Hōnen
, also known as Genkū, was the founding figure of the , the first independent branch of Japanese Pure Land Buddhism.
Hōnen became a Tendai initiate at an early age, but grew disaffected and sought an approach to Buddhism that all people of all ...
, is a Japanese historical text compiled at the end of the twelfth century. It is also called the or .
Overview
The ''Fusō Ryakuki'' is a Japanese historical text compiled at the end of the
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kammu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means in Japanese. It is a ...
. It is also called the ''Fusō-ki'' or ''Fusō-shū''. It was compiled by the
Enryaku-ji
is a Tendai monastery located on Mount Hiei in Ōtsu, overlooking Kyoto. It was first founded in 788 during the early Heian period (794–1185) by Saichō (767–822), also known as Dengyō Daishi, who introduced the Tendai sect of Mahayana ...
Tendai
, also known as the Tendai Dharma Flower School (天台法華宗, ''Tendai hokke shū,'' sometimes just ''Hokkeshū''), is a Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition with significant esoteric elements that was officially established in Japan in 806 by t ...
monk
A monk (; from , ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery. A monk usually lives his life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many reli ...
, who died in 1169. It is written in ''
kanbun
''Kanbun'' ( 'Han Chinese, Han writing') is a system for writing Literary Chinese used in Japan from the Nara period until the 20th century. Much of Japanese literature was written in this style and it was the general writing style for offici ...
'', in an
annal
Annals (, from , "year") are a concise historical record in which events are arranged chronologically, year by year, although the term is also used loosely for any historical record.
Scope
The nature of the distinction between annals and histo ...
style.
According to the ', it was originally in thirty books, but of these only books 2 through 6 (
Empress Jingū
was a Legend, legendary Japanese empress who ruled as a regent following her Emperor Chūai, husband's death in 200 AD. Both the and the (collectively known as the ''Kiki'') record events that took place during Jingū's alleged lifetime. Legen ...
to
Emperor Shōmu
was the 45th Emperor of Japan, emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 聖武天皇 (45)/ref> according to the traditional List of Emperors of Japan, order of succession. Shōmu's reign spanned the years 724 through 749, duri ...
) and 20 through 30 (
Emperor Yōzei
was the 57th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 陽成天皇 (57)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.
Yōzei's reign spanned the years from 876 through 884.
Traditional narrative
Before his ascension ...
to
Emperor Horikawa
was the 73rd emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 堀河天皇 (73)/ref> according to the traditional List of emperors of Japan, order of succession.
Horikawa's reign spanned the years from Heian period, 1087 through 1107 ...
), or sixteen books in total, are extant. The complete work originally chronicled Japan's history from the reign of
Emperor Jimmu
was the legendary first emperor of Japan according to the and . His ascension is traditionally dated as 660 BC.Kelly, Charles F"Kofun Culture"Kanji 8 (1094 CE). Using surviving extracts, however, the ''Ryakuki''s accounts of the reigns of Emperor Jimmu through
Emperor Heizei
, also known as ''Heijō-tennō'', was the 51st emperor of Japan, Emperor Heizei, Yamamomo Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. Heizei's reign lasted from 806 to 809.
Traditional nar ...
engi Engi may refer to:
* ENGI, a Japanese animation studio
* Engi, Switzerland, a former municipality in the canton of Glarus in Switzerland
* Engi (era)
was a after ''Shōtai'' and before ''Enchō.'' This period spanned the years from July 901 t ...
'', biographies of and temple traditions to construct a narrative history of Japan, with a particular emphasis on topics of Buddhist interest. It supposedly also included an account of the
Age of the Gods
In Shinto chronology, the is the period preceding the accession of Jimmu, the first Emperor of Japan. The kamiyo myths are chronicled in the "upper roll" (''Kamitsumaki'') of the ''Kojiki'' and in the first and second chapters of the ''Nihon Sh ...
but this has not survived and its contents are unknown.