Saeki Imamishi - Saeki Imamishi

Japanese: 佐伯今毛人 - さえきのいまえみし

Year of death: Enryaku 9.10.3 (790.11.13)
Year of birth: Yoro 3 (719)
An official of the Nara period. Son of a laborer. Family name Sukune. A native of Sakyo. Given name Wakako, changed to Imagojin around 747. Also written as Imaezo. He participated in the construction of Todaiji Temple, and skillfully used the civil servants, earning him the trust of Emperor Shomu. From 752, he served as deputy chief of the Todaiji Temple Construction Office, and played a central role in the temple's construction, hosting the Great Buddha's eye-opening ceremony in April 752. In January 752, he became chief, and is known to have held that position until March 757. In January 757, he returned to his position as chief of the Todaiji Temple Construction Office, but in April, Ichihara no Okimi became chief. Around this time, Fujiwara no Yoshitsugu hated the sole authority of Fujiwara no Nakamaro and, together with Imamunehito, Ishigami Yakatagu, Otomo no Yakamochi and other members of old noble families, plotted to assassinate Nakamaro, but when the plot was discovered, only Yoshitsugu accepted the charges while the others escaped. Perhaps Imamunehito's transfer after only three months was related to this. In January of the following year, he went down to Kyushu as the castle superintendent, supervising the construction of castles under the jurisdiction of Dazaifu. In the year following the fall of Nakamaro, the first year of Tenpyo Jingo (765), he became Dazai Daini, and in March he also took on the role of special governor of Chikuido Castle (Maebara City), and in February of the first year of Jingo Keiun (767), he returned to Kyoto as the chief of the construction of Saidaiji Temple, and was frequently involved in construction projects. In June of the 6th year of the Houki era (775), he was appointed as an ambassador to Tang China, but the following year he set sail but the weather was not favorable, and Imamune returned from Dazaifu alone in November, and in April of the following year he went as far as Settsu-shoku (Osaka prefecture), but did not travel to Tang China due to illness. In March of the 7th year of the Houki era, together with his brother, Mamoru, he purchased the land at Gojo Rokubo in the Sakyo region from Todai-ji and Daian-ji temples, and built his clan temple, Saeki-in (Koseki-ji). In April of the 1st year of the Enryaku era (782), he was appointed Left Chief Examiner, and in April of the following year, he was appointed Empress's Palace Minister, and in June of the 3rd year of the Enryaku era, he was appointed Nagaoka Palace Envoy, probably due to his skill in construction. In December of the same year, he was promoted to Councillor, and in June of the following year, he was promoted to Junior Third Rank, and in April of the 5th year, he became Dazai no Sochi, but in January of the 8th year, he retired at the age of 71. <References> Tsunoda Fumiei, Saeki Imamune

(Kazumi Tateno)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：延暦9.10.3(790.11.13)
生年：養老3(719)
奈良時代の官人。人足の子。姓は宿禰。左京の人。名は若子,天平19(747)年ごろに今毛人に改める。今蝦夷とも書く。東大寺造営に参画して,巧みに役民を使い,聖武天皇の信任を受けた。天平20年以来,造東大寺司次官としてみえ,東大寺の造営に中心的役割を果たし,天平勝宝4(752)年4月には大仏開眼会を迎えた。同7年1月,長官になり,天平宝字1(757)年3月まではその任にあったことが知られる。同7年1月造東大寺司長官に復したが,4月には市原王が長官になった。このころ,藤原良継が藤原仲麻呂の専権を憎み,今毛人や石上宅嗣,大伴家持ら旧来の名族の人たちと共に,仲麻呂殺害を計画したが発覚し,良継ひとり罪に服し,他は難を免れたという事件が起こったが,今毛人がわずか3カ月で転任したのは,これに関連する措置か。翌8年1月には大宰府管下の城郭の造営を監督する営城監となり九州に下る。仲麻呂滅亡後の翌天平神護1(765)年大宰大弐となり,3月には築怡土城(前原市)専知官を兼任,神護景雲1(767)年2月造西大寺長官に転じて帰京するなど,度々造営事業に携わった。宝亀6(775)年6月遣唐大使に任じられ,翌年出帆したが順風を得られず,11月今毛人のみ大宰府から帰り,さらにその翌年4月には摂津職(大阪府)まで行ったが,病気のため渡唐しなかった。宝亀7年3月兄の真守と共に左京五条六坊の地を東大寺と大安寺から購入し,氏寺佐伯院(香積寺)を建立した。延暦1(782)年4月左大弁,翌年4月皇后宮大夫を兼任,同3年6月に造長岡宮使になったのはその造営手腕によるものであろう。同年12月参議,翌年6月正三位に昇り,5年4月大宰帥になったが,8年1月71歳で引退。<参考文献>角田文衛『佐伯今毛人』

(館野和己)

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