Genbō
Genbō (玄昉, d. 746), also known as Gembō, was a Japanese scholar-monk and bureaucrat of the Imperial Court at Nara.[1]
In 717-718, he was part of the Japanese mission to Tang China (Kentōshi) along with Kibi no Makibi[1] and Abe no Nakamaro. Genbō stayed in China for 17 years before returning to Japan.[2]
He was a prominent figure associated with the Hossō sect of Buddhism in Japan, appointed abbot (sojo) of Kōfuku-ji by Emperor Shōmu.[1]
- 740 (Tenpyō 12): Gembō made improper advances to the wife of Fujiwara no Hirotsugu, Hirotsugu petitioned for the removal of the priest, but Kibi no Makibi and Genbō conspired successfully to discredit him.[3]
At the time of Genbō's death, it was popularly believed that he was killed by the vengeful spirit of Hirotsugu.[4]
Notes
- ^ a b c Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Gembō" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 235, p. 235, at Google Books.
- ^ Fogel, Joshua. (1996). The Literature of Travel in the Japanese Rediscovery of China, p. 22, p. 22, at Google Books; excerpt, "Like Genbō, Kibi no Makibi remained in China after the embassy ships returned to Japan, returning home himself at the same time as Genbo seventeen years later."
- ^ Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan, p. 57; excerpt, "Gembo, having made improper overtures to the beautiful wife of Fujiwarano Hirotsugu, the Viceroy of Dazaifu ...."
- ^ Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Annales des empereurs du japon, p. 72., p. 72, at Google Books; Herman Ooms. (2009).Imperial Politics and Symbolics in Ancient Japan: the Tenmu Dynasty, 650-800, p. 219., p. 219, at Google Books
References
- Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric and Käthe Roth. (2005). Japan encyclopedia. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. 10-ISBN 0-674-01753-6; 13-ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5; OCLC 58053128
- Ooms, Herman. (2009). Imperial Politics and Symbolics in Ancient Japan: the Tenmu dynasty, 650-800. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. 14-ISBN 9780824832353/10-ISBN 0824832353; OCLC 213495459
- Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan. Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. OCLC 194887
- Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). Nihon Odai Ichiran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon. Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. OCLC 5850691
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