REKIHAKU

No.156 A Witness to History

Historical Materials about Jigekanjin Officials in the Medieval Imperial Palace

For the historical study of the medieval Imperial Palace in the Muromachi and Sengoku periods, diaries of the Emperors, "Diary of Oyutonoue" written by court ladies, and diaries of privileged nobles had been mainly used while historical materials by low-class officials had been almost unknown. This created a historical image of the Imperial Palace in the Muromachi and Sengoku periods that relied on the economic support from samurai families and even lost the social status as a supervisor of the court noble society because court nobles under the direct control had left for local regions.

In such situation, the National Museum of Japanese History promoted collaborative researches for the collection of the Takamatsu House of the Imperial Family while collecting the documents from the former collection of the Funabashi-Kiyohara family in 2007 and taking possession of "Nakahara Morotane Ki," "Nakahara Yasusada Ki" and "Nakahara Yasuo Ki" as the new Museum collection in 2008. These are a group of historical materials for Jigekanjin officials who served as Kyokumu and Kanmu that were central bodies of low-class officials in the medieval Imperial Palace, and their subordinate Rokuinogekishi. There are also a large amount of Shihaimonjo documents making a group of historical materials that covers the long period from the Oei Period （1394 - 1428） through the Eisho and Daiei Periods （1504 - 1528）, and the Genki and Tensho Periods （1570-1592）. This developed the condition for investigating and studying the reality of the administrative affairs carried out by the low-class officials in the Imperial Palace throughout the Muromachi and Sengoku periods. Let me introduce some of them.

Photo 1: "Nakahara Morotane Ki." This piece of paper for writing is called Shukushi and custom-made under the jurisdiction of the Kurododokoro secretariat.

Photo 2: "Bunpai" document made by jointing Shihaimonjo documents

"Nakahara Morotane Ki" was purchased as an ‘incomplete diary’ of forty-nine ancient documents. The collaborative research with the Historiographical Institute The University of Tokyo revealed that it was a new historical material corresponding to the lost part of "Morosato Ki" Oei 28 to Oei 31 （1421-1424） a well-known as a diary of Kyokumu. Furthermore, the diary of March 6, Oei 30 （1423） states 'I asked for leave and became a monk in Jijoin at the age of 72' （Photo 1）. This revealed that it was a diary of Nakahara Morotane given a professional title of Daigeki who was a father of Nakahara Morosato and served as Kyokumu.All of the forty-nine pieces of paper are Shukushi under the jurisdiction of the Kurododokoro secretariat of the Emperor. They are gray papers recycled from old papers of the government office and special papers normally used only by Kurodogata under the direct control of the Emperor. Jointing the Shihaimonjo documents makes the document called ‘Bunpai’ covering a period of nearly four years. In this document, annual events of national ceremonies held in the Imperial Palace from January to December are indicated and the names of Shikiji Benkan in charge of each event are written down （Photo 2）. Old events were not written down in Bunpai in the manner of the Nakahara family while even the abolished events were written down in Bunpai in the manner of the Kiyo family. The manner of ‘Bunpai’ was unified to the ‘manner of Kiyo family’ in Oei 29 （1422） after the discussion between Kyokumu Nakahara Morokatsu and Daigeki Kiyohara Narikata （"Yasutomi Ki"）. In fact, it became clear that even events not carried out were written down in Bunpai of Oei 30 （1423）.

Many of the historical materials of court nobles fall between a letter and a historical record such as Bunpai and have not been used for historical studies because of their uncertain characters. The above is an example indicating that the function of a document can be clarified by checking up the originals and the historical records together.

