In His Own Words: The Taiki of Fujiwara no Yorinaga
Professor Onoe Yosuke
Dr. Sachiko Kawai
Professor Joan Piggott
The 2019 Kambun Workshop at the University of Southern California focused on reading selections from the late Heian Taiki courtier journal of Fujiwara Yorinaga (1120-56), son of the viceroy Tadazane. Yorinaga's leadership at court was a significant cause of the Hôgen rebellion of 1156. But before the rebellion, Yorinaga spent years documenting his meetings, illnesses, hopes, and disappointments. Participants this summer translated entries from the journal where Yorinaga described the construction of his book vault, poetry gatherings, his numerous attempts to study the Classics, and many other aspects of his life. The Taiki provides a unique lens of late Heian education, as Yorinaga diligently chronicled his efforts to read, memorize, and study the world around him. Through the pages of Taiki, the participants came to better understand life for an ambitious twelfth century elite.
Professor Onoe Yosuke also gave a special public lecture on the diaries and documents of the Konoe family, an extensive collection, particularly focusing on the purposes and formats of diaries over the centuries. Sachiko Kawai co-directed the 2019 Kambun Workshop, coordinating with translators, as well as supporting participants newer to kambun translation. The translations and supplemental materials were edited and digitized by Emily Warren.
Translation Authors: Sachiko Kawai, Hanayo Noguchi, Jillian Barndt, Emily Warren, Niels van der Salm, Tatyana Kostochka, Yoshiko Kainuma, Yumi Kodama, Jitsuya Nishiyama
保元平治合戦図屏風 The Rebellions of the Hōgen and Heiji Eras,17th century. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Yorinaga and His Journal
by Jillian Barndt
Fujiwara no Yorinaga (1120-1156), known to history as the “Evil Minister of the Left” (akusafu, 悪左府), was a courtier and scholar in the mid-twelfth century. The second son of former Northern Fujiwara patriarch Fujiwara no Tadazane (1078-1162) and younger brother to Fujiwara no Tadamichi (1097-1164), Yorinaga is most known for his involvement in the failed Hōgen Rebellion (Hōgen no ran, 保元の乱), where he was killed at the age of thirty-six. Rising in rank to become the Minister of the Left (sadaijin, 左大臣), Yorinaga was also an avid scholar of Chinese works.
In addition to his legacy left behind in historical narratives such as The Tale of the Hōgen (Hōgen monogatari, 保元物語) and Gukanshō (愚管抄), Yorinaga’s journal, Taiki (台記) survives. Taiki covers nineteen years of Yorinaga’s life, from Hōen 2 (1136) to Kyūju 2 (1155). Like other courtier journals of the late Heian period, Yorinaga chronicles many aspects of court life, including special events, meetings with other members of the court, and traditional practices. Yorinaga also is quite prolific in his discussion of his own scholarship and education, providing a distinct glimpse into the nature of education in the late Heian period.
Taiki is particularly unique in its use of kambun, using unique combinations of characters for readings that are unparalleled in contemporary journals. This is due to Yorinaga’s intense study of Chinese classical works, including Confucious texts, histories, tales, and works on law. The distinctive nature of his writing was a challenge for our workshop, but gave us newfound insights into the nature of kambun literacy in the late Heian period.
The selections included in this collection range a multitude of subjects, from the process of studying Chinese books, to an essay contest, to enjoying food, to the use of divination. These entries provide just a glimpse into the life of this infamous Heian courtier. We hope that the translations will help garner newfound interest into Yorinaga’s writings and instruct new avenues of research into mid-twelfth century Japanese courtier life.
Fujiwara Yorinaga’s portrait in the Kuge retsu eizu 公家列影図. 13th century. Kyoto National Museum.
Supplemental Materials for Reading the Taiki
“Fujiwara Yorinaga’s Taiki Journal: On the Edge, Arts of Scholarship and War” by Yotoki Yasuo, translated by Joan Piggott
”Taiki Character List” by Jitsuya Nishiyama
”A Note on Late Heian Central Bureaucracy” by Onoe Yôsuke (Emily Warren trans.)
