Water mirror - Mizukagami

A historical tale from the early Kamakura period. Three volumes. The author is thought to be Nakayama Tadachika. It is believed to have been written around Bunji/Kenkyu (1185-11999). It is a historical tale that precedes the "Okagami" and chronicles the 1510 years from Emperor Jinmu to Emperor Ninmyo. It is based on the "Fuso Ryakki" written at the end of the Heian period and other sources. The story is told in the form of an old nun who, on a pilgrimage to Ryugai-ji Temple (Okadera) in Takaichi County, Yamato Province, meets a monk and one night listens to his stories. The old nun then recounts the stories the monk heard from a hermit she met in Katsuragi, and records them. As the author says, "We should not praise the past and criticize the present," and "People who do not know the world say that what is happening now is not like what happened in the past," the author's attempt to see in "The Past" aspects of history that are "similar to what has happened in recent times" is distinctive. The author also tries to overlap his Buddhist worldview with the history of the time. Compared to "Okagami," "Imakagami," and "Masakagami," this work is less valuable as a literary work.

[Ryuzo Yuno]

"Newly Revised and Supplemented National History Series 21, Volume 1: Suikyou and Daikyou" (1965, Yoshikawa Kobunkan)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

鎌倉初期の歴史物語。3巻。作者は中山忠親(ただちか)と考えられている。成立年代は文治(ぶんじ)・建久(けんきゅう)（1185～99）のころと思われる。『大鏡』に先行する歴史物語で、神武(じんむ)天皇より仁明(にんみょう)天皇までの1510年間を編年体で記す。平安末期に書かれた『扶桑略記(ふそうりゃっき)』等を材料にしている。形式は、老尼が大和(やまと)国高市郡の竜蓋寺(りゅうがいじ)（岡寺(おかでら)）に詣(もう)でた際1人の修行者に出会い、ある夜つれづれの話を聞くが、そのときに修行者が葛城(かつらぎ)で会った仙人から聞いた話を老尼がまた聞きして記録したという形をとる。作者は「いにしへをほめ今をそしるべきにあらず」「目の前のことを昔に似ずとは世を知らぬ人の申すことなり」といっているように、「いにしへ」のなかに「このころあひ似たる」歴史の相をみようとしたところに特色がある。また作者の仏教的世界観を当時の歴史と重ねてみようとしている。『大鏡』『今鏡』『増鏡』に比べると文学作品として価値は低い。

［祐野隆三］

『『新訂増補国史大系21　上　水鏡・大鏡』（1965・吉川弘文館）』

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