The Taiheiki: A Chronicle of Medieval Japan - Translated With an Introduction and Notes

by Helen Craig McCullough (Translator)

Overview

An epic saga of samurai warfare in medieval Japan

This celebrated literary classic has delighted generations of Japanese. In its pages, you will find a vivid contemporary description of the fourteenth-century intrigues and battles that led to the destruction of the Hojo family, the military overlords of the nation, and made it possible for the Emperor Go-Daigo (1288-1339), one of Japan's most remarkable sovereigns, to reassert the power of the throne. Go-Daigo's first hesitant attempts to overthrow the Hojo, the early defeats suffered by his supporters, his dethronement and exile, the legendary exploits of his generals, the growing strength of his arms, and his ultimate return to the throne are all recounted in engrossing detail.

The anonymous authors of The Taiheiki diversify their narrative through the skillful use of the rich treasure house of the Chinese dynastic histories, the verse of the Six Dynasties and T'ang, and the Confucian teachings underlying the strict warrior code of loyalty and filial piety. They write with a deep sense of the inevitability of karma—determined fate and the impermanence of man and his works—but the spirit of the age is reflected in their praise of valor and military prowess, their taste for descriptions of the trappings of war, and their frequent irreverent asides. Considered a part of the gunki monogatari, or war tales canon in Japan, The Taiheiki celebrates martial adventure and can be seen as a prose counterpart to the Homeric epics of the Iliad and the Odyssey.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780804835381
Publisher:	Tuttle Publishing
Publication date:	03/15/2004
Series:	Tuttle Classics
Edition description:	1st Edition
Pages:	452
Sales rank:	467,615
Product dimensions:	5.12(w) x 8.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Helen Craig McCullough (1918-1998) was a well-known American Orientalist. She received her doctoral degree from the University of California and studied at Tokyo Universityon a Fulbright grant. She was the editor and translator of numerous works from the Japanese and Chinese classic tradition.

