Entry 1: Jian 1 {1021} 1-3
治安元年一月・二月・三月
Translators: Emily Warren and Joan Piggott
Original Text
治安元年辛酉、正月、一日丁丑。
Kundoku
治安元年辛酉、正月、一日丁丑（ひのとうし）。
English
Year One of the Jian Era, kanoto tori. First Day, hinoto ushi.
Original Text
廿八日甲辰、臨時仁王會。為攘疾痛也。
Kundoku
廿八日甲辰（きのえたつ）、臨時仁王會（にんのうえ）。疫病（えきびょう）を攘（はら）わんが為也。
English
Twenty-eighth Day, kinoe tatsu. An extraordindary Ninnōe Assembly [was held] in order to banish plague.
Notes
Ninnōe 仁王會: A rite or assembly 法会 (hōe) in which one a hundred high seats are prepared for a group of monks to recite the Sutra of Benevolent Kings 仁王経. This is done in order to ward off disaster and protect the realm. The first on record was held during the reign of Saimei in 660, and the rite became popular during the Nara and Heian periods, eventually becoming an annual event. There are two seasonal Ninnōe held in spring and autumn that are conducted on auspicious days in the Second or Third months, and then again in the Seventh or Eighth months. Extraordinary 臨時 (rinji) Ninnōe, like this one, were held on an ad hoc basis to ward off disaster. This rite might also be conducted once during the life of an important figure for their benefit. Other terms used for this rite include the Hundred Seat Assembly 百座会 (hyakuzae) and Offerings of the Benevolent Kings 仁王供 (ninnōgu). (日本国語大辞典)
Original Text
二月，一日丙午。
Kundoku
二月、一日丙午（ひのえうま）。
English
Second Month, First Day, hinoe uma.
Original Text
二日丁未。釋奠。今日、依辛酉歲、改元治安。大辟以下罪無輕重、咸皆赦除。但犯八虐、故殺、謀殺、私鑄錢、強竊二盜、常赦所不免者、不在此限。又老人及僧尼年百歲以下七十以上給穀。
Kundoku
二日丁未（ひのとひつじ）。釋奠（せきてん）。今日、辛酉（かのととり）の歲（とし）により、治安に改元す。大辟（たいへき）以下の罪、輕重（きょうちょう）無く、咸皆（みな）赦除（しゃめん）す。但し犯（おか）しは八虐（はちぎゃく）、故殺（こさつ）、謀殺（ぼうさつ）、私鑄錢（しちゅうせん）、強竊（ごうせつ）の二盜（にとう）、常に赦（ゆるす）所は免（ゆる）さざらば、此の限（かぎり）在らず。又老人及び僧尼年百歲以下七十以上に穀を給う。
English
Second Day, hinoto hitsuji. Rite Honoring Confucius and his Disciples.
On this day, since it is a Kanoto’tori year, the era name was changed to Jian. Crimes punishable by death and lesser punishments too, without considering them light or heavy, were pardoned. However, crimes—the eight great crimes, murder, plotting to murder, private casting of coinage, armed robbery and larceny—that are not pardonable were not included [in the amnesty]. Also seed was given to the elderly and to monks and nuns between the ages of seventy and hundred years.
Notes
Sekiten 釋奠: A ceremony in which images of Confucius and classical Chinese philosophers were hung in the University Bureau 大学寮 (daigakuryō) on the first hinoto day of the Second and Eighth months. If the event fell on the day of an eclipse, day of mourning, or the New Year, then the ceremony would be held mid-month. After conducting the ritual, which consisted of a variety of offerings, participants held a banquet, literati or scholars 博士 (hakase) posed questions, held debates, and presented poetry. This event fell out of regular practice later during the Heian period but was revived by Fujiwara no Yorinaga in the twelfth century. It would undergo other revivals in the Muromachi and Edo periods.
Toshi 歲: This can refer to cycles of Jupiter, as well as the length of one year. In this case, however, it refers to the cyclical year. Also glosses as sai or sei.（新選漢和辞典 Web版）
Taihekizai 大辟罪: Another word for the death penalty. Also called “the extreme penalty” 極刑 (kyokkei) or “the final silence” 極黙 (kyokudan). In the Yoro Codes 養老令 section on prisons 獄令, this term refers to hanging and execution. It is worth noting that capital punishment was suspended during the Heian period for over 340 years. Scholarly explanations for why this was the case include: Buddhism; toleration of crime; the abolishment of the death penalty in Tang China; the avoidance of creating vengeful onryō spirits among the nobility; and the substitution of exile as a punishment. Exile sometimes functioned as a de facto death penalty. (国史大辞典)
Hachigyaku 八虐: This is a term used in the classical Japanese law codes. It classifies crimes that violate the teachings of the sages and classical Chinese thought into eight categories and stipulates that criminals be punished according to the severity of the crime. It was adapted from the Ten Wrongs 十悪 (jyūaku) of the Tang Penal Code 唐律.
