Fujiwara no Michinaga

A politician in the mid-Heian period, he was at the peak of the Fujiwara clan's heyday. The Okagami and Eiga Monogatari place emphasis on describing Michinaga's life. His father was Kaneie, who was the regent, chancellor and grand minister of state of the Northern Fujiwara clan. His mother was Tokihime, daughter of Sakyo no Daifu Fujiwara no Nakamasa. He was called Mido-dono and Hojo-ji-dono, but it is a mistake to write him as Mido-kanpaku. Although he served as a nairan, a position similar to a chancellor, he never became a chancellor. Michinaga, the fifth son of Kaneie, made a smooth career in the government and was appointed Gon Dainagon (provisional chief counselor) at the young age of 26 in 991 (Shoreki 2). However, with his elder brothers Michitaka, Michitsuna, and Michikane, he did not think that he would achieve great success. However, in April 995 (Choutoku 1), the regent Michitaka fell ill with an epidemic, and his successor Michikane also died after only seven days in office. In May of the same year, with the support of his elder sister Akiko (Empress Ichijo's mother, Higashisanjo-in), Michinaga, who was Gon Dainagon, unexpectedly received the Imperial Order of Nairan, and then in June he was appointed Udaijin (Minister of the Right), and took over the seat of government. After overcoming the political feud with his nephew Korechika that arose from this, Michinaga suppressed the noble Fujiwara no Kinto and consolidated his own government with the cooperation of Minamoto no Toshikata and Fujiwara no Yukinari. On the other hand, he took Tomoko of the Uda Genji clan as his legal wife and Akiko (Takamatsu-dono) of the Daigo Genji clan as his legal wife, giving him a good appearance.

As her eldest daughter, Akiko, grew up, she was placed in the harem of Emperor Ichijo as the Empress Dowager, thus beginning the system of one emperor and two empresses. When Emperor Sanjo ascended to the throne, her second daughter, Yoshiko, was made his Empress Dowager. When Emperor Sanjo began to suffer from eye disease, he used this as an excuse to demand that he abdicate. Thus, Prince Atsunari, born to Akiko, ascended to the throne (Emperor Goichijo), and he was appointed regent as his maternal grandfather (1016). The following year, he stepped down as regent and was promoted to Junior First Rank Grand Minister of State. In that same year, he manipulated the situation so that Crown Prince Atsuakira (Prince Sanjo) would decline, and made Prince Atsunaga, born to Shoshi, the younger brother of the Crown Prince. In 1018 (Kannin 2), when his first son, Yorimichi, was appointed regent, Takeko, born to his legal wife, became the Empress Dowager of Emperor Go-Ichijo, and her full sister Yoshiko became the wife of the younger brother of the Crown Prince (later Emperor Go-Suzaku) as Naishi no Kami. Now, of his daughters, Shoshi became the Grand Empress Dowager, Kenshi became the Empress Dowager, and Takeko became the Empress Dowager, and Michinaga became the father of three Empresses. The famous poem about the full moon, "This world is my world, and I think that the full moon has never left me," was written in joy by Michinaga in October of the same year, at the height of his power.

As a politician, Michinaga did not have any particularly outstanding policies. This is evidenced by his lack of planning when the Toi bandits invaded the country in 1019. However, the political situation in the country was peaceful, and the influence of the regent family, which had been cultivated for generations, was strong, so it can be said that the political world was able to avoid any trouble. What he devoted the most to was the policy of the harem, where he brought his daughters into the palace one after another, and by having his grandson ascend to the throne, he gained an unshakable position and then passed this on to his sons.

Michinaga was not a cold-hearted or ruthless politician. Defeating political opponents is inevitable for any politician, but in his case, he treated his political opponents well once they had fallen from grace, and even arranged for them to have his daughters with him, in order to avoid incurring their wrath. He also frequently had his concubines serve as ladies-in-waiting in various parts of the harem, and gather all sorts of information. It is likely that Murasaki Shikibu was one of those concubines.

Like many aristocrats of the time, Michinaga was a devoted believer in Buddhism. He built Jomyo-ji Temple in the Kohata cemetery in Uji to hold a memorial service for his ancestors, and also made a pilgrimage to Kinpusen in Yoshino, where he established the foundations of Buddhist sutra burial. In 1019, with Ingen as his precept master, he became a monk and took the Buddhist name Gyokan (later Gyokaku). In his later years, he built the magnificent Hojo-ji Temple, known as the Pure Land on Earth, adjacent to the east of his main residence, Tsuchimikado Palace.

In the field of literature, Michinaga was an excellent poet and tanka poet. Many of his Chinese poems are collected in the Honcho Reiso. Thirty-three of his waka poems are included in the Goshuishū and other imperial anthologies. His poems are also collected in the Midō Kanpakushū, but this is not considered to be his collection of tanka.

