiwara-no-Nakanari advanced in office by degrees through the reigns of Emperor Kanmu and Emperor Heizei, reached Junior Fourth Rank Upper, Hokurikudō Kansatsushi, Inspector of the Hokurikudō, and concurrently Ukyōe-no-kami (Note: following the Nihon Kiryaku and the Kugyō Bunin. The post of Kansatsushi is following the Kugyō Bunin), and was appointed Sangi (Note: following the Kugyō Bunin). He was violent in temperament and given to drink, paid no heed to precedence, and, if something displeased him, would not hesitate to beat a person down (Note: following the Nihon Kōki and the Nihon Kiryaku). Because his younger sister Kusuko monopolized the emperor's favor as Naishi, Nakanari grew arrogant, relying on her power. Many high-ranking elders suffered his insults, and even passers-by averted their eyes. When Emperor Saga took the throne, Kusuko urged the Retired Emperor (Heizei) to "return to the throne and move the capital," and Nakanari secretly aided the scheme. The Retired Emperor, misled by her words, accepted them (Note: following the Nihon Kōki, the Nihon Kiryaku, and the Mizukagami) and made Nakanari Zōgūshi, Commissioner of Palace Construction (Note: following the Nihon Kiryaku). The people were all seized with fear. The emperor (Emperor Saga) stripped Kusuko of her office, confined Nakanari in the Right Hyōefu, Right Palace Guards Headquarters, and ordered Ki-no-Kiyonari, Sakonoe Shōgen, Lieutenant of the Left Konoe, and Sumiyoshi-no-Toyotsugu, Ukonoe Shōsō, Clerk of the Right Konoe, to shoot him dead. Earlier, Nakanari had taken as his wife a daughter of Kasa-no-Ehito, Minbu-no-taifu, Senior Assistant of the Ministry of Popular Affairs. Her aunt was a woman of great beauty, and Nakanari tried to violate her. The aunt fled and was sheltered in the residence of Prince Sami. Nakanari forced his way into that residence and committed great violence. When he was put to death, everyone who heard of it felt their hearts relieved (Note: following the Nihon Kōki and the Nihon Kiryaku).

