Paper No. : 11 Japanese History and Society Module : 08 The Cloister Government (In-Sei)

Development Team

Principal Investigator : Prof. Anita Khanna Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

Paper Coordinator : Prof. H. S. Prabhakar Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi Content Writer : Prof. R. Tomar Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

Content Reviewer : Ms. Neera Kongari Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

Japanese History and Society Japanese The Cloister Government (In-Sei)

Description of Module

Subject Name Japanese

Paper Name Japanese History and Society

Module title The Cloister Government (In-Sei)

Module ID JPN-P11-M08

Quadrant 1 E-Text

Japanese History and Society Japanese The Cloister Government (In-Sei)

The Cloister Government (In-Sei)

The Cluster Government (In-sei) was a unique, through not unprecedented, system of Heian period during 11th and 12th centuries. The Japanese word ‘In’ refers to a secluded place or religious cloister and ‘Sei’ means government or administration. The word ‘In sei’ therefore, come to demote the meaning of ‘a government run from a secluded or cloistered religion domain’. It refers to system of government in which the political control or the administration was restored to the Imperial House from Fujiwara Nobility and the Retired Emperor managed all administration from a secluded or cloistered domain place with in the premises of the Imperial palace. It had two centres of political activity : a) the reigning emperor, presiding over the traditional court and bureaucracy and b) a retired emperor (usually the reigning emperor’s father or grandfather) practically ruling with his personal retinue and administrative machinery. During Heian period the Imperial family was under strong influence of the Fujiwara family and its ruling powers were exercised by the Fujiwar regents or Kampaku. They were able to establish their control through marital ties with members of the Imperial family.

Fujiwara Family’s Dominating Influence

Traditionally, the empress was supposed to be of royal blood but Emperor Shomu was married to Fujiwara Fubito’s third daughter who later become Empress Kanyo. Yoshifusa, a Fujiwara leader who married a daughter of Emperor Saga, was appointed as Regent because Seiwa had been enthroned at the age of nine. Seiwa was the first child emperor to be put under the tutelage if a Regent who was not a royal blood. Yoshifusa was succeeded by his nephew Mototsune who was regent during the minority period of Yozei and continued as Kampaku, the Civil Administrator until his death in 891. Kampaku’s office, unlike the Regency (sessho) was not limited to the period of minority or incapacity of the occupant of the Throne. Yozei, being insane and of criminal nature was asked to abdicate in 884, and was succeeded by an elderly Emperor who left all the state affairs to the discretion of Mototsune. Thereafter, the Fujiwara Regent or Kampaku continued to manage the state affairs almost in dictatorial manner uptil 1068.

Japanese History and Society Japanese The Cloister Government (In-Sei)

It was primarily because of their matrimonial relations that the Fujiwaras enjoyed various privileges in appointments to public offices and the grant of land holdings as tax-free (Shoen) etc. the area of Fujiwara family’s tax-free lands (Shoen) reached such vast proportions that almost three-fourths of the nation’s territory came under its possession. The Fujiwara daughters were regularly being married in the Imperial family. Consequently, the Regent of Kampaku was always an uncle, father–in-law or grandfather of the sovereign. The situation reached its climax during the time of Fujiwara no Michinaga whose four daughters became consorts of four successive emperiors, and three of their sons respectively became emperors: Go-Ichijo, Go- Suzaku and Reizei. Thus, the Fujiwara family was able to maintain its control over the administrative machinery quite for a long time. But once this blood-relationship was broken, their power was shattered down. Emperor Go-Daigo ascended the throne but he was not the son of a Fujiwara mother and therefore had no emotional links with this clan. Michinaga’s sons, Yorimichi and Norimichi, gave their daughters to become Imperial consorts but none of them gave birth to an imperial son. As a result, the real political power passed on to the Emperor who stated controlling the administration by instituting a cloister government during later part of the eleventh century. Hereafter the emperors who had already abdicated, taken Buddhist vows and had formally renounced the worldly life, stated managing the state affairs from behind the scene i.e. practically a cloister or secluded part of the Imperial Palace meant for religious services.