Michinaga's appointment of two highly gifted ladies as aides to Empress Shoshi greatly contributed to the rise of female literature. According to the Murasaki Shikibu Diary, he had a great interest in The Tale of Genji, and supported Murasaki Shikibu in that regard as well.

Although Michinaga was busy with government affairs, he kept a daily diary for 23 years. The extant handwritten version of his diary spans 14 volumes, and was later called "Mido Kanpakuki." This diary is an extremely valuable historical document for understanding the politics and social conditions of the early 11th century.

Michinaga was not originally of a healthy constitution, and suffered from serious illnesses several times throughout his life. He began to suffer from diabetes from around the age of 51. In fact, around the time he composed the famous "Poem of the Moon Overflowing," he was already suffering from cataracts and cardiac neuralgia caused by diabetes. In addition, in August 1025 (Manju 2), his daughter Yoshiko died after giving birth to a prince (later Emperor Go-Reizei), and Kenshi also died in September 1027. These sorrows dealt a heavy blow to him. Since June of the same year, he had been troubled by a carbuncle on his back. Despite all kinds of prayers and treatments, the condition did not improve, and by October, he was in agony from the carbuncle, which had swelled to the size of a breast. He moved his sickbed to the Kutai Amida Hall of Hosho-ji Temple, where he faced west (towards the Pure Land) and passed away on December 4th of the same year. He was 62 years old. On the same day, Gon Dainagon Yukinari, Michinaga's longtime ally, also passed away (aged 56). Michinaga's remains were cremated in Toribeno, Atago County, and his ashes were buried in the cemetery at Kohata in Uji. There are numerous cremation graves related to the Northern Branch of the Fujiwara clan in Kohata, but it is unclear which one is Michinaga's grave.

[Fumiei Tsunoda]

"Complete Collection of Japanese Classical Literature 20: O-kagami (1974, Shogakukan)" ▽ "Japanese Classical Literature Series 75 & 76: Eiga Monogatari, Volumes 1 & 2 (1976, Iwanami Shoten)" ▽ "Mido Kanpaku Fujiwara no Michinaga" by Akagi Shizuko (1966, Shuei Publishing)" ▽ "Fujiwara no Michinaga" by Kitayama Shigeo (Iwanami Shinsho)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安中期の政治家で、藤原氏全盛期の最頂点にたった人物。『大鏡』や『栄花物語』は道長の生涯の記述に重点を置いている。父は、藤原氏北家(ほっけ)の摂政(せっしょう)・関白・太政大臣(だいじょうだいじん)の兼家(かねいえ)。母は、左京大夫藤原中正(なかまさ)の女(むすめ)の時姫。御堂殿(みどうどの)、法成寺殿(ほうじょうじどの)などとよばれたが、彼を御堂関白と記するのは誤り。彼は関白に類した内覧には在任したけれども、関白には任じられないままに終わった。兼家の五男に生まれた道長は順調に官途をたどり、991年（正暦2）26歳の若さで権大納言(ごんだいなごん)に任じられはしたが、兄に道隆(みちたか)、道綱(みちつな)、道兼(みちかね)がおり、彼自身さほど栄華を極めるに至るとは考えていなかった。ところが995年（長徳1）4月、関白道隆が疫病で倒れ、後を襲った関白道兼も、在職7日にして薨(こう)じたため、同年5月、姉の詮子(あきこ)（一条天皇(いちじょうてんのう)母后、東三条院）の推輓(すいばん)によって権大納言の道長は、図らずも内覧の宣旨を被り、ついで6月、右大臣に任じられ、政権の座についた。これに派生した甥(おい)の伊周(これちか)との政治的確執を克服した道長は、名門藤原公任(きんとう)を抑え、源俊賢(みなもとのとしかた)や藤原行成(ゆきなり)らの協力を得て自己の政権を強固にしていった。一方、彼は宇多源氏(うだげんじ)の倫子(ともこ)を正妻、醍醐源氏(だいごげんじ)の明子(あきこ)（高松殿）を本妻に迎え、毛並みを整えた。

　やがて長女の彰子(あきこ)が長ずると、中宮(ちゅうぐう)として一条天皇の後宮に納(い)れ、一帝二后の制を始めた。三条天皇(さんじょうてんのう)が登位すると二女の妍子(よしこ)をその中宮とした。三条天皇が眼病を患うに至って、彼はそれを理由に譲位を迫った。こうして彰子が産んだ敦成親王(あつなりしんのう)が登位し（後一条天皇(ごいちじょうてんのう)）、彼は外祖父として摂政に任じられた（1016）。翌年、摂政を辞し、従(じゅ)一位太政大臣に昇進した。この年、工作して皇太子敦明親王(あつあきらしんのう)（三条皇子）の辞退を図り、彰子腹の敦良親王(あつながしんのう)を皇太弟にたてたし、一男の頼通(よりみち)が摂政に任じられた1018年（寛仁2）には、正妻腹の威子(たけこ)が後一条天皇の中宮、その同母妹の嬉子(よしこ)が尚侍(ないしのかみ)の名で皇太弟（後の後朱雀天皇(ごすざくてんのう)）の妃となった。いまや娘たちのうち彰子は太皇太后、妍子は皇太后、威子は中宮（皇后）であり、道長は三后の父となった。有名な望月(もちづき)の歌「この世をば我が世とぞ思ふ望月のかけたることもなしと思へば」は、同年10月、権力の絶頂に達した道長が喜びのあまりに詠じたものである。

