Kūya (空也; 903-972) was an itinerant Japanese Buddhist monk , or hijiri (聖), later ordained in the Tendai Buddhist sect, who was an early proselytizer of the practice of the nembutsu amongst the populace. Kūya's efforts helped promote the Pure Land teaching of Buddhism to the capital at a time when the movement was first gaining traction in Japan. For his efforts, Kūya earned the name ichi hijiri (holy man of the marketplace) and Amida hijiri . Kūya was known for taking images with him on his travels and added musical rhythm and dance to his prayers, known as odori nembutsu . Like Gyōki , he is said to have performed works for the public benefit such as building roads and bridges, digging wells, and burying abandoned corpses.
36-642: Biographies of Kūya were written by his friends and followers Jakushin and Minamoto -no-Tamenori, and Number 18 of the Ryōjin Hishō derives from 'Kūya's Praise'. The late tenth-century collection of biographies of those who had attained rebirth in the Pure Land, the Nihon ōjō gokuraki ki , attributes to Kūya the devotion of all Japan to the nembutsu. He is also known as founder of Rokuharamitsu-ji where he later died. Details of Kūya's life are very scant prior to 938, but in
72-612: A gon-dainagon (acting dainagon ). These were non-royal descendants of Emperor Ōgimachi . At first they were buke , but they later became dōjō-ke , the Hirohata family . Japanese clans This is a list of Japanese clans . The old clans ( gōzoku ) mentioned in the Nihon Shoki and Kojiki lost their political power before the Heian period , during which new aristocracies and families, kuge , emerged in their place. After
108-502: A grand ceremony to commemorate the completion of a copy, begun in 950 and relying on community donations, of the Mahaprajnaparamita Sutra composed in gold ink. Research suggests this sutra project was intended to relieve epidemics and pacify the spirits of the dead. The biographies continue describing further miracles performed by Kūya until his death in 972. Details of Kūya's religious beliefs are not explicitly explained in
144-457: Is known to survive. These were descendants of Emperor Kazan . They became the dōjō Shirakawa family , which headed the Jingi-kan for centuries, responsible for the centralised aspects of Shinto . These were descendants of Emperor Sanjō 's son Prince Atsuakira . Starting with one of them, Minamoto no Michisue , the position of Ōkimi-no-kami (chief genealogist of the imperial family) in
180-464: Is termed the ancestor of the Seiwa Genji, there is evidence (rediscovered in the late 19th century by Hoshino Hisashi ) suggesting that he was actually the grandson of Emperor Yōzei rather than of Emperor Seiwa. This theory is not widely accepted as fact, but as Yōzei was deposed for reprehensible behaviour, there would have been a compelling motive to claim descent from more auspicious origins if it were
216-557: The Ashikaga shogunate (1333 to 1573). The Minamoto clan is also called the Genji ( 源氏 , "Minamoto clan") , or less frequently, the Genke ( 源家 , "House of Minamoto") , using the on'yomi readings of gen ( 源 ) for "Minamoto", while shi or ji ( 氏 ) means " clan ", and ke ( 家 ) is used as a suffix for " extended family ". The Emperors of Japan bestowed noble surnames upon members of
252-506: The Ashikaga shogunate of Muromachi period ), Nitta , Takeda , and Tokugawa (founders of the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period ) clans claim descents from the Minamoto clan (Seiwa Genji branch). The protagonist of the classical Japanese novel The Tale of Genji (The Tale of Minamoto clan)— Hikaru Genji , was bestowed the name Minamoto for political reasons by his father the emperor and
288-621: The Hōgen Rebellion (1156), when the Taira executed most of the line, including Minamoto no Tameyoshi . During the Heiji Disturbance (1160), the head of the Seiwa Genji, Minamoto no Yoshitomo , died in battle. Taira no Kiyomori seized power in Kyoto by forging an alliance with the retired emperors Go-Shirakawa and Toba and infiltrating the kuge . He sent Minamoto no Yoritomo (1147–1199),
