Tsuikahô 109 : Regarding the selfish competition over office and rank

Translated by Matthew Keller

(En’ō 1st year (1239)) 4th month, 14th day; mizunoto ushi.

The governor of Shinano, fifth-ranked formerly of the Ministry of Popular Affairs Novice (Nikaidō Yukimori) 1 ; the former governor of Yamato (Usami Yūta) 2 ; the former governor of Yamashiro; the former governor of Kai (Ōe Yasuhide) 3 ; fifth-ranked formerly of the Ministry of Popular Affairs Ōta (Ōta Yasutsura) 4 ; and Residential Palace Secretary Tarō served as magistrates and issued articles of prohibition. … (text omitted)

Item: Regarding the selfish competition over office and rank among the monks in Kamakura.

The above shall cease. 5

Original Text 原文

　（延応元年四月）十四日癸丑、為信濃民部大夫入道（二階堂行盛）、大和前司（宇佐美祐時）、山城前司、甲斐前司（大江泰秀）、太田民部大夫（太田康連）、内記太郎等奉行、被下条々制符、

　　（中略）

一　鎌倉中僧徒恣諍官位事

　以上可停止者、

Kundoku 訓読

（延応元年（１２３９））四月十四日癸丑みずのとうし、信濃民部大夫入道しなののみんぶたゆうにゅうどう（二階堂行盛）、大和前司やまとぜんじ（宇佐美祐時）、山城前司やましろぜんじ、甲斐前司かいぜんじ（大江泰秀）、太田民部大夫（太田康連）、内記太郎等奉行として、条々制符を下さる。

　　（中略）

一　鎌倉中の僧徒、恣ほしいままに官位を争う事 　以上停止すべし、てへり。

Modern 現代語

（延応元年（１２３９））四月十四日癸丑、信濃民部大夫入道（二階堂行盛）、大和前司（宇佐美祐時）、山城前司、甲斐前司（大江泰秀）、太田民部大夫（太田康連）、内記太郎等を奉行として、条々制符を下された。

(中略）

一つ、鎌倉中の僧侶たちが官位を自由勝手に争うことについて、

以上、禁止するようにということである。

  1. Nikaidō Yukimori 二階堂行盛 (1181-1253), eldest son of Yukimitsu 行光. A prominent bureaucrat during his time, he was the assistant head of the administrative headquarters (政所 mandokoro) for the shogunate and a member of the Board of Councilors (評定衆 hyōjōshū). The text leads by calling Nikaidō as “Shinano.” While the text does not make this explicit, this is understood to refer to his position as the governor of Shinano (信濃守 Shinano no kami). The document also identifies him as “fifth-ranked formerly of the Ministry of Popular Affairs” (民部大夫 minbu tayū) — tayū in this instance is used to indicate a fifth-rank official who has left their previous post after receiving promotion to the fifth rank. ↩

  1. Usami Suketoki 宇佐美祐時 — Also known as Itō Suketoki 伊東祐時 (1182-1252). As a youth he served Minamoto Yoritomo. Eventually he becomes Left lieutenant of the royal police (検非違使左衛門尉 kebiishi saemon jō) and the governor of Yamato. Nihon jinmei daijiten 日本人名大辞典. ↩

  1. Ōe Yasuhide 大江泰秀 — This is likely Nagai Yasuhide 長井泰秀 (1212-1254), who was the son of Nagai Tokihiro 長井時広 and grandson of Ōe Hiromoto 大江広元. Yasuhide was a member of the Board of Councilors (評定衆 hyōjōshū) since 1241 (Ninji 2, 仁治二年). Nihon jinmei daijiten 日本人名大辞典, and Peter J. Arnesen, “The Provincial Vassals of the Muromachi Shoguns” in The Bakufu in Japanese History, edited by William B. Hauser (Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1985), 112-113. ↩

  1. Ōta Yasutsura 太田康連, better known as Miyoshi Yasutsura 三善康連 (1193-1256). He was the son of Miyoshi Yasunobu 三善康信, but took on the Ōta name when he was given control of the Ōta estate in Bingo province. He joined the Board of Councilors (評定衆 hyōjōshū) and was involved in the drafting of the Goseibaishikimoku 御成敗式目. Nihon jinmei daijiten 日本人名大辞典. ↩

  1. Because the monks are in Kamakura, they fall under the jurisdiction of the shogunate, and thus are discouraged from going through other channels to seek monkish titles and rank. ↩