”On Divination” by Niels van der Salm
A Note on Brackets and Editions
The following translations are primarily based on Zohô shiryô taisei: Taiki, vol. 23-25 (Tokyo: Rinsen Shoten, 1965) with other editions referenced as necessary.
The dating system is: era name, year of that era, the corresponding Western calendar year, followed by the month, then day. For instance, for Kōji 1. {1142} 5.2, Kōji is the name of the era, first year (as the era was three years long), then the fifth month, second day. The Western calendar year would be 1142.
Depending on the translation〈 〉or < > marks passages of small writing. Text inserted by the editors of Zohô shiryô taisei: Taiki is marked by square brackets [ ]. Text included for clarification by the translators of the Kambun Workshop are in curly brackets { }.
Entry Translations
Hôen 5 {1139} 6.4 Entry 保延五年六月四日条 Translated by Hanayo Noguchi and Sachiko Kawai
Yorinaga attends a gathering where various nobles present Chinese poems.
Kôji 1 {1142} 8.6 Entry 康治元年八月六日条 Translated by Emily Warren and Jillian Barndt
Yorinaga orders rites to heal his skin ailment and remembers his boyhood cat.
Kôji 2 {1143} 1.14 Entry 康治二年正月十四日条 Translated by Niels van der Salm, Tatyana Kostochka, Yoshiko Kainuma, and Sachiko Kawai
Following a brawl at court, Yorinaga weighs into discussions concerning the punishment of Minamoto no Narimasa.
Kôji 2 {1143} 3.8 Entry 康治二年三月八日条 Translated by Jitsuya Nishiyama
Excited by the news of monk from China, Yorinaga examines his writing and finds him lacking.
Kôji 2 {1143} 3.30 Entry 康治二年三月三十日条 Translated by Emily Warren
Yorinaga decides to begin studying history in the bath and at mealtimes.
Kôji 2 {1143} 7.13 Entry 康治二年七月十三日条 Translated by Yumi Kodama, Jitsuya Nishiyama, and Sachiko Kawai
Yorinaga records his methods for studying and annotating the Classics and commentaries.
Kôji 2 {1143} 7.22 Entry 康治二年七月二十二日条 Translated by Yumi Kodama , Emily Warren, Tatyana Kostochka, Sachiko Kawai, Jillian Barndt, and Jitsuya Nishiyama
Yorinaga attends a private ceremony dedicated to Confucius.
Kôji 2 {1143} 8.28 Entry 康治二年八月二十八日条 Translated by Hanayo Noguchi and Yumi Kodama
After hearing the news of his tutor’s death, Yorinaga sends a representative to mourn at the residence.
Kôji 2 {1143} 9.30 Entry 康治二年九月三十日条 Translated by Jitsuya Nishiyama and Jillian Barndt
Yorinaga resolves to begin recording all the books he is reading.
Kôji 2 {1143} 10.22 Entry 康治二年十月二十二日条 Translated by Yumi Kodama and Tatyana Kostochka
Yorinaga goes to visit the Shitenôji monastic complex with other courtiers.
Kôji 2 {1143} 11.17 Entry 康治二年十一月十七日条 Translated by Emily Warren
Yorinaga is tested on his knowledge of the The History of the Southern Dynasties, with mixed results.
Ten'yô 2 {1145} 4.2 Entry 天養二年四月二日条 Translated by Jitsuya Nishiyama
Yorinaga constructs a vault for his books.
Ten'yô 2 {1145} 6.7 Entry 天養二年六月七日条 Translated by Niels van der Salm
Struck ill, Yorinaga has his companions use divination to determine his fate and demonstrates his own brilliance.
Ten'yô 2 {1145} 5.3 Entry 天養二年五月三日条 Translated by Emily Warren
Following failed prayers to vanquish a comet, Yorinaga mocks those involved and enjoys berries from Izumi.
Kyûan 3 {1147} 1.18 Entry 久安三年正月十八日条 Translated by Yoshiko Kainuma
Yorinaga remarks on the poor behavior and manipulations of other courtiers, referring to Chinese poetry.