324-565: The Kamakura period (1192–1333 AD) of Japanese history. The name "Genpei" comes from alternate readings of the kanji "Minamoto" (源 Gen ) and "Taira" (平 Hei ). The Kamakura Shogunate was overthrown by Emperor Go-Daigo in the Kenmu Restoration of 1333. Three years later the Kenmu government would then itself be overthrown by the Ashikaga clan , descendants of the Seiwa Genji who established
360-564: The Kawachi Genji was a leader of a buke . His descendants set up the Kamakura shogunate , making his a prestigious pedigree claimed by many buke , particularly for the direct descendants in the Ashikaga clan (that set up the Ashikaga shogunate ) and the rival Nitta clan . Centuries later, Tokugawa Ieyasu would claim descent from the Seiwa Genji by way of the Nitta clan. These were descendants of Emperor Yōzei . While Minamoto no Tsunemoto
396-729: The Ministry of the Imperial Household was passed down hereditarily. These were descendants of Emperor Go-Sanjō 's son Prince Sukehito . Sukehito's son Minamoto no Arihito was a sadaijin . Minamoto no Yoritomo 's vassal Tashiro Nobutsuna , who appears in the Tale of the Heike , was allegedly Arihito's grandson (according to the Genpei Jōsuiki ). This line consisted solely of Emperor Go-Shirakawa son Mochihito-ō (Takakura-no-Miya). As part of
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#1732884252915432-609: The Sasaki clan of the Ōmi Genji , and the Izumo Genji . These were descendants of Emperor Daigo . His son Minamoto no Takaakira became a sadaijin , but his downfall came during the Anna incident . Takaakira's descendants include the Okamoto and Kawajiri clans. Daigo's grandson Minamoto no Hiromasa was a reputed musician. These were descendants of Emperor Murakami . His grandson Morofusa
468-403: The capital in 938. Due to an ongoing revolt at the time, people from the provinces were displaced and came to the capital. Kūya was said to beg for food and then distribute that food to refugees and others who were suffering. Additionally, Kūya constructed Buddhist stupa and hanging scrolls depicting Kannon and Amitābha Buddha. Since his early years traveling the provinces, Kūya employed
504-522: The imperial dynasty , making both clans distant relatives. The most prominent of the several Minamoto families, the Seiwa Genji , descended from Minamoto no Tsunemoto (897–961), a grandson of Emperor Seiwa . Tsunemoto went to the provinces and became the founder of a major warrior dynasty. Minamoto no Mitsunaka (912–997) formed an alliance with the Fujiwara. Thereafter the Fujiwara frequently called upon
540-602: The imperial family who were excluded from the line of succession and demoted into the ranks of the nobility . In May 814, the first emperor to grant the surname "Minamoto" was Emperor Saga , to his seventh son— Minamoto no Makoto , in Heian-Kyō (modern Kyōto ). The practice was most prevalent during the Heian period (794–1185 AD), although its last occurrence was during the Sengoku period . The Taira were another such offshoot of
576-518: The nembutsu as a means of magically delivering the dead to the Pure Land , in contrast to the practice at the time where the dead were frequently left to decompose where they were left. Kūya was fully ordained as a monk in 948 in the Tendai Buddhist sect at Enryakuji temple on Mount Hiei , and continued promoting the practice of the nembutsu while engaging in other activities. In 963, Kūya staged
612-572: The royal class (and therefore outranked members of Minamoto clans). The bestowing of the Minamoto name on a (theretofore-)prince or his descendants excluded them from the royal class altogether, thereby operating as a reduction in legal and social rank even for ō -princes not previously in the line of succession. Many later clans were formed by members of the Minamoto clan, and in many early cases, progenitors of these clans are known by either family name. There are also known monks of Minamoto descent; these are often noted in genealogies but did not carry
648-747: The Heian era. The Minamoto was one of the four great clans that dominated Japanese politics during the Heian period in Japanese history —the other three were the Fujiwara , the Taira , and the Tachibana . In the late Heian period, Minamoto rivalry with the Taira culminated in the Genpei War (1180–1185 AD). The Minamoto emerged victorious and established Japan's first shogunate in Kamakura under Minamoto no Yoritomo , who appointed himself as shōgun in 1192, ushering in