Table of Contents

	Preface	vii
	Introduction	xv
13
	The Reign of Go-Daigo Tenno and the Prosperity of the Military	3
	The Abolition of the Barriers	6
	The Nomination of a Consort and the Matter of Lady Sammi	8
	The Princes	10
	The Inner Princess Prays for a Safe Delivery; the Matter of Toshimoto's Feigned Seclusion	12
	The Band of Roisterers and Gen'e's Discourses on Literature	14
	Yorikazu Changes His Loyalty	18
	Suketomo and Toshimoto Go Down to the Kanto; the Imperial Message	24
228
	The Imperial Journeys to the Southern Capital and the Northern Peak	28
	The Arrest of the Monks and Their Removal to Rokuhara; Tameakira's Poem	31
	The Three Monks Go Down to the Kanto	33
	Toshimoto no Ason Goes Back to the Kanto	38
	The Opinion of Nagasaki Shinsaemon-no-jo and the Matter of Master Kumawaka	42
	The Execution of Toshimoto and the Matter of Sukemitsu	51
	Marvelous Things in the Realm	54
	Morokata Climbs the Mountain; The Battle of Karasaki Beach	57
	The Highnesses of the Jimyoin Go to Rokuhara	62
	The Coming of the Supreme Highness Is Found to Be a Deceit, Wherefore the Heart of the Mountain Gate Changes; Also, the Matter of Chi Hsin	63
367
	The Dream of the Supreme Highness and the Matter of Kusunoki	67
	The Battle of Kasagi; How Suyama and Komiyama Attacked by Night	70
	The Supreme Highness Flees from Kasagi	79
	The Battle of Akasaka Castle	85
	Sakurayama's Suicide	91
493
	The Captives of Kasagi Are Put to Death or Sent into Exile; The Matter of Lord Fujifusa	93
	The Verse of the Seven-Year-Old Prince	100
	The Matter of the First Prince and the Prince of the Myohoin	101
	Chun Ming-chi Visits the Palace	103
	The Grief of the Inner Princess	104
	The Former Sovereign Goes into Exile	105
	The Matter of Bingo no Saburo Takanori; the Fighting Between Wu and Yueh	107
5127
	The Enthronement of the Highness of the Jimyoin	127
	Lord Nobufusa Serves Two Masters	128
	The Extinction of the New Perpetual Lamp of the Central Hall	130
	The Sagami Lay Monk Amuses Himself with Field Music; the Matter of the Dog Fights	131
	How Tokimasa Shut Himself Up at Enoshima to Pray	133
	The Prince of the Great Pagoda Flees to Kumano	135
6150
	The Dream of Lady Mimbukyo	150
	Kusunoki Goes to the Tennoji; The Matter of Suda, Takahashi, and Utsunomiya	152
	Masashige Beholds the forecast of the Tennoji	160
	The Prince of the Great Pagoda Issues a Command to the Lay Monk Akamatsu Enshin	162
	A Host from the Kanto Goes Up to the Capital	163
	The Battle of Akasaka; How Hitomi and Homma Went before Others	166
7175
	The Battle of Yoshino Castle	175
	The Battle of Chihaya Castle	181
	Nitta Yoshisada Receives an Imperial Mandate	188
	The Rising of Akamatsu	190
	Doi and Tokuno Raise Their Banners	191
	The Former Sovereign Goes to Funanoe	192
	The Battle of Funanoe	198
8201
	The Battle of Maya, and the Battles of Sakabe and Segawa	201
	The Battle of the Twelfth Day of the Third Month	205
	The Highness of the Jimyoin Goes to Rokuhara	209
	The Sacred Rituals in the Palaces of the Emperor and the Retired Emperor; The Battle of Yamazaki	214
	The Soldier-Monks of the Enryakuji Invade the Capital	217
	The Battle of the Third Day of the Fourth Month, and the Valor of Mega Magosaburo	221
	The Supreme Highness Performs the Rites of the Golden Wheel; Lord Chigusa Fights in the Capital	228
	The Fire at the Tani-no-do Temple	235
9237
	Lord Ashikaga Goes Up to the Capital	237
	The Attack on Yamazaki and the Battle of Koganawate	240
	Lord Ashikaga Crosses Beyond Oe Mountain	244
	Lord Ashikaga Comes to Shinomura, Whereupon the Men of the Provinces Gallop to Join Him	246
	Takauji Offers Up a Petition at Shinomura Hachiman Shrine	250
	The Attack on Rokuhara	253
	The Flight of the Supreme Highness and the Former Emperors	259
	The Suicide of Nakatoki and His Warriors	266
	The Fifth Prince Captures the Supreme Highness and the Former Emperors; the Minister Sukena Renounces the World	270
	The Defeat of the Chihaya Attackers	271
10273
	Master Senjuo Flees from Okura Valley	273
	The Revolt of Nitta Yoshisada; How a Goblin Summoned the Armies of Echigo	274
	Miura Otawa Speaks of Warfare	281
	The Battle of Kamakura	285
	The Suicide of the Akahashi Governor of Sagami; Homma's Suicide	287
	A Beach Appears at Inamura Cape	289
	War Fires in Kamakura; the Bravery of Nagasaki and His Son	292
	Daibutsu Sadanao and Kanazawa Sadamasa Die in Battle	295
	Shinnin Dies by His Own Hand	296
	The Suicide of Shioda and His Son	297
	The Suicide of the Shiaku Lay Monk	298
	The Suicide of the Ando Lay Monk; The Matter of Wang Ling of Han	299
	Master Kameju Flees to Shinano; Sakon-no-taifu Escapes in Disguise to Oshu	301
	The Last Battle of Nagasaki Jiro Takashige	305
	Takatoki and His Kinsmen Kill Themselves at the Toshoji Temple	310
11312
	Godaiin Uemon Muneshige Deceives Sagami Taro	312
	The Generals Send Couriers to Funanoe	315
	The Emperor Visits Shosha Mountain; Nitta's Report	317
	Masashige Comes to Hyogo; the Emperor Returns to the Capital	320
	The Battle of Tsukushi	322
	The Surrender of the Military Governor of Nagato	326
	The Suicide of the Steward of Ushi-ga-hara in Echizen	328
	The Suicide of the Protector of Etchu; the Matter of the Unquiet Spirits	330
	The Punishment of the Besiegers of Mount Kongo; the Matter of Sakai Sadatoshi	334
12340
	The Court Governs Alone	340
	The Building of the Great Palace Enclosure; the Matter of the Shrine of Sugawara no Michizane	346
	The Rites for the Pacification of the State, and the Rewards Given to the Grand Marshals	363
	The Extravagance of Lord Chigusa and the Monk Reformer Monkan; the Matter of the Most Holy Gedatsu	365
	Hiroari Shoots a Strange Bird	371
	The Matter of the Garden of Divine Waters	374
	The Banishment of the Princely Minister of Military Affairs; the Matter of Lady Li	379
	Character List	389
	Index	393