Sugawara no Michizane - Sugawara no Michizane

Japanese: 菅原道真 - すがわらのみちざね

He was a Ritsuryo official in the early Heian period. He was famous as a politician, a man of letters, and a scholar. He was the son of Koreyoshi and his mother was Tomo. His real name was Miyoshi and his childhood name was Ako. He was later given the honorific title of Kanko. He rose to the rank of Junior Second Rank and became the Minister of the Right.

Michizane was born on June 25, 12th year of the Jowa era into a family of scholars with a glorious tradition of three generations. From an early age, he had a talent for literature and a strong desire to learn. In 862 (4th year of the Jōgan era), at the age of 18, he became a Monjōshō (scholar of literature), passed the Taisaku (measures examination) in 870, and became a Hakase (doctor of literature) in 877 (1st year of the Gangei era). During this time, he was appointed as a junior naiki (minister of the court) and drafted many imperial edicts, and while he worked diligently in his duties as a junior assistant to the Ministry of the People, he also continued to be active in writing, writing letters on behalf of others and drafting prayers. After the death of his father Koreyoshi in 880, he presided over the Kankeroka, a private school that had been passed down since his father's time, and became the center of the court's literary community. In 886 (Ninna 2), he was transferred to the position of Governor of Sanuki, but the following year, he took a deep interest in the Ako Incident that occurred when Emperor Uda ascended to the throne. He went to Kyoto and submitted a well-reasoned letter of opinion to Fujiwara no Mototsune, and defended Tachibana no Hiromi. He was deeply concerned by the fact that this incident demonstrated the tyranny of powerful officials, and was also rooted in party strife within the literary community that had become embroiled in politics. In 890 (Kanpei 2), after completing his term as provincial governor, Michizane was trusted by Emperor Uda, who sought to curb the sole authority of the Fujiwara clan and realize an ideal government centered on the Emperor. The year after he returned to Kyoto, he was selected as Kurodo no To, and in 893 he was appointed as a councilor and then Sadaiben, placing him at the heart of imperial government. For example, he was appointed as an ambassador to the Tang Dynasty in 894, but due to the chaos in the Tang Dynasty and the development of Japanese culture, he abolished the missions to the Tang Dynasty that had continued since the Nara period, received envoys from the Bohai Dynasty in 895, and the following year submitted a petition calling for a reconsideration of the appointment of tax inspectors. During this time, he continued to rise in rank, serving as Middle Counselor, Minister of Civil Affairs, Provincial Minister of State, Crown Prince's Minister, and Samurai Reader. In 897, Emperor Uda abdicated, but in accordance with his last words, Emperor Daigo placed Michizane in high esteem along with Fujiwara no Tokihira, and in 899 (Shotai 2), he appointed Michizane as Minister of the Right, in opposition to Tokihira's position as Minister of the Left. However, many courtiers at the time were jealous of Michizane's advancement, which exceeded his family's rank as a Confucian scholar, and in 900, he was recommended to resign by Miyoshi Kiyoyuki, a doctor of literary studies. Furthermore, Michizane was seen as a strong opponent by the Fujiwara clan, who had steadily been excluding other clans. Shortly after being awarded the rank of Junior Second Rank in 901 (Engi 1), he was demoted to Dazai Gon no Sochi due to the slander of Tokihira in a dispute between the government and academic schools. He spent two years in confinement at Jomyo-in Temple in Dazaifu (commonly known as Enoki-dera), and died in exile on February 25, 1271, yearning for the Emperor's kindness and longing for his homeland. He is buried at Anraku-ji Temple in Dazaifu City, Fukuoka Prefecture.

Although he suffered setbacks in the political world, Michizane was highly regarded as a scholar and man of letters even at the time, and after his death he was revered as the god of learning. He is particularly famous for compiling the uniquely structured Ruiju Kokushi, and he also participated in the editing of the Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku. He is respected for his literary achievements as "the great father of literature and the master of wind and moon," and his poetry and prose are collected in the Sugake Bunsou and Sugake Goshu. He was also skilled in waka poetry, and the poem "If the east wind blows..." that he composed when he was exiled has been widely known since ancient times. Because his later years were so tragic, there was a strong fear of his vengeful spirit after death, and he soon returned to his original position, and in 993 (Shoreki 4) he was awarded the rank of Daijo Daijin (Grand Minister of State) with the rank of Shoichii, and was worshipped throughout the country as Tenmangu. Kyoto's Kitano Tenmangu Shrine was founded in the mid-10th century to enshrine Michizane.