Informal Note: The eight categories are: treason to endanger the state 謀反; conspiring to commit high treason, particularly conspiring to destroy royal mausoleums or the palace 謀大逆; conspiring to betray the will of the state 謀叛; committing the betrayal or beating or murdering one’s family; “Immorality” 不道, which refers to the abuse or murder of lesser members of the household?; “Great Disrespect” 大不敬, which refers to damaging shrines, theft of offerings, theft or forgery of divine objects, seal forgery, making the royal meal in the wrong manner, constructing unsafe ships, taking advantage of public sentiment to advance oneself, and using a royal edict without proper approval; “Unfilial Piety,” 不孝 such as urging one’s parents to acquire wealth, marrying at improper times, improper mourning, and impersonating dead relatives; “Unrighteousness” 不義, which was the murder of one’s master or governor, an official of the fifth rank or above, or a wife who hides away and remarries under the pretext of mourning a dead husband. (国史大辞典)
Kosatsu 故殺: manslaughter, or intentionally killing someone. (日本国語大辞典)
Bōsatsu 謀殺: premeditated murder. This was meant to be distinguished from manslaughter 故殺 in early Japanese penal codes. Premeditated murder was punishable by death, whereas manslaughter was punished by life imprisonment. (日本国語大辞典)
Shichūsen 私鑄錢: Privately minting coins, particularly in reference to counterfeit currency. (日本国語大辞典)
Gōsetsu 強窃: theft and robbery （角川古語大辞典）
Nitō 二盜: a theft conducted by two people （大漢和辞典）
Sha 赦: to be forgiven for a crime （日本国語大辞典）
Original Text
四日己酉、祈年祭。
Kundoku
四日己酉（つちのととり）、祈年祭（きねんさい）。
English
Fourth Day, tsuchinoto tori. Prayers for a Plentiful Harvest
Notes
Kinensai 祈年祭: Rite for the New Year. This rite was held on the Fourth Day of the Second Month in the Nara and Heian periods. Officials from Kami Affairs 神祇官 (Jingikan) and at the provincial offices around the realm conducted the rites to pray for bountiful harvest. This realm-wide affair involved the worship of over three thousand deities, which are listed in the Engi Protocols. (国史大辞典)
Original Text
八日癸丑、園韓神祭
Kundoku
八日癸丑（みずのとうし）、園韓神祭（そのからかみまつり）。
English
Eighth Day, mizunoto ushi. Prayers to the Sono and Kara Deities.
Notes
Sono Kara Kami Matsuri 園韓神祭: Gardens and Earth Kami Rite. This rite was held twice a year in the Second and Eleventh months on ox days. The corresponding shrine was said to have existed in Kyoto in the eighth century, or prior to the capital being moved there. It was regarded as a shrine to protect the monarch and the realm. The rite itself consists of a sacred fire, prayers, song and dance, and then is followed by a banquet attended by officials. The rite declined after the Heian period. Sonokara Shrine 園韓神社 was destroyed in the fifteenth century. (国史大辞典)
Original Text
十一日丙、列見。午刻、關白內大臣［賴通］敘從一位之後、敘從一位、始著宜陽殿。辨、少納言以下為御前。
Kundoku
十一日丙（ひのえたつ）、列見（れっけん）。午刻（うまのこく）に、關白（かんぱく）內大臣（ないだいじん）、［藤原賴通（ふじわらのよりみち）］、從一位を敘する之後、始めて宜陽殿に著く。辨（べん）、少納言（しょうなごん）以下御前為る。
English
Eleventh Day, hinoetatsu. Ministerial Inspection of Nominees for Posts. At the Hour of the Horse [11-13:00], and after the Viceroy cum Inner Palace Minister [Fujiwara no Yorimichi] received the junior first rank, he took his seat in the Giyōden for the first time. Controllers, junior counselors, and those of lower rank [sat] facing him.
Notes
Rekken 列見: One of the ritsuryō ceremonies for appointment to posts.
Giyōden 宜陽殿: A hall where members of state spent a large amount of time for ceremonies.