Photo 3: "Nakahara Yasusada Ki," a diary of official affairs written by a Jigekanjin official Rokuinogeki	Photo 4: "Nakahara Yasuo Ki," a diary of official affairs written by a Jigekanjin official in the Imperial Palace during the Sengoku Period
Photo 5: Official affairs in the Sengoku Period were carried out by Tenso, Naishi, and Gekishi.	Photo 6: "Yasutomi Ki" from the former collection of the Manuscript Books of the Takamatsu House of the Imperial Family, written by Yasusada and copied by Yasuo

"Nakahara Yasusada Ki"（Photo 3） is a diary of Nakahara Yasusada whose family was a disciple of the Kyokumu Kiyohara family and served as Rokuinogekishi for generations. It records the national events carried out during the time of Emperor Go-Kashiwabara from Eisho 10 （1513） to Daiei 6 （1526）. The record indicates the names of Shokei, Bugyo Shikijiben, Ryotsubone and Rokuinogekishi in charge and paid expenses for the events such as Kanpaku Senge, Genpuku Senge, Kasuga Festival, Reconstruction of Hachimangu Shrine, Jotonichiji Sadame, Ganjitsunosechie, Tokanosechie, Kaigen Sadame, Joijimoku, Shogun Yoshizumi Zokan Senge, Gosokui, etc. in the style of an account book.

"Nakahara Yasuo Ki" （Photo 4） is a diary of Yasuo who was a son of Yasusada and served as Rokuinogekishi. It consists of seven books from Tenbun 15 （1546） through Tensho 6 （1578） starting with an extract of Kiyohara Narikata Ki of Kyoroku 5 （1532）. The parts of Tenbun 21 （1552）, Koji 2 （1556）, Eiroku 4, 5, 7 and 10 （1561, 1562, 1564, 1567）, Genki 2 （1571）, and Tensho 4 and 5 （1576, 1577） are lost. Both books have the trace of a piece of paper indicating ‘Hino Family Collection’ attached on the cover. "Nakahara Yasuo Ki" is a transcript of 'Yasuo Shiki' copied by Mibu Ozuki Tadatoshi Sukune in the Edo Period, and lined and bound in the summer of Hoei 3 （1706）. Both books are in the possession of the Archives and Mausolea Department of the Imperial Household Agency and the library of Waseda University. The diary introduced as 'Shogeki Yasuo Ki' in "Rekidai Zanketsu Nikki" is that of Koji 3 （1557） only. This was a collection of Mibu Tadatoshi copied by Nakahara Morosada in Shoho 3 （1706）. This records annual events such as Ganjitsunosechie, Aoumanosechie, Nindaijin Senge, Kanpaku Senge, Agatameshinojimoku, Kasuga Festival, etc. and also special ceremonies such as Bukegogenpuku of Ashikaga Yoshifuji and Shogun Senge, Court Mourning for Emperor Go-Nara, Senso, Irokangyo, Ryoanoharae, Kaigen Sadame, etc. indicating the details of the names of the persons in charge of administrative affairs, fund procurement, etc. （Photo 5）. For the administrative affairs of the national events during the Muromachi and Sengoku periods, nobles in charge of Gishiki Tenso, Shokei and Bugyo Shikiji Benkan were appointed, and low-class officials such as Kanmu, Kyokumu, Rokuinogekishi, Jinkannin, Gyojikan, etc. were always allotted. It became clear that the upper/lower structure of the Shikiji Benkan since the Insei Period continued functioning basically even in the Imperial Court during the Sengoku Period. Benkangata and Gekikata were separate administrative systems, but they were unified to Benkangata in the late Muromachi Period. In the Sengoku Period, Kanmu and Kyokumu became unified, and events were carried out if either of them rendered a service. Even when both of them did not serve, the administrative affairs were sometimes carried out by Rokuinogekishi. The records of Rokuinogekishi inferior to Kyokumu became important.

"Yasutomi Ki" from the collection of the Takamatsu House of the Imperial Family was originally 'written by Nahahara Yasusada,' then copied by 'Yasuo' and transcribed in the early Edo Period （Photo 6）. The Nakahara family served as Rokuinogekishi for generations from Yasutuna to Yasutaka, Shigesada, Hidetaka, Yasutomi, Yasuaki, Yasusada, Yasuo, Yasumasa and Yasutada and was called a disciple or a follower of Kyokumu. 。

Photo 7: Reizeiin-no-cho was an enfeoffment of Rokuinogekishi and other Jigekanjin officials （"Yasutomi Ki"）.	Photo 8: Letter in the original handwriting of Kiyohara Nobukata in a Shihaimonjo document of "Geshofushu" from the former collection of the Funabashi-Kiyohara family
Photo 9: Original handwriting of Kanmu Omiya Tokimoto in "Sokuikakocho"" from the former collection of the Funabashi-Kiyohara family	Photo 10: Letter of Omiya Tokimoto in a Shihaimonjo document of "Geshofushu" from the former collection of the Funabashi-Kiyohara family

