Denryaku: Kōwa 1 {1099} 9.13

康和元年九月十三日 Kōwa 1 {1099} 9.13
Translated by Jillian Barndt

Thirteenth day. Mizunoe ne. 1 Today for the first time I spent the night in attendance at the palace [Kaya-no-in]. 2 Before that I went to the Toba Detached Palace [to see the retired sovereign Shirakawa]. 3 I went there on my own. There was an event for the Queen-consort [Tokushi]. Then I visited the Queen-consort. 4 There was a gift, a six-stringed Japanese zither. 5 My outriders were [Tachibana no] Itsuna, [Fujiwara no] Morizane, 6 [Takashina no] Shigenaka, 7 [Minamoto no] Moriyuki, [Fujiwara no] Nagazane, [Fujiwara no] Shigezane. Sixth rankers were Minamoto no Morisue and Taira no Tomonobu. 8 The senior nobles were Captain of the Left Guards [Fujiwara no Yoshizane] 9 and Major Controller of the Left [Minamoto no] Mototsuna. Royal intimates were Royal Secretary-cum-Controller [Fujiwara no] Munetada, Captain of the Left Bodyguards [Fujiwara no] Tadanori, and Director of the Left Stables [Minamoto no] Morotaka. 10

  1. Forty-ninth day of the sexagenary cycle. ↩

  1. One of the mansions of the Regents’ House (Sekkanke, 摂関家). It was also used by the monarch Toba as a royal palace. ↩

  1. Shirakawa Tennō (1053-1129, r.1073-1087). ↩

  1. Princess Tokushi (1060-1114) was the consort and aunt of Horikawa Tennō (1079-1107). She was the fourth daughter of Go-Sanjō and Shirakawa’s sister. ↩

  1. Traditionally used for kagura and Azuma-asobi music and dancing. ↩

  1. Fujiwara no Morizane (dates unknown) was a houseman of the regent’s line, and from the Kajuji Fujiwara family. His daughter was one of Tadazane’s lesser consorts and mother of Tadazane’s son Yorinaga. At the time of this entry, his rank was senior fifth rank lower. ↩

  1. Takashina no Shigenaka (1069-1120) was a houseman of both Morozane and Tadazane. During his life, he served as a sixth-rank royal secretary and as governor of Izumo and Ōmi provinces. (Nihon jinmei daijiten). ↩

  1. Taira no Tomonobu (??-1144) was a houseman of Tadazane and Tadamichi too. With a solid background in the middling levels of court officialdom, he was quite learned about old customs; and he often served as a messenger between the monarch, the retired monarch, and Tadazane. He eventually reached junior fourth rank upper. (Nihon jinmei daijiten). ↩

  1. Fujiwara no Yoshizane (1070-1132). ↩

  1. Minamoto no Morotaka (1075-1134). ↩

Original Text 原文
十三日、壬子、今日初参内（高陽院）宿侍、先参鳥羽院（白河法皇）、自其参内、《参中宮御方儀》次参中宮御方（篤子）、贈物和琴、前駈以綱（橘）・盛実（藤原）・重仲（高階）・盛雅（源）・永実（藤原）・成実（藤原）、六位源盛季・平知信、上達部左兵衛督（藤原能実）・左大弁基綱（源）、殿上人頭弁宗忠（藤原）・左近衛中将忠教（藤原）・左馬頭師隆（源）、

Kundoku 訓読
十三日。壬子みずのえね。今日初て[高陽院かやのいん]参内さんだい宿侍しゅくじす。先鳥羽院とばのいん[白河法皇しらかわほうおう]に参り、其自参内す。次中宮御方おんかた[篤子とくし]に参り、贈物おくりものは和琴わごん。前駈ぜんく以綱いつな[橘たちばな]・盛実もりざね[藤原]・重仲しげなか[高階たかしな]・盛雅もりゆき源・永実ながざね藤原・成実しげざね藤原、六位源盛季もりすえ・平知信とものぶ、上達部かんだちめ左兵衛督さひょうえのかみ[藤原能実よしざね]・左大弁さだいべん基綱もとつな[源]、殿上人てんじょうびと頭弁とうのべん宗忠むねただ[藤原]・左近衛中将さこんえちゅうじょう忠教ただのり[藤原]・左馬頭さまのかみ師隆もろたか[源]。