Ōnakatomi-no-Kiyomaro

¶Ōnakatomi-no-Kiyomaro, whose original surname was Nakatomi, was a descendant in the fourth generation of Katanoko-no-Ōmuraji, the Saishu, Chief Priest of Rites. His great-grandfather Kuniko, in the reign of Emperor Jomei, held the cap-rank of Shōtoku and had earlier held both the post of the Daijōkan and the post of Saikan, Office of Rites. His grandfather Kunitari became Saishu in the reign of Emperor Kōtoku. His father Omimaro also became Saishu (Note: refer to the Ōnakatomi Genealogy and the Sonpi Bunmyaku. According to one account in the Kugyō Bunin, and in the Ōkagami and the Yoshida Genealogy, Omimaro is a son of Kamatari; but in the Ōnakatomi Genealogy and the Fujiwara Genealogy, Katanoko's three sons were Mikeko the eldest, then Kuniko, then Nukateko, with Mikeko begetting Kamatari, Kuniko begetting Kunitari, and Kunitari begetting Omimaro. The original account in the Kugyō Bunin is the same as this, so it is followed here). In the reign of Emperor Tenji he was granted, together with Kamatari, the surname Fujiwara-no-Ason (Note: following the Ōnakatomi Genealogy). Emperor Monmu, on the grounds that he served in the rites of the gods, ordered by edict that he return to the original surname. In the Wadō era he was appointed Chūnagon and concurrently Jingi-haku, Director of the Department of Divinities, and reached Senior Fourth Rank Upper (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). Kiyomaro continued to hold the post of Saishu in succession. In the Tenpyō era he became Jingi Daijō, Senior Secretary of the Department of Divinities, and concurrently Shikibu Daijō, Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Ceremonial (Note: following the Genealogy). He was granted Junior Fifth Rank Lower and moved by degrees to Jingi Taifu, Senior Assistant of the Department of Divinities. He observed mourning for his mother but was not permitted to be relieved of his post, and soon moved to Governor of Owari (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi. His mourning for his mother is following the Ōnakatomi Genealogy. The Genealogy says: in the nineteenth year of Tenpyō (747), Nakatomi-no-Masuhito was made Jingi Taifu, and Kiyomaro was moved to Governor of Owari. At that time the Retired Emperor was ill, and the Minister of the Left Tachibana-no-Moroe reported that this illness might be due to the Saishu Kiyomaro having been moved to a provincial post. Masuhito was therefore made Governor of Sagami. However, examining the national history, it does not record that Masuhito became Governor of Sagami, and Kiyomaro again became Jingi Taifu in the sixth year of Tenpyō Shōhō. The Genealogy's account is hard to credit and awaits later examination). In the Tenpyō Shōhō era he advanced to Junior Fifth Rank Upper, again became Jingi Taifu, and was appointed Sachūben and Monbu-no-taifu, Senior Assistant of the Ministry of Letters. At the beginning of Tenpyō Hōji he advanced by degrees to Senior Fifth Rank Upper. In the sixth year (762) he was granted Junior Fourth Rank Lower, attended within the palace, and conveyed imperial edicts. In this year he was appointed Sangi, and soon became Sadaiben, Major Controller of the Left, and concurrently Settsu-no-daibu (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). In the eighth year (764) he was changed to Jingi-haku (Note: following the Ōnakatomi Genealogy) and advanced to Senior Fourth Rank Lower (Note: following the Kugyō Bunin). In the first year of Tenpyō Jingo (765) he was added to the Fourth Order of Merit and served at the Daijōsai, the Great Thanksgiving Festival. The edict said: "The Jingi-haku, Nakatomi-no-Kiyomaro, is pure in heart as his name says, is reverent and diligent, and has long served the deities. We are pleased at this. We specially grant him Junior Third Rank." In the second year of Jingo Keiun (768) he was appointed Chūnagon. In the sixth month of the following year (769) an edict said: "There is a phrase 'Ōnakatomi' in the words of the gods, and Nakatomi-no-Kiyomaro has again become an official of the Department of Divinities and has served without fault. We therefore grant him the surname Ōnakatomi-no-Ason." In the first year of Hōki (770) he advanced to Senior Third Rank and was appointed Dainagon. In the second year (771) he concurrently served as Tōgū-no-fu, Tutor to the Crown Prince. When Fujiwara-no-Nagate, Minister of the Left, fell ill, Kiyomaro was made to carry out his duties. Soon he was appointed Udaijin and granted Junior Second Rank (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi), and continued to hold the post of Saishu as before (Note: following the Ōnakatomi Genealogy). At the Daijōsai he presented the Yogoto, the congratulatory words of the gods. He was granted sixty bolts of ashiginu. The emperor's carriage visited his residence, and he was granted Senior Second Rank; his wife was granted Senior Fifth Rank Lower, and Tajihi-no-Konane Senior Fifth Rank Upper (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). Because of his old age and infirmity Kiyomaro could no longer go to the Grand Shrine of Ise, and he asked to hand the post of Saishu to his son Oyu (Note: following the Ōnakatomi Genealogy). His son Oyu was thereupon made Jingi Taifu (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi and the Genealogy). Afterward he again submitted a memorial asking to resign his offices, but a gracious edict did not allow it. He entertained guests from Tang at his private residence and was granted three thousand ton of floss. Soon afterward he was granted over a hundred chō of waste land in Oku district of Bizen province. When Emperor Kanmu took the throne, he again asked to resign, and this was granted. He was given a staff and an armrest. Kiyomaro served several sovereigns and was a pillar of the state. He was well versed in the court ceremonies and the rites of the nation. In office he conducted affairs of government, and even in old age was not remiss. In the seventh year of Enryaku (788) he died, at the age of eighty-seven (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). Originally the Nakatomi and Imibe clans both had charge of the rites of worship and were spoken of together in the world. But the descendants of the Imibe declined, and it is said that only the Nakatomi continued in the office through the generations (Note: following the Kogo Shūi). His sons were Tsugumaro and Morona.

Ōnakatomi-no-Fuchina

¶Ōnakatomi-no-Fuchina, in the fourth year of Daidō (809), was granted Junior Fifth Rank Lower on the strength of his father's rank. From the Kōnin through the Tenchō era he served as Jingi Taifu in turn, became Jingi-haku, and reached Junior Fourth Rank Upper. He was strict and meticulous in character, well versed in matters of rites, and served as Saishu for twenty-eight years. In the tenth year of Jōwa (843) he retired from office and shut himself in his house, withdrew from worldly affairs, and spent his remaining years at leisure. In the third year of Kashō (850) he died, at the age of seventy-seven (Note: following the Shoku Nihon Kōki).

