was the 57th

emperor of Japan The Emperor of Japan is the monarch and the head of the Imperial House of Japan, Imperial Family of Japan. Under the Constitution of Japan, he is defined as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, and his positio ...

, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')
陽成天皇 (57)
/ref> according to the traditional

order of succession An order of succession or right of succession is the line of individuals necessitated to hold a high office when it becomes vacated such as head of state or an honour such as a title of nobility.Chrysanthemum Throne The is the throne of the Emperor of Japan. The term also can refer to very specific seating, such as the throne in the Shishin-den at Kyoto Imperial Palace. Various other thrones or seats that are used by the Emperor during official functions, ...

, his personal name (his ''imina'') was Sadaakira ''Shinnō'' (貞明親王). Yōzei was the oldest son of

Emperor Seiwa was the 56th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 清和天皇 (56)/ref> according to the traditional List of Emperors of Japan, order of succession. Seiwa's reign spanned the years from 858 through 876.He was also the pre ...

. His mother was the Empress Fujiwara no Takaiko, who was also known after Seiwa's abdication as the Nijō empress. Yōzei's mother was the sister of

Fujiwara no Mototsune , also known as , was a Japanese statesman, courtier and aristocrat of the early Heian period.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Fujiwara no Mototsune" in ; Brinkley, Frank ''et al.'' (1915). He was the first '' kampaku'', a regent of an adult ...

, who would figure prominently in the young emperor's life.Titsingh, p. 121. 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 ''Yōzei Genji'' (陽成源氏) are descended from the 57th emperor Yōzei. Yōzei had nine Imperial children, born after he had abdicated.Brown, p. 288. He is said to have suffered from mental instability after acceding to his position at a tender young age. He concentrated on waka during his later years. His famous waka expressed his growing love by superimposing the image of the flow of the river.

Events of Yōzei's life

Yōzei was made emperor when he was an immature, unformed young boy. * 869 (''

Jōgan was a after ''Ten'an'' and before '' Gangyō.'' This period spanned the years from April 859 through April 878. The two reigning emperors were and . Change of era * February 7, 859 : The new era name was created to mark an event or series of ...

10''): Yōzei was born, and he is named Seiwa's heir in the following year.Titsingh, p. 122. * 18 December 876 (''Jōgan 18, 29th day of the 11th month''): In the 18th year of Emperor Seiwa's reign (清和天皇十八年), he ceded his throne to his son, which meant that the young child received the succession (''senso''). Shortly thereafter, Emperor Yōzei formally acceded to the throne (''sokui''). * 20 January 877 (''

Gangyō , also known as Genkei, was a after ''Jōgan'' and before '' Ninna.'' This period spanned the years from April 877 through February 885. The reigning emperor was . Change of era * January 18, 877 : The new era name was created to mark an event ...

1, 3rd day of the 1st month''): Yōzei was formally enthroned at age 8; and the beginning of a new ''

nengō The , also known as , is the first of the two elements that identify years in the Japanese era calendar scheme. The second element is a number which indicates the year number within the era (with the first year being ""), followed by the literal ...

'' was proclaimed. However, the new residence being constructed for the emperor had not been completed; and initially, he must live elsewhere in the palace compound. * 877 (''Gangyō 1, 2nd month''): Ambassadors from ''

Baekje Baekje or Paekche (, ) was a Korean kingdom located in southwestern Korea from 18 BC to 660 AD. It was one of the Three Kingdoms of Korea, together with Goguryeo and Silla. Baekje was founded by Onjo, the third son of Goguryeo's founder Jum ...

'' arrived in the province of Izumo; but they were turned back. * 877 (''Gangyō 1, 6th month''): There was a great drought; and sacrifices were made at the temples of

Hachiman In Japanese religion, ''Yahata'' (八幡神, ancient Shinto pronunciation) formerly in Shinto and later commonly known as Hachiman (八幡神, Japanese Buddhist pronunciation) is the syncretic divinity of archery and war, incorporating elements f ...