Denryaku: Kōwa 1 {1099} 8.28

康和元年八月廿八日 Kōwa 1 {1099} 8.28
Translated by Jillian Barndt

Twenty-eighth day. Tsuchinoe inu. 1

Today there was a royal order (senji) making me document examiner (nairan). This occured at the Biwa residence. Senior Secretary of the Council of State [Kiyohara no] Sadatoshi brought the royal order. Sadatoshi was summoned to the west side of the wing and [I] viewed the order. Next, Provisional Middle Controller of the Left Lord [Minamoto no] Yoshitoshi 2 read felicitations (kissho). 3 Next, Royal Secretary-cum-Controller Lord [Fujiwara no] Munetada 4 brought [felicitous] texts from the Royal Secretariat. I looked at each one and returned it. Next, Lord [Takashina no] Yasunaka brought {felicitous} texts from the household {Sekkanke}. Senior nobles [including] Head of the Queen-consort’s Household Lord Minamoto [no Morotada], 5 Minister of Popular Affairs Lord Minamoto [no Toshiaki], 6 Director {of the Royal Police} Lord Fujiwara [no Kinzane], 7 Provisional Middle Counselor Lord Minamoto [no Toshizane], 8 and Major Controller of the Left Lord [Minamoto no] Mototsuna 9 were all in attendance.

This event finished. I visited Her Majesty [Fujiwara no Kanshi]. 10 There was a gift for me < a koto >. I took it myself and withdrew. Outside of the bamboo blinds Chamberlain [Minamoto no] Morochika 11 loosed my attire. I changed to leisure wear (nōshi, kanmuri) and departed. At the Hour of the Ox {1-3 a.m.} I went to Aya Street. 12 For three days I {refrained from} meeting monks.

  1. Thirty-fifth day of the sexagenary cycle. ↩

  1. Minamoto no Yoshitoshi (1071-1137). ↩

  1. Felicitations (kissho 吉書) is a ceremony of reading an auspicious document at the beginning of an important event. ↩

  1. Fujiwara no Munetada (1062-1141), author of the Chūyūki. ↩

  1. Minamoto no Morotada (1052-1114). ↩

  1. Minamoto no Toshiaki (1044-1114). ↩

  1. Fujiwara no Kinzane (1053-1107) Uncle of Toba Tennō. Kinzane despised Tadazane for his youth, and when Toba took the throne, pushed that he himself be named regent. ↩

  1. Minamoto no Toshisane (1046-1119). ↩

  1. Minamoto no Mototsuna (1050-1118). ↩

  1. Fujiwara no Kanshi (1036-1127), consort of Go-Reizei Tennō. ↩

  1. Minamoto no Morochika (1083?-1111). ↩

  1. A small road that ran through the center of the capital from east to west, it was south of Fourth Avenue and north of the Fifth Avenue bō gate. ↩

Original Text 原文
廿八日、戊戌、今日被下内覧宣旨、於枇杷殿有此事、大外記定俊（清原）持来宣旨、召定俊於対西面、自見宣旨、次権左中弁能俊（源）朝臣申吉書、次頭弁宗忠（藤原）朝臣申蔵人方書、即各返下、次泰仲（高階）朝臣申家方書、来臨公卿中宮大夫源朝臣（師忠）・民部卿源朝臣（俊明）・別当藤原朝臣（公実）・権中納言源朝臣（俊実）・左大【参】弁基綱（源）朝臣等是也、《参太宮儀、三箇日僧呂〔侶〕不来》事了参宮御方（藤原寛子）、有贈物、〈箏、〉自取罷出、於御簾外給侍従師親（源）、装束解了、着簾直衣・冠等退出、丑時渡綾小路、三日間僧侶等不参〔来〕、