Ōnakatomi-no-Masamune

¶Ōnakatomi-no-Masamune was a grandson of Morona. His father Harumaro was Governor of Bitchū, of Junior Fifth Rank Upper. Masamune was clever from childhood and by nature extremely filial. In mourning for his father his grief was such that he badly damaged his health, but when the mourning was over he applied himself to study. He was said to be capable and quick. At the end of Kōnin he was promoted to Uchi-toneri. Soon afterward he lost his two elder brothers one after another. Masamune had always had a desire to leave the world, and, deeply moved at every turn by the repeated misfortunes of his house, he finally shaved his head and became a monk, changing his name to Ichien. He put his faith earnestly in the Diamond Sutra and studied it without tiring. He also received the Shingon esoteric teaching from Prince Shinnyo. From this time his practice and learning advanced greatly, and he went or stayed as he pleased, never remaining in one place. Once he boarded a small boat and was drifting with the waves, and arrived at the side of the Kayō Bridge, and ended up lodging by the water. An old woman gave her house to Ichien, saying: "This land has been a place of trade for generations, and we have profited from the trade in fish and salt. Pray build a temple here and live in it." When Ichien dug the ground to lay the foundations, an old Buddhist image was unearthed. The emperor heard of it and thought it wondrous, and ordered the Mokkō-ryō, Bureau of Carpentry, by edict to construct a hall, and bestowed the temple plaque "Sōōji." Ichien gathered black earth and built a square altar, and installed the Buddhist image. Then the top of the altar suddenly turned white, as though coated with powder. All who saw it marveled. Ichien performed incantations and was able to cure illness, and the emperor held him in deep regard. In the Jōgan era he was granted the rank of Gon-sōjō, Provisional Archbishop. He submitted a memorial firmly declining it, but was not permitted. Later he fell ill, and while floating on the water in a boat he quietly passed away. His posthumous title was Jisai (Note: following the Sandai Jitsuroku).

Ōnakatomi-no-Kunio

¶Ōnakatomi-no-Kunio was a son of Yoshikaji, Shikibu-no-shōjō, Junior Secretary of the Ministry of Ceremonial, the elder brother of Masamune (Note: following the Ōnakatomi Genealogy). He was clever from childhood and far surpassed his peers. At eight he lost his father and served his uncle Ichien. As he grew up he had firm principles; he was by nature fond of quiet, loved reading, and aspired to a wide knowledge of things. Ichien wished to make him a monk, changed his name to Jōshin, and urged him to study the classics and histories. Kunio followed his words, went from teacher to teacher with books on his back, studied diligently and remembered well, and at last mastered the Nine Classics, the Three Histories, Laozi, Zhuangzi, and other works, answering immediately whatever he was asked. He was nominated as a Shūsai, Distinguished Talent, and became a Monjō Tokugōshō, Graduate in Letters. Before he had yet sat the examination, he was granted Junior Fifth Rank Lower (Note: following the Enki Honkei, quoted in the Keizu Uragaki). He rose to Saishu and Jingi Taifu (Note: following the Genealogy).

