Rites, Music and Courtly Order: Early Entries in Fujiwara no Tadazane’s Denryaku

Instructor: Joan Piggott

The Kambun Workshop of 2022 focussed on the journal of Fujiwara no Tadazane (1078-1162), Denryaku. Fujiwara no Tadazane was a late Heian courtier who served in the highest positions in government during his extensive career. In the early twelfth century, at the age of twenty-four, Tadazane became the head of the powerful Northern Fujiwara. But during his tenure, the Northern Fujiwara split into fighting factions that were not only building alliances within the family, but also with members of the royal family. Tadazane became involved in a violent succession dispute, the Hōgen Disturbance, and escaped with his life. Through his journal, scholars can better understand the conflicts of the tumultuous twelfth century as well as daily life at court. In particular, workshop entries focussed on the early events in Tadazane’s twenties, from 1098 to 1108. Tadazane’s accounts convey the charms and challenges for the young man: the challenges of learning Kambun; practicing many different instruments; or political maneuvering during crucial court events as he came to lead the Northern Fujiwara.

Working in teams, workshop participants translated journal entries from Kambun into Classical Japanese and English. Friday meetings were dedicated to consultation meetings with Professor Onoe of the University of Tokyo Historiographical Institute. The Workshop also held an Introduction to Kambun course prior to the Denryaku translation, which was taught by Dr. Sachiko Kawai. Translations were edited and digitized by Emily Warren.

Participants: Niels van der Salm, Jillian Barndt, Elinor Lindeman, Savannah Mikus, Joomi Lee, Julie Morris, Tianqi Zhu, Paula Curtis, Lina Nie, Richard Cheung, Yoshiko Kainuma, Kiko Yamashita , Sarah Sklar, Wei Cui, Yagi Morris, Karen Gerhart, Dario Minguzzi, Daniele Durante, Emily Wan, Sean Chen, Maria Gracia, Aileen Gatten, Huang Xiaolong

Translations

Denryaku: Shōtoku 2 {1098} 1.1 — Joan Piggott — Tadazane stays home
Denryaku: Shōtoku 2 {1098} 1.2 — Joan Piggott — Tadazane does New Year’s greetings
Denryaku: Shōtoku 2 {1098} 1.27 — Joan Piggott — Tadazane meets with officials
Denryaku: Shōtoku 2 {1098} 1.28 — Joan Piggott — The Ceremony for Assigning Posts

Denryaku: Shōtoku 2 {1098} 2.2 — Niels van der Salm — Morozane, Moromichi, and Tadazane go to Uji for Yorimichi's memorial service.
Denryaku: Shōtoku 2 {1098} 2.3 — Niels van der Salm — Tadazane's daughter Taishi's hair is cut. Courtiers come to express gratitude to Tadazane.
Denryaku: Shōtoku 2 {1098} 2.4 — Niels van der Salm — Tadazane engages in poetry composition and receives horseriding equipment.
Denryaku: Shōtoku 2 {1098} 2.5 — Niels van der Salm — Tadazane puts in a good word for Ōe no Michikuni.

Denryaku: Shōtoku 2 {1098} 2.9 — Dario Minguzzi — Moromichi's progress to Nara to supervise the ceremony of ridgepole-raising at Kōfukuji

Denryaku: Kōwa 1 {1099} 8.28 — Jillian Barndt — Tadazane becomes nairan by royal order.
Denryaku: Kōwa 1 {1099} 9.13 — Jillian Barndt — Tadazane spends his first night in attendance at the palace. He also visits Queen-consort Tokushi.
Denryaku: Kōwa 1 {1099} 9.14 — Jillian Barndt — Tadazane visits Fujiwara no Kanshi, Princess Yushi, and his mother.
Denryaku: Kōwa 1 {1099} 10.6 — Jillian Barndt — Tadazane receives the traditional items reserved for the head of the Sekkanke.

Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 1.1 — Emily Warren — Tadazane reports on some court rites in the New Year.
Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 1.2 — Emily Warren — Tadazane does a private tour of a royal cloister and hears news of appointments.
Denryaku: Kōwa {1100} 1.3 — Emily Warren — Tadazane briefly notes the weather.
Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 1.4 — Emily Warren — Tadazane visits Morozane for the first time in the New Year.
Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 1.5 — Emily Warren — Tadazane attends the Promotions in Rank Ceremony.

Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 1.8 — Elinor Lindeman — Tadazane visits the regent and requests a flute from the Kitano Mandokoro.
Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 1.9 — Elinor Lindeman — Tadazane practices music and meets with various officials.

Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 1.15 — Daniele Durante — Tadazane does Buddhist studies and painting.
Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 2.7 — Maria Petrucci — Tadazane witnesses a fire.
Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 2.14 — Savannah Mikus — Tadazane is in ritual seclusion.
Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 2.15 — Wei Cui — Tadazane goes to Uji and the palace.

Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 2.20 — Kiko Yamashita — Tadazane goes to Uji and Morozane and Reishi and take a saltwater bath.
Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 2.22 — Kiko Yamashita — Tadazane summons a diviner heal a tired ox.

Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 5.4 — Savannah Mikus — Some men preform a moxibustion and are rewarded.
Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 5.16 — Jillian Barndt — Tadazane hears about an event at Hie Shrine.
Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 5.24 — Jillian Barndt — Tadazane reports on who attended a sutra reading.
Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 7.1 — Emily Warren — Tadazane becomes a minister.

Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 7.18 — Wei Cui — Tadazane expresses his thanks for the promotion.
Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 7.25 — Richard Cheung — Tadazane attends a royal viewing of grappling.
Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 7.27 — Sean Chen — Tadazane goes to the palace and makes a mistake during a ceremony.

Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 8.18 — Lina Nie — Tadazane attends a ceremony at the Kangakuin.
Denryaku: Kōwa 3 {1101} 1.29 — Lina Nie — Morozane takes Buddhist vows.
Denryaku: Kōwa 2 {1100} 11.27 — Lina Nie — Tadazane attends a rite at Kasuga Shrine.