The former emperor

An honorific title for an emperor who has abdicated. Officially, he is called Daijo Tenno. It originated from the Chinese titles Daijokou and Daijo Tenno, with Daijo meaning the highest or supreme. In Japan, the first emperor to be called Daijo Tenno was Empress Jito, who abdicated in 697 (the 1st year of Emperor Mommu), and this title was also included in both the Taiho Code and the Yoro Code. From the Heian period onwards, this title was bestowed by imperial decree of the new emperor, and this was called the honorific ceremony, but it is often abbreviated to Joko. Joko received the same honorifics as an emperor, and especially in the late Heian period, he held real political power and his influence surpassed that of an emperor. The term "insei" (retired emperor's government) was coined because the retired emperor was called "in" (retired emperor) after the title of his palace, but depending on when he abdicated, the titles "Ichi-in," "Hon-in," "Naka-no-in," and "Shin-in" were also given to the retired emperor, and terms such as "Sen-in" and "Sentou," which liken the palace to the residence of immortals, also became alternate names for the retired emperor. After becoming a monk, the titles given to the retired emperor included "Daijō-ho-ō," "Ho-ō," "Hōtei," and "Zenjōsen-in." As an exception, there were a few cases in which the honorific title of "Daijō-tennō" was bestowed on the father of an emperor who did not ascend to the throne.

[Yoshihiko Hashimoto]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

譲位した天皇の尊称。正式には太上(だいじょう)天皇と称する。中国の太上皇(たいじょうこう)、太上皇帝の称に始まり、太上は最上または至上の意。日本では697年（文武天皇1）譲位した持統(じとう)天皇が初めて太上天皇と称し、大宝令(たいほうりょう)・養老令(ようろうりょう)両令にもこの称を載せている。平安時代以降、新帝の詔(みことのり)によってこの称を贈る例となり、これを尊号の儀といったが、また上皇と略称した場合も多い。上皇は天皇に准ずる礼遇を受け、ことに平安後期には政治の実権を握って、その権勢は天皇をもしのいだ。上皇の執政を院政というのは、その御所の称から転じて上皇を院と称したためであるが、さらに譲位の先後により、一院、本院、中院(なかのいん)、新院の称も生まれ、ほかに、御所を神仙の居所になぞらえた仙院、仙洞(せんとう)などの語も上皇の別称となった。また出家後の称には、太上法皇、法皇、法帝、禅定仙院などがある。なお特例として、天皇の父で、即位しなかった親王に太上天皇の尊号を贈った例が二、三ある。

［橋本義彦］

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