Kundoku 訓読
廿八日。戊戌つちのえいぬ。今日内覧ないらん宣旨せんじをくださる。枇杷殿びわどのに於いてこのことあり、大外記だいげき定俊さだとし[清原きよはら]宣旨を持ち来る。定俊を対の西面さいめんに召し、自ら宣旨を見る。次権左中弁ごんのさちゅうべん能俊よしとし[源]朝臣吉書きっしょを申す。次で頭弁とうのべん宗忠むねただ[藤原]朝臣蔵人方くろうどがたの書を申し、即ち各おのおの返しくだす。次で泰仲やすなか[高階たかしな]朝臣家方いえかたの書を申す。来臨らいりんの公卿くぎょうは中宮ちゅうぐうの大夫だいぶ源朝臣[師忠もろただ]・民部卿みんぶきょう源朝臣[俊明としあき]・別当べっとう藤原朝臣[公実きんざね]・権中納言ごんちゅうなごん源朝臣[俊実としざね]・左大弁さだいべん基綱もとつな[源]朝臣等これなり。

ことおわりて、宮みやの御方おんかたに参る[藤原寛子ふじわらのかんし]。贈物おくりものあり、〈 箏こと、〉自みづから取りて罷まかり出づ。御簾みすの外に於いて侍従じじゅう師親もろちか[源]に給い、装束しゃうぞくを解とき了おわんぬ。直衣のうし・冠かんむり等を着し退出たいしゅつす。丑うしの時綾小路あやのこうじに渡る。三日の間僧侶そうりょ等参らず。

Denryaku: Shōtoku 2 {1098} 2.9

承徳二年二月九日 Shōtoku 2 {1098} 2.9
Translated by Dario Minguzzi

Ninth day, tsuchinoe ne. 1 The weather was clear. Because the ridgepole was being raised at Kōfukuji, 2 the Viceroy progressed to Nara. I wore an abbreviated formal court dress (ikan) 3 and went to the Viceroy [at the Nijō residence]. We immediately set out. Those who went along with him were Provisional Senior Counselor [Fujiwara no] Ietada, Superintendent Kinzane, Provisional Middle Counselor Tsunezane, the former Senior Assistant Governor of Dazaifu [Fujiwara no] Nagafusa, Senior Controller of the Left Suenaka, and myself. Next came lower officials of the Council of State in attendance. They were Junior Counselor [Fujiwara no] Kanesue, Junior Controller of the Left [Fujiwara no] Arinobu, Junior Council Secretary [Miyoshi no] Nobusada, Senior Scribe of the Left [Ozuki no] Suketoshi, with lower officials of the Board of Controllers (kajō) and miscellaneous servants (meshitsukai) as is customary.

On the back: The royal intimates (tenjōbito) 4 were Senior Controller of the Right cum Head of the Royal Secretariat [Minamoto no] Mototsuna, Head of the Stables [Minamoto no] Morotaka, Middle Captain of the Inner Palace Guards of the Left [Fujiwara no] Tadanori, Head of the Stable of the Right [Fujiwara no] Kanezane, Middle Captain of the Right [Fujiwara no] Akizane, Middle Captain of the Left Iemasa, Junior Captain of the Left Sanetaka, Provisional Assistant General of the Palace Gate Guards of the Left cum Chamberlain and Controller [Taira no] Tokinori, Junior Captain of the Inner Palace Guards of the Left [Fujiwara no] Toshitada, Governor of Wakasa Province [Fujiwara no] Atsukane, Second-level Manager of the Ministry of Civil Affairs [Minamoto no] Yukinobu, and Third-level Manager in the Royal Secretariat [Minamoto no] Moriie. All senior nobles and below wore abbreviated court dress. Next came all the various courtiers of the fourth, fifth, and sixth ranks, about thirty people; next were my eight outriders [Takashina no] Shigenaka, [Minamoto no] Morimasa, Nagazane, Munesuke, [Fujiwara no] Morokuni, Tamezane, [Tachibana no] Tokikane, and [Minamoto no] Ieshige. They all wore abbreviated formal dresses, while the outrider retainers of the Viceroy wore semi-formal dresses (hōko).