　政治家としての道長は、特別に優れた政策はもたなかった。それは刀伊(とい)の賊の入寇(にゅうこう)（1019）に際しての無策によっても指証される。しかし国内の政情は安穏であり、代々培われた摂関家の勢威が強固であったため、政界は事なきを得たといえよう。彼がもっとも腐心したのは後宮政策であって、次々と娘を宮中に入れ、外孫が登位することによって不動の地位を得、かつそれを息子たちに及ぼした。

　道長は、政治家として冷酷非情な人物ではなかった。政敵を倒すことは、どの政治家にも避けがたいことであるが、彼の場合は、いったん失脚した政敵を厚く遇し、かつ娘を配したりして、彼らの恨みを買わぬように配慮していた。また妾妻たちを女房として後宮の各所に仕えさせ、もろもろの情報を収集することも、彼の常套(じょうとう)手段であった。おそらく紫式部は、その意味での妾妻の一人であったのであろう。

　当時の貴族の常として、道長も厚く仏教に帰依(きえ)していた。彼は、祖先を供養するために、宇治の木幡(こはた)の墓地に浄妙寺を建てたし、また吉野の金峯山(きんぷせん)に詣(もう)で、埋経の端緒をつくった。1019年には、院源を戒師として出家し、法号を行観(ぎょうかん)（のち行覚(ぎょうかく)）と称した。晩年には、本邸土御門殿(つちみかどどの)の東に接して、この世の浄土とも称せられた豪華な法成寺を建立した。

　文学の方面では、道長は優れた詩人であり、歌人でもあった。彼がつくった漢詩は『本朝麗藻(ほんちょうれいそう)』に多数収められている。和歌のほうは、『後拾遺集(ごしゅういしゅう)』以下の勅撰集(ちょくせんしゅう)に33首とられている。『御堂関白集』にも彼の詠草が収められているけれども、これは彼の歌集ではないと認められている。

　道長が中宮彰子の側近に粒よりの才媛(さいえん)を女房としてはべらせたことは、女流文学の興隆を大いに助成した。『紫式部日記』によると、彼は『源氏物語』に非常な関心を抱き、その面でも紫式部を後援していた。

　道長は、政務に忙殺されてはいたが、23年にわたって毎日日記をつけていた。現存する日記の自筆本は14巻に及ぶが、これを『御堂関白記』というのは後人の呼称である。この日記は、11世紀初頭の政治や世相を知るうえで甚だ貴重な史料である。

　道長はもともと頑健な体質ではなく、生涯にわたって幾度も大病を患っている。51歳ごろからは糖尿病を患うようになった。実のところ例の「望月の歌」を詠んだころには、彼は糖尿病に由来する白内障や心臓神経痛に悩んでいたのである。これに加えて、1025年（万寿2）8月には娘の嬉子が皇子（後の後冷泉天皇(ごれいぜいてんのう)）を産んで薨(こう)じ、妍子も1027年9月に崩じ、これらの悲哀は彼に大きな打撃をもたらした。同年6月から彼は背中にできた癰(よう)に悩んでいた。あらゆる祈祷(きとう)や治療によっても病勢は快方に向かわず、10月には乳房ほどに腫(は)れ上がった癰のため苦悶(くもん)を続けた。彼は法成寺の九体阿弥陀堂(くたいあみだどう)に病床を移し、そこで顔を西方（浄土）に向けて同年12月4日に薨逝(こうせい)した。享年は62歳。同じ日に道長の永年の盟友であった権大納言行成も薨じた（56歳）。道長の遺骸(いがい)は愛宕(おたぎ)郡の鳥倍野(とりべの)で荼毘(だび)に付され、骨灰は宇治木幡の墓地に埋納された。木幡には、藤原氏北家関係の火葬墓が累々と現存しているが、どれが道長の墓であるかは不明である。

［角田文衛］

『『日本古典文学全集20　大鏡』（1974・小学館）』▽『『日本古典文学大系75・76　栄花物語　上下』（1976・岩波書店）』▽『赤木志津子著『御堂関白藤原道長』（1966・秀英出版）』▽『北山茂夫著『藤原道長』（岩波新書）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例