Original Text
廿五日庚午、依天下疫疾，奉幣廿一社。內記申障。權少外記中原師任奉宣命。但件宣命、兼日大內記菅原忠貞所草也。
Kundoku
廿五日庚午（かのえうま）、天下疫疾（えきしつ）により、廿一社に奉幣（ほうへい）す。內記（ないき）障（しょう）を申す。權少外記中原師任、宣命を奉（たてまつ）る。但し件の宣命、兼日（けんじつ）大內記（だいないき）菅原（すがわらの）忠（たださだ）草（そう）する所也。
English
Twenty-fifth Day, kanoe uma. Because of plague in the realm, [His Majesty’s court] sent cloth strip offerings (hōhei) to the twenty-one shrines. The royal palace secretary (naiki) said he could not serve, [so] Provisional Junior Royal Secretary Nakahara Morotō read the royal proclamation written in mixed form (senmyō). The proclamation had been written in grass (sō) style over recent days by Senior Royal Palace Secretary Sugawara no Tadasada.
Original Text
三月、一日丙子。
Kundoku
三月、一日丙子（ひのえね）。
English
Third Month, First Day, hinoe ne.
Original Text
三日戊寅、御燈。
Kundoku
三日戊寅（つちのえとら）、御燈（ごとう）。
English
Third Day, tsuchinoe tora. Royal Progress to Observe the North Star.
Original Text
四日己卯、於殿上、賜餞太宰帥源朝臣經房赴任。
Kundoku
四日己卯（つちのとう）、殿上に於いて、太宰帥（だざいのそつ）源朝臣經房（つねふさ）、赴任（ふにん）に餞（はなむけ）を賜う。
English
In the Intimates Chamber [His Majesty] gave the Dazaifu second-in-command Sir Minamoto no Tsunefusa a gift of food since he was going out to his post.
Original Text
七日壬午、於大極殿、屈千僧、轉讀壽命經。依天下疾疫也。件經、公卿以下諸司以上分配書之。
Kundoku
七日壬午（みずのえうま）、大極殿に於いて、千僧屈（かがみ）て、壽命經（じゅみょうきょう）を轉讀（てんどく）す。天下疾疫に依る也。件の經、公卿以下諸司以上に分配（ぶんぱい）し、之を書く。
English
Seventh Day, mizunoe uma. One thousand monks prostrated themselves in the Throne Hall (Daigokuden). Because of plague, the Sutra on the Comparison of Life Spans (Jumyōkyō) was read in abbreviated style. As for the sutra, it was distributed to all those from the senior nobles (kugyô) down to [the officials of] the various offices and copied.
Teaching Note
Sutra on the Comparison of Life Spans 較量壽命經: Ch. Jiaoliang shouming jing; Skt. Āyuṣparyanta-sūtra
The DDB is a wonderful resource: http://www.buddhism-dict.net/ddb/
Original Text
十九日甲午、石清水臨時祭。
Kundoku
十九日甲午（きのえうま）、石清水（いわしみず）臨時祭 （りんじさい）。
English
Nineteenth Day, kinoe uma. Extraordinary Prayers at Iwashimizu Shrine.
Original Text
廿五日庚子、季御讀經始。
Kundoku
廿五日庚子（きのえね）、季御讀經（きのみどきょう）始む。
English
Twenty-fifth Day, kinoe ne. The [Spring] Seasonal Sutra Reading began.
Original Text
廿八日癸卯、同竟。
Kundoku
廿八日癸卯（みずのとう）、同竟。
English
Twenty-eighth Day, mizunoto u. The same [ended].
Original Text
廿九日甲辰、前太政大臣、於無量壽院、供養圖繪丈六像一百六十軆。諸大夫以上奉加之。左大臣。顯光。以下諸卿參入。有音樂舞。
Kundoku
廿九日甲（きのえたつ）、前太政大臣［藤原道長］無量壽院（むりょうじゅいん）に於いて、圖繪（ずえ）丈六像一百六十軆（たい）を供養（くよう）し、諸大夫以上之を奉加（ほうが）す。左大臣、顯光（あきみつ）、以下諸卿（しょきょう）參入す。音樂舞有り。
English
Twenty-ninth Day, kinoe tatsu. The former premier minister* [Fujiwara no Michinaga] initiated worship of 160 drawings of the Buddha–each one 15.8 feet high—at Muryōjuin. Fifth rankers and those higher in rank added more images. Minister of the Left [Fujiwara no] Akimitsu and various senior nobles attended. There was music and dance.