Then, around the Hour of the Rooster {between 5-7 p.m.}, we arrived at the Saho residence. 5 All the people in attendance arrived as well and everyone immediately retired to their resting places. Then, around the Hour of the Dog {between 7-9 p.m.} there was the offering of gifts to the shrine deities. 6 The Kasuga envoy, Head of the Office of the Kamo Priestess Lord Fujiwara no Korenobu, and the Isagawa Envoy [Fujiwara no] Munenaka each carried a dedication prayer (kōmon). 7 The author was Lord [Fujiwara no] Masaie. 8 During the offering of gifts various people, me included, did not join.

  1. The twenty-fifth day of the cycle. ↩

  1. Kōfukuji, located in the former capital of Nara, was the clan temple (ujidera) of the Fujiwara clan. ↩

  1. Ikan (literally “robe and cap”) was an lighter configuration of the more formal sokutai (装束) court dress. ↩

  1. The “royal intimates”(tenjōbito) were those courtiers who had been granted access to the private residence of the sovereign. According to sources such as Emperor Uda’s Kanpyō goyuikai 寛平御遺誡 (Admonishments of the Kanpyō era, late ninth century) and Minamoto no Takaakira’s Saikyūki 西宮記 (Record of the Western Residence, mid-tenth century), the quota for royal intimates was initially fixed at thirty people, although later it was gradually raised to one hundred people. ↩

  1. The Saho Residence was located in Nara, although its precise location is uncertain. The time of its original construction is also unknown. From the Nara period, the residence was connected to the Fujiwara clan. ↩

  1. The “offering of gifts to the deities” (hōbei) consisted in the offering of objects such as cloth, garments, paper, and utensils to shrines. The offering would normally take place upon decree. ↩

  1. Dedication prayers (kōmon) were official documents in which communications and requests to the gods were registered. They were usually drafted in the senmyō register. ↩

  1. Fujiwara no Masaie (1026-1111) was a Kidendō scholar and the great-grandson of Arikuni 有国 (943-1011), also a Kidendō scholar (Masaie’s father Ietsune 家経 and grandfather Hironari 広業 were Kidendō scholars) as well. Masaie belonged to the Hino branch of the Northern Fujiwara House. He was appointed Professor of Letters (monjō hakase) in Jiryaku 1 (1065) and superintendent (bettō) of the Kangaku-in in Jōryaku 4 (1080). ↩

Original text 原文
九日、戊子、天晴、依興福寺上棟之事、有令下奈良給事、着衣冠、参関白殿（二条殿）、即出御、被参人々権大納言家忠（藤原）・別当公実・権中納言経実・前大弐長房（藤原）・左大弁季仲・予等也、次御前政官少納言懐季（藤原）・左少弁有信（藤原）・少外記信貞（三善）・左大史祐俊（小槻）・官掌・召使等如常、

裏、殿上人右大弁頭基綱（源）・馬頭師隆（源）・左近衛中将忠教（藤原）・右馬頭兼実（藤原）・右中将顕実（藤原）・左中将家政・左少将実隆・左衛門権佐兼蔵人弁時範（平）・左近少将俊忠（藤原）・若狭守敦兼（藤原）・民部大輔行信（源）・蔵人尉盛家（源）、上達部以下衣冠、次諸大夫四位・五位・六位卅人許、次予之前駈八人、重仲（高階）・盛雅（源）・永実・宗佐・師国（藤原）・為実・説兼（橘）・家重（源）是也、衣冠、殿前駈之諸大夫布袴、次酉時許参着佐保殿、又人々同、即各々退下宿所、次戌刻許有奉幣事、春日使斎院長官藤原朝臣惟信、率川使宗仲（藤原）、各有告文、作者正家（藤原）朝臣、奉幣間人々弁〔并〕予不参会云々、

Kundoku 訓読
九日、戊子つちのえね、天晴れ。興福寺の上棟の事に依り、奈良に下らしめ給う事有り。衣冠を着し、関白殿［二条殿］に参る。即ち出御す。参らるる人々は權大納言家忠［藤原］・別当公実・權中納言經実・前大弐長房［藤原］・左大弁季仲・予などなり。次に御前の政官は少納言懐季［藤原］・左小弁有信［藤原］・少外記信貞［三善］・左大史祐俊［小槻］、官掌かじょう・召使等は、常の如し。

