2.4 Early Heian: Wild Times in Old Kyoto
The boy emperor, Seiwa (Korehito), obviously could not govern. This was left to Fujiwara no Yoshifusa, his grandfather, who had raised him since infancy. Yoshifusa had complete control of the government and invented a new title for himself, sessho (regent). Yoshifusa as sessho not only spoke for the emperor but also acted as if he were the emperor. Yoshifusa found it a source of power and control and of wealth to grant tax exemptions, opening his own kodomoro office and taking special interest in shiki rights.
In 872, Yoshifusa died and his nephew Fujiwara Mototsune replaced him. In 876, Seiwa was replaced by a younger emperor, a 9 year old boy, Emperor Yōzei. Mototsune followed in Yoshifusa’s footsteps, holding power as regent for four successive emperors. Mototsune invented the position of kampaku in order to remain in power even after an emperor reached maturity. This allowed the Fujiwara clan to have power throughout an emperor’s reign.
Emperor Yōzei was sadistic, accused of murdering a retainer, enjoyed watching animals suffer, and enjoyed personally executing criminals and chasing dissenters with swords. This was too much for Heian-age society. Mototsune suggested a horse race might improve his spirits. On the way to the races, an armed guard appeared with Mototsune who forced Yōzei to abdicate, exiling him to Miyako where he spent the rest of his days terrorizing the locals.
After Yōzei, a new emperor was needed. Prince Tokiyasu was chosen. He was a brother of Montoku, his mother was Fujiwara, and he was 55. Taking the name Kōkō, he proved a most tractable emperor, continuing the regency and reinstalling once time honored ceremonies such as the imperial hawking excursion.
Kōkō was succeeded by his son, Emperor Uda. Mototsune died before he could arrange for a successor, for his sons were young men. Emperor Uda’s reign was a prolonged struggle to reassert power from the Fujiwara. Uda promoted non-Fujiwara officials and especially his trusted counselor, Sugawara Michizane.
Sugawara Michizane was a scholar and famous poet. Michizane rose rapidly to the senior third rank and became a trusted advisor to Uda. While Michizane was advancing, so was Mototsune’s son, Fujiwara Tokihira. After Emperor Uda abdicated in favor of Daigo, Michizane’s position became vulnerable. Tokihira assembled a group of malcontents. They approached Emperor Daigo and accused Michizane of treasonous crimes. Daigo denounced Michizane, stripped Michizane of rank and titles, and banished him. Michizane died in 903 after suffering numerous privations, a broken-hearted man.
After Michizane’s tragic end, there was a series of lunar and solar eclipses. There was severe drought and epidemics. People associated with Emperor Daigo, including several of his children, died. The conspirators died soon after. Severe weather hit Kyoto. An attempt to appease Michizane’s spirit by restoring him to Minister of the Right and burning his banishment documents failed. Lightning struck the imperial palace killing many of those in it. Emperor Daigo died in 930.
Sugawara was deified as Tenjin-samma (a spirit of the sky who could direct lightening), enshrined as the God of Learning and Calligraphy, and was given the title of Heavenly Deity. Kitano Tenman-gū was built to appease his spirit in Kyoto. Today many Shinto shrines in Japan are dedicated to him and school children offer prayers to him to help them pass exams.