[Akira Taniguchi]

Legend

The story can be found in the "Okagami" Volume 2 Tokihira-den and "Kitano Tenjin Engi". He was promoted to the position of Minister of the Right, but was demoted to Dazai Gonsochi, and many later legends were added to his tragic life. After his death, his spirit became Tenmanjizaiten, transformed into a blue dragon, and killed Tokihira. Stories of his spirit cursing as a thunder god or becoming a god come from the contemporary belief in spirits. In addition to his character as a raging god, there are also legends of flying plums and flying pine trees in various places. When he was demoted, he wrote, "When the east wind blows, let the fragrance of the plum blossoms rise, even though they have no master, I will not forget spring," and the plum tree in his garden flew away to Tsukushi and other places in later generations. There are also legends about the origins of place names along the route of his demotion, which are sad to see. There are still areas in the Tohoku and Hokuriku regions that have no connection to Michizane where Raijin is worshipped as a god of the fields. The benefit of thunderstorms bringing water is likely what has led to his status as an agricultural god. There are also other legends, such as Ichiya Tenjin and Toto Tenjin.

[Shogo Watanabe]

"Sugawara no Michizane" by Taro Sakamoto (1962, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)" "Sugawara no Michizane" by Takeshi Abe (Kyoikusha History Paperback)"

Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (24) Poet/Michizane Sugawara (Suga family)
Upper verse: This time, I will not even take a offering, Tamukeyama Lower verse: The autumn leaves are bronzed, and I am at the mercy of the gods, This time, I will not even take a offering, Tamukeyama Maple ... Fixed character: A character (sound) that specifies a poem / This Sugawara no Michizane (Suga family) Hishikawa Moronobu illustration [and others] Ogura Hyakunin Isshu, 1680 (Enpo 8), owned by the National Diet Library

Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (24) Poet/Michizane Sugawara (…

"Suga Family Writings"
Volume 1, by Sugawara no Michizane, post-published in 1700 (Genroku 13), owned by the National Diet Library

"Suga Family Writings"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

平安前期の律令(りつりょう)官人。政治家、文人、学者として名が高い。是善(これよし)の子で母は伴(とも)氏。本名は三、幼名を阿呼(あこ)といい、後世菅公(かんこう)と尊称された。従(じゅ)二位右大臣に至る。

　承和(じょうわ)12年6月25日、父祖三代の輝かしい伝統をもつ学者の家に生まれた道真は、幼少より文才に優れ向学心も旺盛(おうせい)で、862年（貞観4）18歳で文章生(もんじょうしょう)となり、870年対策(たいさく)に及第、877年（元慶1）文章博士(はかせ)となった。その間、少内記に任じて多くの詔勅を起草、また民部少輔(しょう)として朝廷の吏務に精勤する一方で、文章の代作や願文の起草など盛んな文章活動を続け、880年父是善の没後は、父祖以来の私塾である菅家廊下(かんけろうか)を主宰、宮廷文人社会の中心となった。886年（仁和2）讃岐守(さぬきのかみ)に転出したが、翌年宇多(うだ)天皇の即位に際して起こった阿衡(あこう)事件には深い関心を寄せ、入京して藤原基経(もとつね)に良識ある意見書を提出、橘広相(たちばなのひろみ)のために弁護した。この事件が権臣の専横を示すとともに、政治に巻き込まれた文人社会の党争に根ざしていただけに心を痛めたのである。890年（寛平2）国司の任期を終えた道真は、藤原氏の専権を抑えて天皇中心の理想政治を実現しようとする宇多天皇の信任を受け、帰京の翌年には蔵人頭(くろうどのとう)に抜擢(ばってき)され、893年参議、左大弁に登用されて朝政の中枢に携わることになった。たとえば894年遣唐大使に任命されたものの、唐朝の混乱や日本文化の発達などを理由に奈良時代から続いた遣唐使を廃止し、895年渤海使(ぼっかいし)を応接、その翌年には検税使の可否を再評議するべき奏状を奉るなどの事績を残している。その間も官位は昇進を続け、中納言(ちゅうなごん)、民部卿(きょう)、権大納言(ごんだいなごん)、春宮大夫(とうぐうだいぶ)、侍読(じとく)などの任にあたっていた。897年宇多天皇は譲位したが、その遺誡(いかい)により醍醐(だいご)天皇は藤原時平(ときひら)とともに道真を重用、899年（昌泰2）時平の左大臣に対して道真を右大臣に任じた。しかし当時の廷臣には儒家としての家格を超えた道真の栄進をねたむ者も多く、900年には文章博士三善清行(みよしきよゆき)の辞職勧告に接している。また他氏を着々と排斥してきた藤原氏にとって道真は強力な対立者とみなされており、901年（延喜1）従二位に叙してまもなく、政権と学派の争いのなかで時平の中傷によって大宰権帥(だざいごんのそち)に左遷された。そして大宰府浄妙院（俗称榎寺(えのきでら)）で謹慎すること2年、天皇の厚恩を慕い望郷の思いにかられつつ、延喜(えんぎ)3年2月25日配所で没した。福岡県太宰府(だざいふ)市安楽寺に葬られる。