裏、殿上人は右大弁頭基綱［源］・馬頭師隆［源］・左近衛中将忠教［藤原］・右馬頭兼実［藤原］・右中将顕実［藤原］・左中将家政・左少将実隆・左衛門権佐蔵人弁時範［平］・左近少将俊忠［藤原］・若狭守敦兼［藤原］・民部大輔行信［源］・蔵人尉盛家［源］。上達部以下［は］衣冠［なり］。次に諸大夫、四位、五位、六位卅人許り、次に予の前駈ぜんく八人、重仲［高階］・盛雅［源］・永実・宗佐・師国［藤原］・為実・説兼［橘］・家重［源］是なり。衣冠なり。殿の前駈の諸大夫は、布袴ほうこ。次に酉とり時許り佐保殿に参着す。又、人々同じ。即ち各々宿所に退下す。次に、戌いぬ刻許り奉幣ほうべいの事有り。春日の使、斎院の長官かみ藤原朝臣惟信、率川いさがわの使宗仲［藤原］、各告文有り。作者正家［藤原］朝臣。奉幣の間、人々並び予参会せずと云々。

Denryaku: Shōtoku 2 {1098} 2.5

承徳二年二月五日 Shōtoku 2 {1098} 2.5
Translated by Niels van der Salm

Tadazane puts in a good word for Ōe no Michikuni.

Fifth day. Kinoe saru. 1 Clear weather.

Lord Viceroy visited Ōdono. Hearing this, I made a visit. Following my greetings, I brought up a matter that Michikuni 2 requested. The reply was that the matter ought to be set in order. 3

  1. The twenty-first cyclical day. ↩

  1. On Ōe no Michikuni, see the footnotes to Shōtoku 2 (1098) 2.4. ↩

  1. It is unclear, also from the preceding entry, what Michikuni's request entailed precisely. Sata 沙汰 can refer to a number of things, including arranging matters or even offering a reward. One is reminded of the frequent requests (direct and indirect), found in low-ranking scholars' writings such as poetry prefaces (shijo 詩序), in which the author bemoans his low status or lack of official appointment and the—real or rhetorical—poverty that resulted from this predicament. With the previous entry referring to a poetry event, it is not entirely impossible that Michikuni had attempted to elicit some form of intercession from Tadazane in a manner reminiscent of these literary requests. For the phenomenon of these laments, see for example Brian Steininger, "Honchō monzui and the Social Dynamics of Literary Culture," in Chinese Literary Forms in Heian Japan: Poetics and Practice (Cambridge MA: Harvard University Asia Center, 2017): pp. 47–78. ↩

Original text 原文
五日、甲申、天晴、関白殿令参於大殿、聞其由参入、見参之次、申通国所望之由、可有沙汰之由云々、

Kundoku 訓読
五日、甲申きのえさる、天晴れ。

関白殿、大殿に参らしむ。其の由を聞きて参入さんにゅうす。見参げざんの次に、通国みちくにの所望しょもうの由を申す。沙汰さた有るべきの由と云々。

Denryaku: Shōtoku 2 {1098} 2.4

承徳二年二月四日 Shōtoku 2 {1098} 2.4
Translated by Niels van der Salm

Tadazane engages in poetry composition and receives horseriding equipment.

Fourth day. Mizunoto hitsuji. 1 Clear weather.

Early in the morning, there was {a session of} linked verse (renku). 2 Present were the commissioner (daibu) 3 Sir [Ōe no] Michikuni, 4 [Fujiwara no] Muneyoshi, 5 and [Ōe no] Hirofusa. 6

Around the Hour of the Horse {11 a.m.–1 p.m.} I went to the Northern Residence. 7

(On) the back: "[Afterwards] 8 I looked at saddles and {associated equipment}. 9 I was bestowed with two sets and took my leave.

