Finding Sanjō Genshi: Women's Visibility in Late Medieval Japanese
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Finding Sanjō Genshi: Women’s Visibility in Late Medieval Japanese Aristocratic Journals by Sherry J. Funches A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (History) in the University of Michigan 2017 Doctoral Committee: Professor Hitomi Tonomura, Chair Associate Professor Christian de Pee Associate Professor Leslie Pincus Emeritus Professor Esperanza Ramirez-Christensen Sherru J. Funches [email protected] ORCID iD 0000-0003-4858-3981 © Sherry J. Funches All rights reserved 2017 Acknowledgements I am indebted to a number of people and institutions for their assistance in helping me complete this project. I am grateful for having the opportunity to perform the majority of my research at the University of Tokyo’s Historiographical Institute. I would like to thank Professor Kurushima Noriko, who served as my sponsor, for taking the time out of her busy schedule to introduce me to the institution’s resources, see how I was acclimating to life in Japan, and providing me valuable advice about my research. She also arranged for me to attend seminars and work with a tutor on a document reading. This dissertation would not have been possible without the generous assistance of Assistant Professor Endō Tamaki. She offered her time every week to tutor me in reading very difficult documents. Her extensive knowledge and patience has been invaluable. I would also like to thank Professors Hongō Keiko (University of Tokyo) and Yasuda Tsuguo (Ochanomizu University), for allowing me to attend their seminars on medieval sources. I cannot express enough thanks to the members of my committee and other faculty at the University of Michigan. My advisor Hitomi Tonomura has been there for me throughout every step of this process. She has fostered my interest in pre-modern Japanese women’s history, showed me the ropes in researching medieval Japan, and encouraged me to think more broadly about my research. I could not have done this without her support and I am very thankful for the thoughtful advice, humor, and encouragement she has offered me at every turn. Christian de Pee’s guidance was instrumental; his concrete feedback and challenging questions helped me ii refine my arguments and conceptualize the dissertation’s framework. Leslie Pincus was an enormous help in guiding me through the writing process. I would like to thank Esperanza Ramirez-Christensen for her wonderful feedback and for remaining on my committee after she retired. Associate Professor Micah Auerback graciously shared his time and knowledge about researching medieval Japanese religious practices. Classmates and friends, especially Nevila Pahumi and You-sun Crystal Chung, provided incredible support. I received generous financial support from the Institute of International Education Fulbright Program, The University of Michigan’s Center of Japanese Studies, Rackham Graduate School, and The University of Michigan’s Department of History. I am grateful for the assistance from the Japan-United States Educational Commission (Fulbright Japan) office, especially Executive Director David Satterwhite and Jinko Brinkman, who provided terrific on the ground support in meeting the challenges of living and researching in Japan. I would also like to extend thanks to the Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies for their excellent intensive language training and the Blakemore Foundation for funding my study at the center. Last, but certainly not least, I am deeply indebted to my family for their unflagging support throughout this process. My parents, David and Bernadette, and my sisters, Renee and Michelle have been with me through every stage of this journey. I truly appreciate how they have always volunteered to act as sounding boards, looked after me while I was in Japan, and encouraged me never to give up. I could not have done this with out them. iii Table of Contents Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................... ii List of Tables ................................................................................................................................ vi List of Figures .............................................................................................................................. vii List of Appendices ...................................................................................................................... viii Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... ix Chapter One. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 1 Introduction to the Sources ...................................................................................................... 9 Medieval Aristocratic Journals and Households ..................................................................... 9 Overview of the Sources ....................................................................................................... 18 Themes and the Organization of the Dissertation ............................................................... 21 Chapter Two. Placing Genshi in Historical Context: Women, the Aristocracy, and the Imperial Court in the Fourteenth Century .............................................................................. 26 Gender and the Aristocracy ................................................................................................... 27 Women and Politics: Sexual Relationships and Patronage ................................................... 28 The Aristocracy in the Fourteenth Century ......................................................................... 37 Economic and Political Difficulties: Privatization of Land and the Rise of Warriors .......... 37 Political Turmoil: The Nanbokuchō Conflict ....................................................................... 40 The Political and Economic Condition of the Aristocracy in the Fourteenth Century ......... 41 Placing Genshi in the Back Palace: Identifying Women, Politics, and Court Service .... 49 Identifying Genshi: Naming Conventions in Medieval Texts .............................................. 50 The Jōrō no tsubone and Changes in the Back Palace ......................................................... 52 iv Conclusion: Status Shifts in Sexual Politics .......................................................................... 72 Chapter Three. Records of Emperor Go-Komatsu’s Birth: Women, Ritual Performance, and Wealth. .................................................................................................................................. 76 Women’s Visibility in Records of Ceremonies ..................................................................... 81 Key Characteristics in the Writing of Ceremonies ............................................................... 81 Women’s Visibility in Records of Precedent and Performance ........................................... 87 Women and the Writing of Wealth ..................................................................................... 128 The Writing of Wealth ........................................................................................................ 130 Women and the Writing of Wealth ..................................................................................... 141 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 172 Chapter Four. Women, Social Networks, and Politics .......................................................... 176 Women and Appointments ................................................................................................... 179 Women’s Visibility Obtaining Rank and Office ................................................................ 180 Direct Participation in Appointments: Annual Allotments ................................................. 190 Women and Social Connections .......................................................................................... 191 Sanefuyu’s Promotions in the 1360s and 1370s: The Ōgimachi Sanjō and Maternal Kinship ............................................................................................................................................. 193 Hino Senshi and Hirohashi Chūshi: Sex, Kinship, Service, and Yoshimitsu’s Rise .......... 200 The Sanjō: Genshi’s Absence and Vulnerability ................................................................ 230 Maternal Kinship and High Titles: Sanefuyu’s Appointment to Captain of the Right Imperial Guards .................................................................................................................. 249 Conclusion ............................................................................................................................. 258 Chapter Five. Conclusion ......................................................................................................... 261 Women’s Participation in the Circulation of Information ............................................... 267 Appendices ................................................................................................................................. 281 Bibliography .............................................................................................................................