Wake-no-Kiyomaro

¶Wake-no-Kiyomaro was a man of Fujino district in Bizen province (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi. The Usa Takusenshū says he was a man of the Right Capital. Now, examining the Shōjiroku, the Wake clan is recorded under the Imperial Descent clans of the Right Capital, but this was probably all after Kiyomaro's registered domicile was entered among the households of the capital). His ancestry comes from Nudeshiwake-no-Mikoto. A great-grandson of Nudeshiwake-no-Mikoto, Prince Otohiko, in the reign of Emperor Ōjin was granted Iwanashi-no-agata in Kibi province for his military service and settled there (Note: following the Nihon Shoki and the Shōjiroku. The Nihon Kōki and the Usa Takusenshū write Iwanashi-no-agata as Fujiwara-no-agata. The Shoku Nihongi says: in the third year of Jinki (726), Fujiwara district of Bizen was renamed Fujino district. In the third year of Jingo Keiun (769), Wake district was formed from Fujino district. In the seventh year of Enryaku (788), the west of the river in Wake district was divided off and Iwanashi district was established. From this, Iwanashi and Fujiwara were probably in fact the same place). Kiyomaro's original surname was Iwanashiwake-no-Kimi, which was later changed to Fujinowake-no-Mahito (Note: following the Nihon Kōki and the Usa Takusenshū). He was granted Junior Sixth Rank Upper and became Uhyōe-no-shōi, Lieutenant of the Right Hyōe. In the Tenpyō Jingo era he was awarded the Sixth Order of Merit, was granted the new surname Kibi-no-Fujino-Wake-no-Mahito, and advanced to Junior Fifth Rank Lower (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi); moved to Konoe-shōgen, Lieutenant of the Konoe, he was granted a fief of fifty households. In the third year of Jingo Keiun (769) his surname was again changed to Fujino-Mahito, and he became Inaba Ingai-no-suke, Supernumerary Assistant Governor of Inaba. Kiyomaro was upright and firm by nature. The emperor had long revered the god Usa Hachiman as though serving a living person, and never failed to follow his oracles in anything. When she made her favorite monk Dōkyō the Hōō, Dharma King, Nakatomi-no-Sugeki-no-Asomaro, Dazai-no-kannushi, Chief Priest of the Dazaifu, flattered the emperor's wishes and made a false report: "In the oracle of the god Hachiman it is said: 'If Dōkyō is made to take the imperial seat, the realm will be at peace.'" The emperor thereupon summoned Kiyomaro to the throne room and said: "In a dream last night a messenger of the god Hachiman came and said: 'The Great Deity has something to say to your sister, the nun Hōkin.' You shall go in place of Hōkin." As he was about to depart, Dōkyō glared at Kiyomaro with angry eyes, laid his hand on his sword, and said: "The Great Deity intends to put me on the imperial seat. The reason a messenger is sought is precisely this. If you go to Usa and, receiving the oracle of the god, bring about my wish, I shall give you the post of Dajō-daijin and entrust you with the government of the country. If you go against my words, I shall impose a heavy punishment" (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi, with reference also to the Usa Takusenshū). At that time there was a man named Michi-no-Toyonaga, who said to Kiyomaro: "If Dōkyō takes the imperial seat, with what face could I serve? I would rather withdraw with a few like-minded men, following the example of Boyi." Kiyomaro resolved to die, set out, went to the shrine, and begged for the oracle (Note: following the Nihon Kōki, the Nihon Kiryaku, and the Usa Takusenshū). The god possessed a person and said: "Since the opening of our country, the roles of sovereign and subject have been fixed. To make a subject the sovereign has never happened. The imperial seat must be inherited by one of the imperial line. Those who go against what is right should be swiftly removed." Kiyomaro returned to the capital and reported exactly this. Dōkyō was furious, dismissed Kiyomaro from his original office and demoted him to Inaba Ingai-no-suke. Before he had yet left for his post, Dōkyō pursued his sister Hōkin for the crime of deceiving the court by falsifying the god's teaching, changed Kiyomaro's name to Wakebe-no-Kitanamaro, and exiled him to Ōsumi (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). Dōkyō sent men to kill Kiyomaro on the road, but suddenly thunder and rain came and the sky grew dark, and the one who had received the order hesitated. Just then a messenger bearing a pardon arrived, and Fujiwara-no-Momokawa, Sangi, pitying Kiyomaro's loyal devotion, set aside twenty