  1. The twentieth cyclical day. ↩

  1. Renku are not confined to either waka or kanshi modes of literary inscription, but given the Ōe lineage's status as scholars of the continental canon, it is likely that with two of its scions present this refers to poetry in literary Sinitic. ↩

  1. The post of daibu could refer to various heads of government offices: the Household of the Queen-Consort; the Household of the Crown Prince; the Left and Right Capital Agencies; the Banquet Office; and the Settsu Office, in charge of the governance of Settsu Province (which included the harbor at Naniwa). It is unclear which post Michikuni held, although it was customary for men trained in the Education Bureau (daigakuryō 大學寮) to be appointed tutor to the Crown Prince, suggesting a possible connection. ↩

  1. Judging by Sonpi bunmyaku, Michikuni was the son of Ōe no Sukekuni (Sonpi bunmyaku, vol. 19, 9–10) and had passed the sakumon (state officials') exam, and although it does not state at which level, the fact that he came to occupy the post of Head of the Education Bureau (daigaku[ryō] no kami 大學頭) suggests he had reached the status of presented scholar (shinshi 進士). ↩

  1. Fujiwara no Muneyoshi (dates unknown) is not well-described in the standard reference works. His nearest ancestor of any note seems to be his great-grandfather Fujiwara no Takaie 藤原隆家 (979–1044), who had served in the Council of State but died well over half a century earlier. Muneyoshi was not entirely unsuccessful, however: Sonpi bunmyaku indicates that at lower fifth rank he had held the post of Governor of Kawachi, a probably coveted position given the importance of zuryō governorships for lower-ranking families by this stage of Heian history. See on mid-Heian era governorships, for instance, G. Cameron Hurst III, "Kugyō and Zuryō: Center and Periphery in the Era of Fujiwara no Michinaga," in Mikael Adolpson, Edward Kamens, and Stacie Matsumoto (ed.), Heian Japan: Centers and Peripheries (Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2007). ↩

  1. Like Michikuni and Muneyoshi, Ōe no Hirofusa is a mostly faceless name in the annals. He is encountered in the Kamakura-era Gosan buruiki (apparently a description of royal birth ceremonial, included in Zoku gunsho ruijū, vol. 33), first in Kōwa 1 (1099) as a sixth-ranker without a post, and then later in the same year as Student of Literature (monjōshō 文章生). It is likely that this Hirofusa is a son of the famous scholar-writer Masafusa 匡房 (1041–1111); see Sonpi bunmyaku, vol. 19, 13. An Ōe no Hirofusa whose two waka were included in the (much later) private waka collection Zoku gen'yō wakashū 続現葉和歌集 ("Collection of Present-day Leaves of Poetry, Continued"; in Gunsho ruijū, vol. 10) is a different individual: the second of these poems was purportedly written "following the passing of his father, Hiroshige 廣茂," identifying him as an individual from a younger age (see Sonpi bunmyaku, vol. 19, 13 and 22). This data may thus not be used as an indication of the nature of the renku verse. ↩

  1. The identity of this location is uncertain. The phrase is antithetical to the naden 南殿 "southern residence," which refers to one of the halls of state in the royal compound; but the name is unattested, and may well simply refer to Tadazane's family's own residence, or even only a part thereof that happened to be located on the northern edge of the residence's compound. ↩

  1. This adverbial expression (有暫) is not found in the main Denryaku manuscript and was supplied by the editors from a variant manuscript reading. ↩

  1. The word kura 鞍 is defined as referring to either horse-riding accessories in general (i.e., tack) or the saddle more specifically. The use of nado 等 "and so forth" seems to suggest that Tadazane uses kura in the more circumscribed meaning: as he apparently found it necessary to obliquely refer to further implements, the expression kura likely only covered the saddle itself. This use of nado is expressed as "associated equipment" in the English translation. ↩

Original text 原文
四日、癸未、天晴、早旦有連句事、大夫通国（大江）朝臣・宗良（藤原）・広房（大江）是等也、午刻許参北殿、裏云、［有暫］見御鞍等、賜二具、退出、

Kundoku 訓読
四日、癸未みづのとひつじ、天晴はれ。

早旦さうたん、連句れんくの事有り。大夫たいふ［大江］通国みちくに朝臣あそん・［藤原］宗良むねよし・［大］広房ひろふさこれらなり。

午うまの刻ばかりに、北殿きたどのに参る。

裏うらに云はく、［暫しばらく有りて］御鞍みくら等を見て、二具にぐを賜たまはり、退出す。