Kamo The name Kamo may refer to the following: Places Japan (Note: ''kamo'' ( 鴨), is the common word for ''duck'' in Japanese, but the following names do not necessarily mean ''duck'' and are not necessarily written with that character.) * Kamo, N ...

and other temples in

Ise Province was a province of Japan in the area of Japan that is today includes most of modern Mie Prefecture. Ise bordered on Iga, Kii, Mino, Ōmi, Owari, Shima, and Yamato Provinces. Its abbreviated form name was . History The name of Ise appears ...

. Eventually, it rained. * 883 (''Gangyō 7, 1st month''): In his early teens, Yōzei often spent time alone; and sometimes he would feed live frogs to snakes so that he could watch the reptile swallowing; or sometimes, he would find pleasure in setting dogs and monkeys to fight. In time, these amusements became more dangerous. He himself executed criminals. When he became angry, he sometimes chased after those who dared speak up; and he sometimes tried to use his sword. Fujiwara no Mototsune, the '' Kanpaku'', used every possible opportunity to turn Yōzei towards more seemly conduct, but the emperor closed his ears to all remonstrances. * 884 (''Gangyō 8, 1st month''): The extravagant and dangerous habits of the emperor continued unabated. At one point, Mototsune came to the court and discovered that Yōzei had arranged a bizarre scenario for his diversion: He ordered some men to climb high into trees, and then he ordered others to use sharp lances to poke at these men in trees until they fell to their deaths. This extraordinary event convinced Mototsune that the emperor was too "undignified" to reign. Mototsune reluctantly realized that someone needed to devise a strategy for deposing the emperor. Shortly thereafter, Mototsune approached Yōzei and remarked that it must be boring to be so often alone, and then Mototsune suggested that the emperor might be amused by a horse race. Yōzei was attracted to this proposition, and he eagerly encouraged Mototsune to set a time and place for the event. It was decided that this special amusement for the emperor would take place on the 4th day of the 2nd month of Gangyō 8.Titsingh, p. 124. * 4 March 884 (''Gangyō 8, 4th day of the 2nd month''): The pretext of a special horse race enticed the emperor to leave his palace. Yōzei traveled in a carriage which was quickly surrounded by a heavy guard. The carriage was redirected to ''Yo seí in'' palace (''Yang tchhing yuan'') at ''Ni zio'', a town situated a short distance to the south-west of Miyako. Mototsune confronted the emperor, explaining that his demented behavior made him incapable of reigning, and that he was being dethroned. At this news, Yōzei cried sincerely, which did attract feelings of compassion from those who witnessed his contrition. According to very scanty information from the Imperial archives, including sources such as ''

Rikkokushi is a general term for Japan's Six National Histories chronicling the mythology and history of Japan from the earliest times to 887. The six histories were written at the imperial court during the 8th and 9th centuries, under order of the Emperors. ...

,'' and ''

Nihon Sandai Jitsuroku , abbreviated as Sandai Jitsuroku, is an officially commissioned Japanese history text. Completed in 901, it is the sixth and final text in the Six National Histories series. It covers the years 858–887. Background Following the earlier natio ...

,'' Emperor Yōzei murdered one of his retainers, an action that caused massive scandal in the Heian court. Japanese society during the Heian era was very sensitive to issues of "pollution," both spiritual and personal. Deaths (especially killing animals or people) were the worst acts of pollution possible, and warranted days of seclusion in order to purify oneself. Since the Emperor was seen as a divine figure and linked to the deities, pollution of such extreme degree committed by the highest source was seen as extremely ruinous. Many of the high court officials construed Emperor Yōzei's actions as exceeding the bounds of acceptable behavior, and as justifiable cause for the emperor to be forcibly deposed. In

Kitabatake Chikafusa was a Japanese court noble and writer of the 14th century who supported the Southern Court in the Nanboku-cho period, serving as advisor to five Emperors. Some of his greatest and most famous work was performed during the reign of Emperor Go ...