households of fief in Bingo province and gave them to him (Note: following the Nihon Kōki, the Nihon Kiryaku, and the Usa Takusenshū). In the third month of the following year, Kiyomaro submitted a memorial from his place of exile, saying: "I have heard that 'the way of the subject lies in giving loyalty without any double heart; the way of obeying the sovereign's command lies in not fleeing even from perils that make one's liver burst; to leave one's name to later ages and pass on one's achievements without end is how loyal ministers give their lives in times of crisis and how men of righteousness abandon their bodies to keep their integrity.' I, Kiyomaro, was once more ordered as an envoy to the Great Shrine of Usa and inquired of the deity concerning a great matter of state. The Great Deity's oracle did not accord with the command the western side (Dōkyō's party) desired (Note: according to the Shoku Nihongi, Kiyomaro served as envoy only once, and the statement "once more" is of unclear detail). I privately think that good faith is the treasure of a country, and how could I lose the treasure of the country out of regard for my own person? Moreover, who would dare go against the correct purport of the most honored sovereign and the deity? Therefore, on the day of my report, I dared to state the truth. That the Great Deity and the western side are at odds did not begin today, and this was set out in detail in the earlier memorial. On the basis of the god's oracle, I prepared two documents, a detailed version and a short version, gave the short version to the western side and presented the detailed version to the imperial residence. Furthermore, Asomaro earlier told me, 'That the Great Deity is at odds has been so from before.' If the earlier and later reports are compared, the difference is clear of itself, like water and mud, and it is the god's majesty that has brought about this result. Now if I, fearing punishment, were not to speak, I would risk falling short of the way of a subject and a people, and so I dare to state it briefly. The edict of last year said: 'In a dream last night a messenger of the Great Deity came and said, "There is something I wish to tell the nun Hōkin when I meet her."' It was Your Majesty's thought that this must surely concern the succession to the throne, and so you chose Kiyomaro to receive the oracle in Hōkin's place. I trembled in awe and fear, and thought that, looking at myself, this task was beyond my station and how could I bear it. I took refuge in the Buddha and the gods, bound sincerity in my heart, bore the heavy commission as though treading on thin ice, and walked with unsteady feet as though approaching a deep abyss. And I prayed, saying: 'I am one summoned by the deity, and I am the ears and eyes in the place of the most honored sovereign. Humbly I beg that you clearly reveal a sign of efficacy and answer the sacred intention plainly.' The Great Deity possessed Karashima-no-Sukuri and Some, and admonished me, saying: 'Do not let my words be heard by the western side.' I said: 'On a great matter of state I cannot report on my own alone,' and first presented a document recording the content of the oracle, and then prepared two memorials. One I deposited before the shrine, and the other I entrusted to the messenger to present. In them were two great matters and one lesser matter. The great matters were, first, "that the defiled one should be driven out," and second, "that the imperial seat is like a mirror that a person holds, and must not be allowed to tilt." The lesser matter was, "Official posts should be differentiated in rank even if they are in the same hall; I privately think that, were it not the divine will, who could say this? If it is not obeyed, I fear going against the god's intention." Also, when I was in prison and listened to people's talk, I heard that 'the Great Deity's oracle said, "I now intend to move to this Ōsumi. A shrine should be built speedily."' The gods of the islands made in the sea and the like have not yet found a place to rest, and shrines should be built for them too. The present oracle accords with what is right. Therefore I dared to write out what is in my heart and respectfully submit it" (Note: following the Usa Takusenshū). In this year Emperor Kōnin took the throne, exiled Dōkyō to Shimotsuke, and restored Kiyomaro's name and recalled him. In the following year he was restored to his former office and rank and became Harima Ingai-no-suke (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi. According to the biography of Kiyomaro transmitted in the