684-454: The Heian period, the samurai warrior clans gradually increased in importance and power until they came to dominate the country after the founding of the first shogunate . There are ancient-era clan names called Uji-na ( 氏名 ) or Honsei ( 本姓 ) . Gempeitōkitsu ( 源平藤橘 ) , 4 noble clans of Japan: From the late ancient era onward, the family name (Myōji/苗字 or 名字) had been commonly used by samurai to denote their family line instead of
720-490: The Minamoto to restore order in the capital, Heian-Kyō (modern Kyōto ). Mitsunaka's eldest son, Minamoto no Yorimitsu (948–1021), became the protégé of Fujiwara no Michinaga ; another son, Minamoto no Yorinobu (968–1048) suppressed the rebellion of Taira no Tadatsune in 1032. Yorinobu's son, Minamoto no Yoriyoshi (988–1075), and grandson, Minamoto no Yoshiie (1039–1106), pacified most of northeastern Japan between 1051 and 1087. The Seiwa Genji's fortunes declined in
756-452: The biographies, but it is inferred from his actions that Kūya viewed the nembutsu as a form of thaumaturgy or miracle-working, as well as a form of salvation more common in later Pure Land teachings. Stories of hijiri itinerant monks (cf. Gyōki) were common in the early Heian period , and Kūya is counted among them, but differs somewhat in his employment of the nembutsu as opposed to more widespread esoteric practices . Further, Kūya
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#1732884252915792-587: The case. These were descendants of Emperor Kōkō . The great-grandson of his firstborn Prince Koretada , Kōshō , was the ancestor of a line of busshi , from which various styles of Buddhist sculpture emerged. Kōshō's grandson Kakujo established the Shichijō Bussho workshop. These were descendants of Emperor Uda . Two sons of Prince Atsumi , Minamoto no Masanobu and Minamoto no Shigenobu became sadaijin . Masanobu's children in particular flourished, forming five dōjō houses as kuge , and as buke
828-425: The clan name (in favour of a dharma name ). The Minamoto is the ancestor and parent clan of many notable descendant clans, some of which are Ashikaga , Tokugawa , Matsudaira , Nitta , Takeda , Shimazu , Sasaki , Akamatsu , Kitabatake , Tada, Ota , Toki , Yamana , Satomi , Hosokawa , Satake , Yamamoto, Hemi, Ogasawara , Yasuda , Takenouchi, Hiraga, Imagawa , Miyake , etc. There were 21 branches of
864-472: The clan, each named after the emperor from whom it descended. Some of these lineages were populous, but a few did not produce descendants. The Saga Genji are descendants of Emperor Saga . As Saga had many children, many were bestowed the uji Minamoto, declassing them from imperial succession. Among his sons, Makoto , Tokiwa , and Tōru took the position of Minister of the Left ( sadaijin ); they were among
900-497: The coldest season". Minamoto clan Minamoto ( 源 ) was a noble surname bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were excluded from the line of succession and demoted into the ranks of the nobility since 814. Several noble lines were bestowed the surname, the most notable of which was the Seiwa Genji , whose descendants established the Kamakura and Ashikaga shogunates following
936-503: The existing biographies it is said that Kūya, possibly of Imperial lineage, took tonsure at a temple in Owari Province in his youth and traveled to various holy sites and performing good works in the community. Later, Kūya traveled to Awa and Tosa provinces before undertaking austerities at a place called Yushima (湯島) before a statue of Kannon . After attaining a vision of Kannon, he traveled to other provinces and eventually came to
972-591: The industrial and financial vertically integrated business conglomerates in the Empire of Japan , whose influence and size allowed control over significant parts of the Japanese economy from the Meiji period until the end of World War II . Ryukyuan people are not Yamato people , but the Ryukyu Islands have been part of Japan since 1879. Ryukyuan dynasties: Toraijin is used to describe migrants in many contexts, from
