was a Japanese

Confucian Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China, and is variously described as a tradition, philosophy, religion, theory of government, or way of life. Founded by Confucius ...

scholar A scholar is a person who is a researcher or has expertise in an academic discipline. A scholar can also be an academic, who works as a professor, teacher, or researcher at a university. An academic usually holds an advanced degree or a termina ...

, now most notable for his opprobrium of

Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

Life

Kiyotsura was a scholar and professor of literature, eventually becoming the

Daigaku-no-kami was a Japanese Imperial court position and the title of the chief education expert in the rigid court hierarchy. The Imperial ''Daigaku-no-kami'' predates the Heian period; and the court position continued up through the early Meiji period. The ...

and writing a biography of Fujiwara no Yasunori. He also enjoyed a distinguished career in politics, as both a provincial governor and later as the State Chancellor, dying while holding this office.
In 914, Kiyotsura authored the Memorial of Opinion (Iken Fuji), the purpose of which was to make the

Emperor Daigo was the 60th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 醍醐天皇 (60)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Daigo's reign spanned the years from 897 through 930. He is named after his place of burial. Gen ...

aware of the deterioration of both the morality of the Imperial Court's nobles and of public finances. He principally blamed Buddhism for this decay, though he also condemns

Shinto , also called Shintoism, is a religion originating in Japan. Classified as an East Asian religions, East Asian religion by Religious studies, scholars of religion, it is often regarded by its practitioners as Japan's indigenous religion and as ...

and Court officials. The excessive expenditure of the Court on clothing and banquets was opposed to his own Confucian ideals - he implored Daigo to establish regulations on dress corresponding to Court rank, and enforce decrees through the use of the metropolitan police force.
Kiyotsura also spoke of the decreasing standard of learning; he blamed this upon the

Daigaku-ryō was the former Imperial university of Japan, founded at the end of the 7th century.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Daigaku-ryō''" in . The Daigaku-ryō predates the Heian period, continuing in various forms through the early Meiji period. ...

's financial disrepair, ascribing blame for this to the loss of rice lands. He paints a bleak picture of students starving, silent lecture halls, and overgrown courtyards. On the other hand, he admits that he is looking at but one aspect of a greater whole, and his condemnation is not entirely balanced or just.
Although Kiyotsura's suggestions were in part adopted - certain dyes' use was only allowed to those of a certain rank - these regulations were ignored.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Miyoshi, Kiyotsura 847 births 918 deaths Japanese Confucianists