Wake clan, when Kiyomaro was exiled, his legs were crippled and he could not stand. At this time, when he was about to go to the Hachiman shrine, he pressed on along the road despite his illness, and when he passed through Kusuda village in Usa district of Buzen province, about three hundred wild boars lined the road and led the way for ten ri. When he worshipped at the shrine, his standing and sitting were restored as before. The god possessed a person and spoke, bestowed two divine swords, and granted over eighty thousand ton of floss as a divine fief. Thereupon, from the shrine officials downward, the common people of the whole province saw this with their own eyes and none failed to marvel). He was moved to Governor of Buzen. Before this, the officials of the Usa Hachiman shrine had often made up falsehoods under the pretext of the god's oracles, and none of the earlier provincial governors had ever questioned them. Kiyomaro went to the shrine together with one Kanten and one Sakan, officials of the Dazaifu and three Urabe, diviners, and by tortoise-shell divination determined whether the words of the god were true or false, and asked the Dazaifu to carry out the disposition (Note: following the Usa Takusenshū). Soon afterward Kiyomaro and Hiromushi (Kiyomaro's elder sister) were both granted the surname Wake-no-Ason (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). The tombs of Kiyomaro's ancestors were in Bizen, but after he was exiled, someone had cut down the trees there. When he was pardoned and returned, he submitted a memorial explaining the circumstances. An edict made Kiyomaro Kuni-no-miyatsuko, Provincial Governor, of Mimasaka and Bizen, and posthumously granted the rank of Kuni-no-miyatsuko to his ancestors of each generation, beginning with his great-great-grandfather Sawara (Note: following the Nihon Kōki and the Usa Takusenshū). In the first year of Ten'ō (781) he advanced to Junior Fourth Rank Lower. In the Enryaku era he became Settsu-no-daibu, was granted Junior Fourth Rank Upper, and concurrently served as Minbu-no-taifu and Chūgū-daibu, Master of the Empress's Household. He reported: "On the border between Kawachi and Settsu, if a river is dug and embankments built, and the waters of the Kawachi river are led from south of Arahaka to the west to open to the sea, fertile land will spread out and can be reclaimed." This memorial was approved and Kiyomaro was sent to take charge of the work. He also reported: "A hundred and seventy-odd commoners west of the river in Wake district of Bizen province have petitioned: 'We were formerly people of the two districts of Akasaka and Kamitsumichi, along the Tōkaidō. In the second year of Jingo (766) we were separated off and incorporated into Wake district. But now the district office is in Fujino village, with a great river in between, and in every rain it is difficult to travel for either public or private business; west of the river, public business is often hindered. We beg that east of the river remain Wake district as before, that Iwanashi district be established west of the river, and that the Fujino post station be placed west of the river to avoid flooding, and so equalize the burden of labor.'" This was permitted. Soon afterward he advanced to Senior Fourth Rank Lower (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi). At that time the new capital of Nagaoka was under construction, but after ten years it was still unfinished and the expense was enormous. Kiyomaro secretly submitted a memorial, using a hunting trip as a pretext to inspect the land of Kadono, and advised moving the capital there (Note: following the Nihon Kōki). In the fifteenth year of Enryaku (796) he advanced to Junior Third Rank (Note: following the Kugyō Bunin). Soon he asked to resign, but was not permitted, and was granted twenty chō of merit land to be passed on to his descendants. In the eighteenth year (799) he died, at the age of sixty-seven. He was posthumously granted Senior Third Rank. Kiyomaro was versed in many things and particularly knowledgeable about precedent; he compiled the Minbushō-rei in twenty volumes. He also, on the command of the Empress's Household, compiled and presented the Wa-shi-fu. The emperor was greatly pleased. He once opened a hundred chō of rice fields in Bizen and long dedicated them as a resource for relief of the destitute. The local people relied on this (Note: following the Nihon Kōki and the Usa Takusenshū). His sons were Hiroyo, Matsuna, and Nakayo (Note: following the Genealogy. Concerning Nakayo, the Montoku Jitsuroku is followed).