Fujiwara family’s efforts to obtain more and more tax-free-lands (Shoen) and their pursuit of life of luxury and comfort resulted in disregard of administrative responsibilities, degradation of the revenue system and lowering down of the educational standards. Ki-no- Tsurayuki, a well known contemporary writer, criticized the nobility for their unnecessary expenditure on building palaces, monasteries and purchasing costly costumes. He condemned the sale of public offices and dishonest conduct of the government employees to realize their individual material interests. With the passage of time the central government’s authority deteriorated considerably causing the serious problems of law and order. The sovereign lost his revenues and the political authority shifted to the provincial warring chan. Another reason for

Japanese History and Society Japanese The Cloister Government (In-Sei)

this debacle was the lack of attention towards the military establishments and defense preparations. After the promotions of friendly relations with Tang Empire of China, the Japanese government started discounting the possibility of foreign invasion and therefore sparing money for the maintenance of a big and well-equipped military force. The conspicuous military weakness of the central government paved the way to intrigues, palace conspiracies and succession disputes. The past Emperor Uda’s reign (887-97) manifested the transfer of administration power from the Throne to the provincial daimyos having abundant wealth and military strength. Though Japan made tremendous development in the field of learning and literature, the position for the emperor remained shaky. Emperor Go-Daigo, in 902, made efforts to become free from Fujiwara domination by issuing edits to check illegal practices relating to immunities given for land-tax and land-tenure, but the landlords could not be compelled to give- up their undue privileges. Similar attempts made by Emperor Go-Inchijo in 1032 and Emperor Go-Suzaku in 1040, but the local authorities ignored the court orders as they were receiving support from the ineffective Fujiwara beders. In 1056, the Imperial Court again made an attempt to cancel the existing illegal titles to immune domains (Shoen) but the attempt failed because of strong opposition of the land-hungry clans. Emperor Go-Daigo tried to reform by establishing a record office (Kiroku-jo) to scrutinize the authenticity of the titles of the Shoen. The outcome was disappointment as hardly and feudal lord claiming immunity was able to produce valid orders from the Imperial Court or a Minister of State as an evidence to support the claim. Thus, despite so many efforts to reform the Shoen system, the number of immune estates continued increasing throughout the eleventh century, the failure of the Imperial authority was clearly visible not only in the matters of land-tenure and tax-evasion but in case of government activities as well.

Establishment of Cloister Government

Emperor Go-Shirakawa finally succeeded in establishing a cloister government after his abdication. Though the decline of Fujiwara family was in sight, the policies of Go-Sanju precipitated down fall Go-Suzaka who was his second son and his mother Yomeimon-In. He had

Japanese History and Society Japanese The Cloister Government (In-Sei)

no direct link with Fujiwara family and accordingly, no feeling of debt or gratitude toward that family. Though he was named as crown price by his father, the Regent Yorimichi was against him and obstructed his succession for more than thirty years after his father’s death in 952. For his dislike for the Regent, he became determined to rule in person without interference and follow policies detrimental to the interests of Fujiwara clan. He tried to restore and reinforce the Imperial authority to rule. Emperor Go-Sanjo died barely four years after his abdication leaving several problems still to be solved, but Fujiwara clan’s dictatorial regime finally came to an end. Here after, the titular sovereign was free to abdicate according to his own independent choice place on throne a suitable and docile hair and direct the state affairs from the mansion of his retreat. His dwelling place was known as ‘In’ because of its religious colors. Being a secluded religious home or cloister, the government run from this place came to be known as ‘In-sei’ or a Cloister Government. After Emperor Go-Sanjo’s abdication in 1072, Go-Shirakawa remained both a titular head as well as a real sovereign for forty-three years i.e. uptil his death in 1129. During this period three titular heads occupied the throne but none exercised the real authority. The practice of Cloister Government started practically from the abdication of Go-Shirakawa in 1086. Actually it had originated from the customary habit of relaxation and seeking relief from the tiresome ceremonial and religious duties of official life. On certain occasions the sovereign and other high officials used to retire at an early age to spend the rest of life in peace free from tensions of official obligations. This custom known as Inko meaning sheltered or peaceful life was a normal feature of Japanese life. During Heian period, nineteen emperors out of thirty-three in toto abdicated to spend the rest period of life in peace. Most of them were given the honorific title of ‘Ho-o’ i.e. a Sacred Ruler. There were some anomalies of the ‘In-sei’ system. For example, Emperor Go-Toba abdicated of his own choice in 1123 and became a Cloistered Emperor with the result that now there were two retired emperors and one titular emperor. This created dynastic and jurisdictional problems. After Emperor Shirakawa’s death in 1129, his grandson Go-Toba succeeded him and personally governed the country as cloistered Emperor uptil 1186. Thus, the Cloistered Government (In-Sei) system lasted for about its credibility and significance because the authority of the titular as well as the Cloistered Emperor had been

Japanese History and Society Japanese The Cloister Government (In-Sei)

destroyed by the rising warrior clans. Pleading their cases they claimed to be the protector of the throne in their own right. This happened at a time when Go-Shirakawa as a sovereign ruler was unable to exercise his authority. After his abdication in favour of Nijo, he reigned but did not govern.