1008-814: The most powerful in the Imperial Court in the early Heian period . Some of Tōru's descendants in particular settled the provinces and formed buke . Clans such as the Watanabe , Matsuura , and Kamachi descend from the Saga Genji. Noted Saga Genji and descendants include: History records indicate that at least three of Emperor Saga's daughters were also made Minamoto ( Minamoto no Kiyohime , Minamoto no Sadahime , and Minamoto no Yoshihime ), but few records concerning his daughters are known. They were descendants of Emperor Ninmyō . His sons Minamoto no Masaru and Minamoto no Hikaru were udaijin . Among Hikaru's descendants
1044-554: The name of the ancient clan that the family line belongs to (uji-na/氏名 or honsei/本姓), which was used only in the official records in the Imperial court. Kuge families also had used their family name (Kamei/家名) for the same purpose. Each of samurai families is called "[family name] clan (氏)" as follows and they must not be confused with ancient clan names. The list below is a list of various aristocratic families whose families served as Shugo , Shugodai , Jitō , and Daimyo Zaibatsu were
1080-421: The succession dispute that led to the opening hostilities of the Genpei War , he was declassed (renamed " Minamoto no Mochimitsu ") and exiled. These were descendants of Emperor Juntoku 's sons Tadanari-ō and Prince Yoshimune . The latter's grandson Yoshinari rose to sadaijin with the help of Ashikaga Yoshimitsu . This line consisted solely of Emperor Go-Saga 's grandson Prince Koreyasu . Koreyasu-ō
1116-441: The third son of Minamoto no Yoshimoto of the Seiwa Genji, into exile. In 1180, during the Genpei War , Yoritomo mounted a full-scale rebellion against the Taira rule, culminating in the destruction of the Taira and the subjugation of eastern Japan within five years. In 1192, he received the title shōgun and set up the first bakufu in the history of Japan at Kamakura — Kamakura shogunate . The later Ashikaga (founders of
Kūya - Misplaced Pages Continue
1152-546: Was Minamoto no Atsushi , adoptive father of the Saga Genji's Watanabe no Tsuna and father of the Seiwa Genji's Minamoto no Mitsunaka 's wife. These were descendants of Emperor Montoku . Among them, Minamoto no Yoshiari was a sadaijin , and among his descendants were the Sakado clan who were Hokumen no Bushi . These were descendants of Emperor Seiwa . The most numerous of them were those descended from Minamoto no Tsunemoto , son of Prince Sadazumi . Hachimantarō Yoshiie of
1188-454: Was an udaijin and had many descendants, among them several houses of dōjō kuge . Until the Ashikaga clan took it during the Muromachi period , the title of Genji no Chōja always fell to one of Morofusa's progeny. These were descendants of Emperor Reizei . Though they are included among the listing of 21 Genji lineages, no concrete record of the names of his descendants made Minamoto
1224-451: Was delegated to civilian life and a career as an imperial officer. The Genpei War is also the subject of the early Japanese epic The Tale of the Heike ( Heike Monogatari ). Even within royalty there was a distinction between princes with the title shinnō ( 親王 ) , who could ascend to the throne, and princes with the title ō ( 王 ) , who were not members of the line of imperial succession but nevertheless remained members of
1260-568: Was installed as a puppet shōgun (the seventh of the Kamakura shogunate ) at a young age, and was renamed " Minamoto no Koreyasu " a few years later. After he was deposed, he regained royal status, and became a monk soon after, thereby losing the Minamoto name. These were descendants of Emperor Go-Fukakusa 's son Prince Hisaaki (the eighth shōgun of the Kamakura shogunate ). Hisaaki's sons Prince Morikuni (the next shōgun ) and Prince Hisayoshi were made Minamoto. Hisayoshi's adopted "nephew" (actually Nijō Michihira 's son) Muneaki became
1296-474: Was not exclusively devoted to Amitābha Buddha, but venerated other Buddhist deities, particularly Kannon Bodhisattva. Kūya's followers commemorated his death for 48 nights from the 13th November onwards, by bowl-beating ( hachi-tataki ) in and around Kyoto. The haiku poets were very struck by this practice, making 'cold prayers' ( kan-nembutsu ) a set topic, and giving rise to Basho 's famous tribute: "Dried salted salmon, / Kūya's emaciation also, / During
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