Kogo Shūi

Kogo Shūi (古語拾遺) is a historical record of the Inbe clan. It was composed by Inbe no Hironari in 807.

Background

Historically, both the Inbe and Nakatomi clans had long performed religious services for the court. However, at the beginning of the Heian period, the Fujiwara clan, whom the Nakatomi clan are a branch of, seized political power. This strengthened the Nakatomi clan while weakening the Inbe clan and caused conflict between the two clans.

Hironari wrote this text to clarify the history and legitimize the rights of the Inbe clan as well as to argue the injustice of the Nakatomi clan and decline of the Inbe clan. He presented it to Emperor Heizei in 807.

Contents

The text consists of three major sections:

1. The historical events of clan ancestor Amenofutodama no Mikoto and his grandson Amamito no Mikoto.
2. A description of the national history from Emperor Jinmu through Emperor Tenmu.
3. Eleven points of discontent with the Nakatomi clan and the decline of the Inbe clan.

The first two sections serve as evidence and reference for legitimatizing the third and main section.

Value

The historical events described within the text are nearly identical with those found in Kojiki and Nihon Shoki. However, there are several events unique to this text so it serves as a supplement to the national histories.

Linguistically, the text contains a large number of old words written in man'yōgana which make it a valuable resource for studying Old Japanese.

See also

• Takahashi Ujibumi -- the Takahashi clan records

External links

• Scans of manuscript, Waseda University Library

References

• Kubota, Jun (2007). Iwanami Nihon Koten Bungaku Jiten [Iwanami dictionary of Japanese classical literature] (in Japanese). Iwanami Shoten. ISBN 978-4-00-080310-6.
• Nihon Koten Bungaku Daijiten: Kan'yakuban [A Comprehensive Dictionary of Classical Japanese Literature: Concise Edition]. Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten. 1986. ISBN 4-00-080067-1.
• Nishimiya, Kazutami (1985). Kogo Shūi (in Japanese). Iwanami Shoten. ISBN 4-00-300351-9.
• Omodaka, Hisataka (1967). Jidaibetsu Kokugo Daijiten: Jōdaihen (in Japanese). Sanseidō. ISBN 4-385-13237-2. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)