EMPEROR SAGA

'Emperor Saga' (嵯峨天皇, ''Saga-tennō'') (786–842) was the '52nd' emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 809 through 823.^[1]

Contents

Genealogy

Events of Saga''-tennō's life

''Kugyō''

Eras of Saga''-tennō's reign

References

Notes

Further reading

External links

Genealogy

He was the second son of Emperor Kammu, and younger brother of Emperor Heizei by the same mother.^[2]

Events of Saga''-tennō's life

Saga was a scholar of the Chinese classics and, according to legend, the first Japanese emperor to drink tea. He was renowned as a skillful calligrapher. Saga succeeded to the throne after the retirement of Heizei due to illness, and soon after his enthronement was himself ill. This gave Heizei an opportunity to foment a rebellion.
These Heizei insurgents were defeated. Forces loyal to Emperor Saga's forces, led by ''taishōgun'' Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, quickly defeated the Heizei insurgents which thus limited the consequences of a broader conflict.^[3] This same Tamuramaro is remembered in Aomori's annual ''nebuta'' or ''neputa'' matsuri which feature a number of gigantic, specially-contructed, illuminated paper floats. These great lantern-structures are colorfully painted with mythical figures; and teams of men carry them through the streets as crowds shout encouragement. This early ninth century military leader is commemorated in this way because he is said to have ordered huge illuminated lanterns to be placed at the top of hills; and when the curious Emishi approached these bright lights to investigate, they were captured and subdued by Tamuramaro's men.^[4]
Emperor Saga was also an important supporter of the Buddhist monk Kūkai and helped him to establish the Shingon School of Buddhism by granting him the Toji temple in the capital Heian-kyō (present day Kyoto).
Saga's grandson, Minamoto no Tōru, is thought to be an inspiration for the protagonist of the novel ''The Tale of Genji''.
In ancient Japan, there were four noble clans, the ''Gempeitōkitsu'' (源平藤橘). One of these clans, the Minamoto clan (源氏)are also known as Genji, and of these, the Saga Genji (嵯峨源氏)are descended from 52th emperor Saga.
Emperor Saga's reign lasted for 14 years. He died at the age of 57.^[5]

''Kugyō''

''Kugyō'' (公卿) is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre-Meiji eras.-- ''kugyō'' of Saga-tennō (in French)
In general, this elite group included only three to four men at a time. These were hereditary courtiers whose experience and background would have brought them to the pinnacle of a life's career. During Saga's reign (809-823), this ''kugyō'' included:

★ ''Udaijin'', Fujiwara no Uchimaro　(藤原内麿), 806-812^[6]

★ ''Udaijin'', Fujiwara no Sonohito　(藤原園人),　812-818^[7]

★ ''Udaijin'', Fujiwara no Fuyutsugu　(藤原冬嗣),　821-825^[7]

Eras of Saga''-tennō's reign

The years of Saga's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or ''nengō''.

★ ''Daidō'' (806-810)

★ ''Kōnin'' (810-824)

References

Notes

1. Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). ''Annales des empereurs du Japon,'' p. 97.
2. Varely, H. Paul. ''Jinnō Shōtōki,'' p. 151.
3. Titsingh, p. 98; Varley, p. 151.
4. Boroff, Nicholas. ''National Geographic Traveler Japan,'' p. 156.
5. Varley, p. 163.
6. Brown, D. (1979). ''Gukanshō,'' p. 280.
7. Brown, p. 280.
8. Brown, p. 280.

Further reading

★ Boroff, Nicholas. (2005). ''National Geographic Traveler Japan.'' Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society.

★ Brown, Delmer and Ichiro Ishida, eds. (1979). ''Gukanshō; "The Future and the Past: a translation and study of the 'Gukanshō,' an interpretive history of Japan written in 1219" translated from the Japanese and edited by Delmer M. Brown & Ichirō Ishida.'' Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-03460-0

★ Titsingh, Isaac, ed. (1834). [Siyun-sai Rin-siyo, 1652], ''Nipon o daï itsi ran; ou, Annales des empereurs du Japon, tr. par M. Isaac Titsingh avec l'aide de plusieurs interprètes attachés au comptoir hollandais de Nangasaki; ouvrage re., complété et cor. sur l'original japonais-chinois, accompagné de notes et précédé d'un Aperçu d'histoire mythologique du Japon, par M. J. Klaproth.'' Paris: Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland.--''Two copies of this rare book have now been made available online: (1) from the library of the University of Michigan, digitized January 30, 2007; and (2) from the library of Stanford University, digitized June 23, 2006.'' Click here to read the original text in French.

★ Varley, H. Paul , ed. (1980). [Kitabatake Chitafusa, 1359], ''Jinnō Shōtōki ("A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns: Jinnō Shōtōki of Kitabatake Chikafusa" translated by H. Paul Varley).'' New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-04940-4

External links

★ Official Imperial Household Agency page for Emperor Saga's mausoleum located in Kyoto city

★ Another photo of Emperor Saga's mausoleum