　このように政治社会では挫折(ざせつ)したが、学者・文人としての道真は死後学問の神と崇(あが)められてきたように、当時から高く評価されていた。独自の構成をもつ『類聚国史(るいじゅうこくし)』の撰修(せんしゅう)はとくに有名であり、『日本三代実録』の編集にも参加。文学上の業績は「文道の大祖、風月の本主」と尊敬され、その詩文は『菅家文草』『菅家後集』にまとめられている。和歌にも巧みで、配流されるとき詠んだ「東風(こち)吹かば――」の歌は古来人口に膾炙(かいしゃ)した。その晩年が悲惨であっただけに死後の怨霊(おんりょう)に対する怖(おそ)れは強く、まもなく本位本官に復し、993年（正暦4）正一位太政(だいじょう)大臣を贈られるとともに、天満天神(てんまてんじん)として全国的に信仰された。京都北野天満宮(てんまんぐう)は道真を祭神として10世紀なかばに創立されたものである。

［谷口　昭］

伝説

その説話は、『大鏡』巻2時平伝や『北野天神縁起』などにみえる。右大臣まで異常な昇進をするが、大宰権帥に左遷され、悲劇の一生を終えたために付加された後人の伝説も多い。死後の霊は天満自在天となり青竜と化して、時平を殺す。彼の霊が雷神として祟(たた)ったり、神と化した話は、当代の御霊(ごりょう)信仰からきたものである。荒(すさ)ぶる神としての性格のほかに、飛梅(とびうめ)や飛松の伝説も各地にある。左遷にあたって「東風(こち)吹かば匂(にほ)ひおこせよ梅の花主(あるじ)なしとて春な忘れそ」と詠んだ自邸の庭の梅の木が、後世に筑紫(つくし)などに飛んでいったとするものである。また左遷の途次の道筋に沿っての地名起源伝説なども、その哀れさをとどめる。雷神が天神として田の神として祀(まつ)られる地方が、東北、北陸など道真と関係のない地域にも残っている。雷雨によって水をもたらす利益が農神としての性格を残したものであろう。そのほか一夜(いちや)天神や渡唐(ととう)天神などの伝説もある。

［渡邊昭五］

『坂本太郎著『菅原道真』（1962・吉川弘文館）』▽『阿部猛著『菅原道真』（教育社歴史新書）』

小倉百人一首(24)　歌人／菅原道真（菅家）
〈上の句〉このたびは幣も取りあへず手向山　〈下の句〉紅葉の錦神のまにまに　　　このたびはぬさもとりあへずたむけやま　もみぢのにしきかみのまにまに定まり字（決まり字）：歌を特定する字（音）／この菅原道真（菅家）菱川師宣画［他］『小倉百人一首』　1680年（延宝8）国立国会図書館所蔵">

小倉百人一首(24)　歌人／菅原道真（…

『菅家文草』
巻1　菅原道真著　1700年（元禄13）跋刊国立国会図書館所蔵">

『菅家文草』

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