's 14th-century account of Emperor Yōzei's reign, the emperor is described as possessing a "violent disposition" and unfit to be a ruler. In the end, when Fujiwara no Mototsune, who was '' Sesshō'' (regent for the child-emperor, 876–880), ''Kampaku'' (chief advisor or first secretary for the emperor, 880–890), and '' Daijō Daijin'' (Great Minister of the Council of State), decided that Yōzei should be removed from the throne, he discovered that there was general agreement amongst the ''

kuge The was a Japanese aristocratic class that dominated the Japanese Imperial Court in Kyoto. The ''kuge'' were important from the establishment of Kyoto as the capital during the Heian period in the late 8th century until the rise of the Kamakur ...

'' that this was a correct and necessary decision.Varley, p.171. Yōzei was succeeded by his father's uncle,

Emperor Kōkō was the 58th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 光孝天皇 (58)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Kōkō reigned from 884 to 887. Traditional narrative Before the emperor's ascension to the Chr ...

; and in the reign of Kōkō's son,

Emperor Uda was the 59th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 宇多天皇 (59)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Uda's reign spanned the years from 887 through 897. Traditional narrative Name and legacy Befo ...

, the madness re-visited the tormented former emperor: * 889 ('' Kanpyō 1, 10th month''): The former emperor Yōzei was newly attacked by the mental illness. Yōzei would enter the palace and address courtiers he would meet with the greatest rudeness. He became increasingly furious. He garroted women with the strings of musical instruments and then threw the bodies into a lake. While riding on horseback, he directed his mount to run over people. Sometimes he simply disappeared into the mountains where he chased wild boars and

Sika deer The sika deer (''Cervus nippon''), also known as the Northern spotted deer or the Japanese deer, is a species of deer native to much of East Asia and introduced to other parts of the world. Previously found from northern Vietnam in the south to ...

, which in

Shinto Shinto () is a religion from Japan. Classified as an East Asian religion by scholars of religion, its practitioners often regard it as Japan's indigenous religion and as a nature religion. Scholars sometimes call its practitioners ''Shintois ...

cosmology, were considered to be messengers of the ''kami.'' Yōzei lived in retirement until the age of 80. The actual site of Yōzei's

grave A grave is a location where a dead body (typically that of a human, although sometimes that of an animal) is buried or interred after a funeral. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as grave ...

is known. This emperor is traditionally venerated at a

memorial A memorial is an object or place which serves as a focus for the memory or the commemoration of something, usually an influential, deceased person or a historical, tragic event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objects or works of a ...

Shinto shrine A is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more ''kami'', the deities of the Shinto religion. Overview Structurally, a Shinto shrine typically comprises several buildings. The '' honden''Also called (本殿, meani ...

(''misasagi'') at Kyoto. The Imperial Household Agency designates this location as Yōzei's

mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be consid ...

. It is formally named ''Kaguragaoka no Higashi no misasagi''.

Kugyō

is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the

Emperor of Japan The Emperor of Japan is the monarch and the head of the Imperial House of Japan, Imperial Family of Japan. Under the Constitution of Japan, he is defined as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, and his positio ...

in pre- Meiji eras. 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 Yozei's reign, this apex of the ''

Daijō-kan The , also known as the Great Council of State, was (i) (''Daijō-kan'') the highest organ of Japan's premodern Imperial government under the Ritsuryō legal system during and after the Nara period or (ii) (''Dajō-kan'') the highest organ of Jap ...

'' included: * '' Sesshō'',

(藤原基経), 836–891. * '' Kampaku'', Fujiwara no Mototsune (藤原基経). * ''

Daijō-daijin The was the head of the ''Daijō-kan'' (Great Council of State) during and after the Nara period and briefly under the Meiji Constitution. Equivalent to the Chinese (Grand Preceptor). History Emperor Tenji's favorite son, Prince Ōtomo, wa ...