Rokuinogekishi describes Oribenocho and Reizeiinnocho as an 'enfeoffment' （Photo 7）, and six "enfeoffment people" held a 'meeting' in the residence of Innocho Jozukai. In a lawsuit between Takahashi Kazumoto and a paper hanger Ryoshu over the enfeoffment of Oribenocho, Emperor Go-hanazono ordered the corresponding enfeoffment of Gekisi not to be changed because it was small-sized （"Yasutomi Ki"）. This reveals that the enfeoffment of Jigekanjin officials, especially Gekishi, were under the special protection of the Emperor.

The old documents from the collection of the Funabashi-Kiyohara family were also handed down by the Kiyohara family that served as Kyokumu in the Muromachi and Sengoku periods from Naritada, Munekata, Nobukata, Narikata, Edakata, Kunikata, and Hidekata to the Funabashi family in the early modern and modern periods. The letter （Photo 8） in the original handwriting of Kiyohara Nobukata who was Shonagon, gave a lecture to the Emperor, and moved up to the position of Kugyo of Shosanmi still exists as Shihaimonjo. However, "Sokuikakocho" inherited by the Funabashi-Kiyohara family has the original handwriting of Kanmu Omiya Ozuki Tokimoto （Photo 9） saying 'Daitoji on August 22, Bunki 1 （1501） （Kao signature）.' There are many letters of Tokimoto also in Shihaimonjo such as 'Geshofushu' （Photo 10, 11 and 12）. Furthermore, the letter （Photo 13） of Kanmu Mibu Ozuki Kaneharu believed to be written in Eitoku 2 （1382） on the occasion of the enthronement of Emperor Go-komatsu is included, and his diary "Kaneharu Ki" was also inherited by the Funabashi-Kiyohara family （Photo 14）. In other words, even original handwriting materials and records of Mibu Kaneharu and Omiya Tokimoto who served as Kanmu were inherited by the family of Kyokumu Kiyohara Edakata. Looking at the relation between these families, it became clear that the daughter of Omiya Ozuki Nagaoki married Kiyohara Munekata （"Yasutomi Ki"）, and the daughter of Tokimoto also married Kiyohara Narikata and gave birth to Edakata （according to Sonpibunmyaku）. These families were related by marriage for two generations. Furthermore, Koreharu, the son of Omiya Tokimoto, stayed in Suo despite being Kanmu from Tenbun 18 through 20 （1549 - 1551）, and Kyokumu Kiyohara Edakata alone had complete control over administrative affairs. Omiya Ozuki Koreharu was killed in Suo in September, Tenbun 20 （1551） ending the Omiya family. From Koji 3 through Eiroku 2 （1557 - 1559）, both Kyokumu Edakata and Kanmu Mibu Tomoyoshi served. The Kanmu Omiya family and the Kyokumu Kiyohara family were related by marriage and called official ‘buddies’ because they were involved in administrative affairs in cooperation. The historical materials of the Omiya family may have been passed down to the Funabashi-Kiyohara family for this reason. The historical environment surrounding Jigekanjin officials during the Muromachi and Sengoku periods is reflected in the historical materials existing today. This is a fascinating area of the history.

Photo 11: Letter of Omiya Tokimoto in "Geshofushu" from the former collection of the Funabashi-Kiyohara family	Photo 12: Draft letter of acceptance of Omiya Tokimoto in "Geshofushu" from the former collection of the Funabashi-Kiyohara family
Photo 13: Letter of Kanmu Mibu Ozuki Kaneharu in a Shihaimonjo document of "Geshofushu"from the former collection of the Funabashi-Kiyohara family	Photo 14: "Ozuki Kaneharu Ki" from the former collection of the Funabashi-Kiyohara family. Historical materials of the Kanmu family came down to the Kyokumu Kiyohara family.

Kesao Ihara （Medieval Japanese History, Research Department）