There was a rising against Fujiwara domination and their misrule in the country; and a political movement to restore the honour of the Imperial House by creating an authority independent of the influence of maternal relatives of the occupant of the Throne. The Focus was now shifting from maternal relatives to paternal relatives. Earlier, a Regent had been able to influence the reigning Emperor’s decision because his Empress was a Fujiwara daughter, but now the abdicated Emperor could truly govern because the reigning Emperor was his own son. Incidentally, a natural change in the situation also went against the Fujiwara family’s interest. After Michinaga’s times, the Fujiwara ladies in the palace either died young in age or delivered only girl babies or none at all. The feminine source of power for the Fujiwara clan, thus, dried up. The rivalries and conflicts within the clan also became an important reason for the downfall of Fujiwara family. It is noteworthy that Go-Sanjo in his struggle to occupy the Throne was supported by Yoshinobu, a Fujiwara noble who took his side against his own kinsman Fujiwara Regent Yorimichi. This situation having in-built anamolies necessitated the creation of a new form of government based not merely upon the merit of birth or reputation but the military power and governing skill as well.

Organization of the Cloister Government

The cloistered Emperors kept their own court and Government consisting of administrative and judicial officers recruited from lower strata of the society as compared with Fujiwara bureaucrats. Among them there were doctors, statesmen, and men of learning like Oye Masafusa, a scholar of Confucianism and politics having the ability to advise the Emperor. The members of Fujiwara clan, if trustworthy and meritorious, were not denied appointments in the Cloister Government while the members of Minamoto Clan who claimed their descent from

Japanese History and Society Japanese The Cloister Government (In-Sei)

Emperor Murakami were given important positions. A member of wealthy person owning big business and estates also got important positions in the government. Fujiwara bureaucrats were, thus, replaced by countries close to the abdicated sovereign. Some of them were highly incompetent. A contemporary Diary recorded in 1180 that the Regent at that time was quiet ignorant about the literature and the history of Japan and China. The Cloister Government system functioned remarkably well under Go-Sanjo and Go-Shirokawa. The cloistered Emperors sometimes fell short of funds to maintain their living standards. Having no recognized claim on national territory, they had to depend upon revenues accruing from their manors. With luxurious living and expensive tastes, they had to seek support from financial magnets. Some rich candidates looking for appointment in the government posts were prepared to give financial help by paying for their expensive purchases. Here lay the symptoms of social and economic changes that were taking place around the close of eleventh century particularly relating to the class- structure of the society. Shirakawa-In had maintained close contacts with rich people like Fujiwara Akitaka, Fujiwara Akisue and Minamoto Toshiaki. Apart from personal qualities, these favourites of Shirakawa, Toba and Sutoku, were prepared to spend money for the luxurious living of their patrons. They also supported the Cloistered Emperor to take stand against the pressures coming from Fujiwara Regents and later the Taira dictators. Among them, an outstandingly favourite, status-wise higher and qualitatively more capable than Akisue and Akitaka was Fujiwara Iyenari footing of equality. These newly appointed bureaucrats on the basis of their merit, and rich supporters of the Cloistered Emperor successfully substituted the Fujiwara leaders and facilitated their ouster from power.

Conclusion

The establishment of Cloister Government was not inspired by any particular ideal, rather it developed as a solution for the intricate problems created by excessive domination and misuse of power by Fujiwara family. The Cloistered Emperors took over the administration of the country when the titular sovereigns were being used by the Fujiwara regents to serve their wishes and material interests. The institution of Cloister Government came as relief and brought the

Japanese History and Society Japanese The Cloister Government (In-Sei)

country out of the clutches of Fujiwara nobles. The nature also played its role significantly as the Fujiwara women as Imperial concerts could not produced make children and thereby expedited the process of ouster of Fujiwara family. This institution of Cloister Government was not new to the nation as the earlier emperors and bureaucrats had been retiring prematurely to seek relaxation from the worldly obligations and te3nsions of life. The Cloistered Emperors gave it only the form of an institution as part of the government.

The traditional Japanese historians believe that Go-Sanjo and Go-Shirakawa created the system of Cloister Government to free the Imperial family from domination of Fujiwara Regents and they succeeded in their mission. The modern historians, however, feel that there was nothing new about this system as it had been in existence since long.

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Japanese History and Society Japanese The Cloister Government (In-Sei)