Wake-no-Hiroyo

¶Wake-no-Hiroyo was first appointed Monjōshō, Student of Letters. In the Enryaku era he was implicated in an incident and sentenced to confinement, but was pardoned and became Shō-hangan. He was granted Junior Fifth Rank Lower and became Shikibu-no-shō (Note: following the Nihon Kōki and the Usa Takusenshū), was permitted to wear a sword (Note: following the Nihon Kiryaku), became Daigaku Betto, Director of the University, and asked to contribute twenty chō of his private fields to fund the encouragement of learning. He fixed the Myōgyō course at four subjects, gathered the various scholars at the university, and had them lecture on and discuss the Yin-Yang, the pharmacopoeia, the Taisō, and other books. In his private residence south of the university he established the Kōbun-in, where he stored several thousand volumes of books. He permanently set aside forty chō of newly opened fields for study expenses, thus fulfilling the wish of his father (Kiyomaro) (Note: following the Nihon Kōki and the Usa Takusenshū).

Wake-no-Matsuna

¶Wake-no-Matsuna studied at the university from his youth and was widely versed in histories and biographies. At about the age of twenty he was appointed Monjōshō. From the Kōnin through the Tenchō era he served by degrees in offices in the capital and the provinces. In the seventh year of Jōwa (840) he became Sangi. In the thirteenth year (846) he died, at the age of sixty-four. Matsuna was by nature sincere and combined loyalty and filial piety. In the performance of his duties he never flattered what was improper. When Zengai, a monk of Hōryūji, brought a suit accusing Tomi-no-Naona, Shōnagon, of violating the law, the Daijōkan sought to judge the case according to the facts, but a certain person defended Naona and in return falsely accused Zengai of having allowed an unlawful suit. By imperial command it was arranged that the Myōbō-hakase, Doctor of Law, would decide it. Everyone was afraid and avoided it, and no one dared to state the correct view. Matsuna said with deep feeling: "On a dusty road, travelers cover their eyes. In a court of unjust judgments, what benefit is there in one man being upright? I would do better to resign my post and keep my aims lofty." He therefore resigned his office, closed his gate, and cut off dealings with worldly affairs. Soon afterward he died; he had been devoted to the Buddhist Way all his life. That the two schools of Tendai and Shingon were established was due to the efforts of Hiroyo and Matsuna (Note: following the Shoku Nihon Kōki). Now, when Kiyomaro went to Usa as an envoy, he had intended after his return to the capital to build a temple, install Buddhist images and sutras and treatises, and thereby aid the god's majesty. But he was exiled and could not carry this out. In the Enryaku era he privately founded Jingan-ji in Kawachi. The emperor ordered by edict that it be made a Jōgakuji, a temple of fixed rank. Later Matsuna became Governor of Kawachi, and together with his younger brother Nakayo and others petitioned for it to be exchanged for the site of Takaosanji and renamed Jingo Kokuso Shingonji, and fourteen monks were selected, and fourteen esoteric practitioners were made to chant continuously day and night the Sutra on Protecting the Lord of the Realm, the Sutra on Harmonizing Wind and Rain and Ripening the Five Grains, and others. In the seventh year of Enryaku (788) the ordination was permitted. One person was to be ordained each year, for one generation only. Twenty chō of paddy fields in Bizen were granted as merit land to be passed on for four generations (Note: following the Ruijū Kokushi). When Matsuna was a Shōshō, Lesser Captain, he set aside part of his own stipend and used the funds to buy good fields in Settsu to feed the soldiers. The people of the time relied on this (Note: following the Shoku Nihon Kōki). His son Sadanori became Governor of Settsu and Governor of Mimasaka. Kankō became Governor of Sado (Note: following the Genealogy).

¶Sadanori's son Tokisame devoted himself to medicine and was also versed in acupuncture. In the Jōhei era he passed the examination and became Ihakase, Doctor of Medicine. In the Tenryaku era he became Tenyaku-no-kami, Director of the Bureau of Medicine. In the second year of Kōhō (965) he died, at the age of sixty-seven. The Wake family's taking up medicine as the family profession began with this Tokisame (Note: following the Genealogy).

Wake-no-Nakayo

¶Wake-no-Nakayo was recommended as a Monjōshō at the age of nineteen. At the beginning of Daidō he became Daigaku Daijō, Senior Secretary of the University, and finally ended as Governor of Harima, of Junior Fourth Rank Upper. He was by nature extremely filial and loyal and reverent in public duties, and even when sleeping never pointed his feet toward the palace. When he was first Ōmi-no-suke, he gave all the stipend he received to the poor. When he was Danjō-no-taifu, Senior Assistant of the Board of Censors, as the Board of Censors had no south gate, he reported: "Pray move the west gate of the Chūin and make it the gate of the Board of Censors." He spent his own money to buy five chō of fields in Takashima district of Ōmi province to provide for the Board's food, and did the same after he became Governor of Harima. He governed with integrity, and the people cherished his kindness. In the second year of Ninju (852) he died. The common people longed for him. His son Sadaomi, styled Wajin (Note: the Genealogy makes him a son of Matsuna), lost his mother in childhood and in his grief damaged his health. His uncle Matsuna pitied him deeply. At about the age of twenty he studied Laozi and Zhuangzi under Abe-no-Yoshihito, Jibu-kyō, who thought highly of his talent. He was bright and simple in character, took no interest in miscellaneous arts, and loved only the game of go. Later he entered the university and applied himself diligently. In the Jōwa era he was nominated as a Shūsai and appointed Monjō Tokugōshō, but did not pass the examination in policy. Some years later he was appointed Daigaku Daijō, moved to Ōuchiki, Senior Secretary of the Palace Secretariat, and reached Junior Fifth Rank Lower. He died in office at the age of thirty-seven. The people of the time lamented this (Note: following the Montoku Jitsuroku. Regarding Monjō Tokugōshō, the Shoku Nihongi is followed).