Pope - Houou

The title of a retired emperor who became a monk. There have been 35 cases of retired emperors becoming monks, from retired emperors Kōken to retired emperor Reigen, excluding the case of Emperor Shomu, where it is difficult to say whether he became a monk before or after abdication. During this time, the title of retired emperor began with the retired emperor Uda in 899 (Shotai 2), who became a monk and declined the honorific title, after which he was called Daijo Ho-o, and after that it became common to call him Ho-o to distinguish him from the retired emperor, but the official title is still Daijo Tenno. There are also titles such as Ho-tei and Zen-o. In addition, Emperor Gotakakura-in, the father of Emperor Gohorikawa, and Emperor Gosuko-in, the father of Emperor Gohanazono, were both given the honorary title of Retired Emperor without ascending to the throne, and therefore had already become monks while still princes, and were therefore called Cloistered Emperors after being given the honorary title.

[Yoshihiko Hashimoto]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

出家した太上(だいじょう)天皇の称。太上天皇の出家した例は、出家の時期が譲位の前後いずれとも決しがたい聖武(しょうむ)天皇の場合を除いて、孝謙(こうけん)上皇より霊元(れいげん)上皇に至るまで35例を数える。その間、法皇の称は、899年（昌泰2）宇多(うだ)上皇が出家して尊号を辞退したのち、太上法皇とよばれたのに始まり、爾後(じご)、法皇と称して上皇と区別するのが普通となったが、正式の称号はやはり太上天皇である。また法帝、禅皇(ぜんこう)などの称もある。なお、皇位につかずして太上天皇の尊号を宣下(せんげ)された後堀河(ごほりかわ)天皇の父後高倉(ごたかくら)院および後花園(ごはなぞの)天皇の父後崇光(ごすこう)院は、いずれも親王のときすでに出家していたので、尊号宣下後は法皇とよばれた。

［橋本義彦］

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