'', Fujiwara no Mototsune. * ''

Sadaijin The ''Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary'', Kenkyusha Limited, was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the ini ...

'', Minamoto no Tōru (源融). * ''

Udaijin was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the ''udaijin'' in the context of a central administr ...

'', Fujiwara no Mototsune. * ''Udaijin'', Minamoto no Masaru (源多). * ''

Naidaijin The , literally meaning "Inner Minister", was an ancient office in the Japanese imperial court, Japanese Imperial Court. Its role, rank and authority varied throughout the pre-Meiji period, Meiji period of Japanese history, but in general remain ...

'' (not appointed) * ''

Dainagon was a counselor of the first rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century. This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century.Nussbaum, "Dainag ...

'', Minamoto no Masaru (源多). * ''

'', Minafuchi no Toshina (南淵年名), 807–877

Eras of Yōzei's reign

The years of Yōzei's reign are more specifically identified by more than one

era name A regnal year is a year of the reign of a sovereign, from the Latin ''regnum'' meaning kingdom, rule. Regnal years considered the date as an ordinal, not a cardinal number. For example, a monarch could have a first year of rule, a second year o ...

or ''

''. During this time, the tradition of naming eras because of good omens changed. Instead, the name of an era might be chosen to limit the effects of something bad.Bialock, David T. (2007)
Eccentric Spaces, Hidden Histories: Narrative, Ritual, and Royal Authority, p. 138.
/ref> * ''

'' (859–877) * ''

'' (877–885)

Consorts and children

Consort ( Hi): Imperial Princess Kanshin (簡子内親王) (d. 914),

's second daughter Consort ( Hi): Imperial Princess Yasuko (綏子内親王) (d. 925),

's third daughter Consort ( Hi): Princess ''Kyoko'' (姣子女王; d. 914), Imperial Prince Koretada's daughter *Imperial

Prince Motonaga A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...

(元長親王; 901–976) *Fourth Son: Imperial Prince Mototoshi (元利親王; d. 964) *Imperial Princess ''Chōshi'' (長子内親王; d. 922) *Imperial Princess ''Genshi'' (儼子内親王; d. 930) Court lady: Fujiwara no Tōnaga's daughter *Second Son: Imperial

Prince Motoyoshi Prince Motoyoshi (元良親王, ''Motoyoshi shinnō'', 890-July 26, 943) was a poet and nobleman of the Heian period. One of his poems is included in the ''Ogura Hyakunin Isshu'' as number 20 in the anthology. Twenty of his poems were included in ...

(元良親王) *Imperial Prince Motohira (元平親王; d. 958) Court lady: daughter of Ki clan *First son: Minamoto no Kiyokage (源清蔭; 884–950), ''Dainagon'' 948–950 Court lady: Tomo Yasuhira's daughter *Minamoto no Kiyomi (源清鑒; d. 936) Court lady: daughter of Saeki clan *Minamoto no Kiyotō (源清遠; d. 912)

Ancestry

Notes

References

* Brown, Delmer M. and Ichirō Ishida, eds. (1979)
''Gukanshō: The Future and the Past''.
Berkeley: University of California Press. ; * Ponsonby-Fane, Richard Arthur Brabazon. (1959)
''The Imperial House of Japan''.
Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. * Titsingh, Isaac. (1834). ''

Nihon Ōdai Ichiran , ', is a 17th-century chronicle of the serial reigns of Japanese emperors with brief notes about some of the noteworthy events or other happenings. According to the 1871 edition of the ''American Cyclopaedia'', the 1834 French translation of ...

''; ou
''Annales des empereurs du Japon''.
Paris: Royal Asiatic Society, Oriental Translation Fund of Great Britain and Ireland. * Varley, H. Paul. (1980)
''Jinnō Shōtōki: A Chronicle of Gods and Sovereigns''.
New York: Columbia University Press. ;