Yoshihiro Ouchi

A military commander in the early Muromachi period. Son of Hiroyo. Childhood name Magotaro. Suo no Suke, Sakyo Gondayu. Guardian of five provinces: Suo, Nagato, Buzen, Izumi, and Kii. In 1371 (Kentoku 2, Oan 4), he accompanied Kyushu Tandai Imagawa Sadayo (Ryoshun) on various battles, and in 1377 (Tenju 3, Eiwa 3), he defeated Kikuchi Taketomo, who was serving Prince Kaneyoshi. In 1389 (Genchu ​​6, Kouo 1), Yoshihiro welcomed Ashikaga Yoshimitsu on his pilgrimage to Itsukushima in Hofu, and Yoshihiro accompanied him to Kyoto, and thereafter spent more time in Kyoto. During the Meitoku Rebellion in 1391 (Genchu ​​8, Meitoku 2), he played an active role on the side of the shogunate, defeating Yamana Ujikiyo and others, and for this achievement he was given the position of Shugo of Izumi and Kii, which were the former territories of the Yamana clan. He also worked hard to mediate the unification of the Northern and Southern Courts. Furthermore, he worked hard to mediate between the Muromachi shogunate and Korea, and he himself traded with Korea and boasted of his strength. It is noteworthy that in 1399 (Oei 6), Yoshihiro requested Korea to share the land related to the Ouchi clan, on the grounds that they were descendants of Baekje. In the same year, Yoshihiro conspired with Kamakura kubo Ashikaga Mitsukane and Yamana Tokikiyo to start the Oei Rebellion, but the local uprisings were suppressed and Yoshihiro, who was based in Izumi Sakai, was besieged by the Shogunate forces and was defeated and killed on December 21st. Yoshihiro was also well versed in waka and linked verse, and is listed as one of the authors of the Shin Goshui Wakashu. After his death, he was buried at Myoko-ji Temple on Mt. Yoshihiro in Sakai, but was later moved to his family temple, Koshaku-ji Temple (now Ruriko-ji Temple), which he had built in Yamaguchi during his lifetime. The five-story pagoda (a national treasure) at Rurikoji Temple is a relic from Kosekiji Temple, and is said to have been erected by Yoshihiro's younger brother, Moriharu, during the Oei era (1394-1428) to commemorate Yoshihiro's soul.

[Toyomoto Hinomoto]

"Yoshihiro Ouchi" by Hisato Matsuoka (1966, Jinbutsu Oraisha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

室町前期の武将。弘世(ひろよ)の子。幼名孫太郎。周防介(すおうのすけ)、左京権大夫(さきょうごんだゆう)。周防、長門(ながと)、豊前(ぶぜん)、和泉(いずみ)、紀伊の5か国の守護。1371年（建徳2・応安4）九州探題今川貞世(いまがわさだよ)（了俊(りょうしゅん)）に従い転戦、77年（天授3・永和3）には懐良(かねよし)親王を奉ずる菊池武朝(たけとも)を大破する。89年（元中6・康応1）の足利義満(あしかがよしみつ)の厳島参詣(いつくしまさんけい)に際して防府にて迎え、義弘はこれに随行して上洛(じょうらく)、以後在京が多くなる。91年（元中8・明徳2）の明徳(めいとく)の乱では幕府方として山名氏清(やまなうじきよ)らを破るなど活躍し、その功により山名氏の旧領国である和泉、紀伊の守護職を与えられた。また南北朝合体斡旋(あっせん)に尽力した。さらに室町幕府と朝鮮との通交に仲介の労をとり、自らも朝鮮と交易して強盛を誇った。99年（応永6）義弘は、大内氏が百済(くだら)の後裔(こうえい)であることを理由に、その縁故の土地を分けてくれるように朝鮮に要求していることは注目に値する。同年、義弘は鎌倉公方(くぼう)足利満兼(みつかね)や山名時清(やまなとききよ)らと謀って応永(おうえい)の乱を起こしたが、地方での挙兵も鎮圧され、和泉堺(いずみさかい)に拠(よ)った義弘も幕府軍の攻囲を受け、12月21日敗死した。義弘はまた和歌、連歌に通じ、『新後拾遺(しんごしゅうい)和歌集』の作者に列している。死後堺の義弘山(ぎこうさん)妙光寺(みょうこうじ)に葬られたが、のちに、彼が生前山口に建立した菩提寺(ぼだいじ)香積寺(こうしゃくじ)（現瑠璃光寺(るりこうじ)）に移葬された。なお瑠璃光寺の五重塔（国宝）は香積寺の遺物で、義弘の菩提を弔うために、弟の盛見(もりはる)が応永年中（1394～1428）に造立したものと伝えられる。

［外園豊基］

『松岡久人著『大内義弘』（1966・人物往来社）』

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