The by Kōen, the teacher of Hōnen, is a Japanese historical text compiled at the end of the twelfth century. It is also called the or .
Overview
The ''Fusō Ryakuki'' is a Japanese historical text compiled at the end of the
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese. ...
. It is also called the ''Fusō-ki'' or ''Fusō-shū''. It was compiled by the
Enryaku-ji
is a Tendai monastery located on Mount Hiei in Ōtsu, overlooking Kyoto. It was first founded in 788 during the early Heian period (794–1185) by Saichō
was a Japanese Buddhist monk credited with founding the Tendai school of Buddhism bas ...
Tendai
, also known as the Tendai Lotus School (天台法華宗 ''Tendai hokke shū,'' sometimes just "''hokke shū''") is a Mahāyāna Buddhist tradition (with significant esoteric elements) officially established in Japan in 806 by the Japanese m ...
monk
A monk (, from el, μοναχός, ''monachos'', "single, solitary" via Latin ) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedica ...
, who died in 1169. It is written in ''
kanbun
A is a form of Classical Chinese used in Japan from the Nara period to the mid-20th century. Much of Japanese literature was written in this style and it was the general writing style for official and intellectual works throughout the period. ...
'', in an
annal
Annals ( la, annāles, from , "year") are a concise historical record in which events are arranged chronologically, year by year, although the term is also used loosely for any historical record.
Scope
The nature of the distinction between anna ...
style.
According to the ', it was originally in thirty books, but of these only books 2 through 6 (
Empress Jingū
was a legendary Japanese empress who ruled as a regent following her husband's death in 200 AD. Both the ''Kojiki'' and the ''Nihon Shoki'' (collectively known as the ''Kiki'') record events that took place during Jingū's alleged lifetime. Leg ...
to
Emperor Shōmu
was the 45th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 聖武天皇 (45)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Shōmu's reign spanned the years 724 through 749, during the Nara period.
Traditional narrative
...
) and 20 through 30 (
Emperor Yōzei
was the 57th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 陽成天皇 (57)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.
Yōzei's reign spanned the years from 876 through 884.
Traditional narrative
Before his ascension ...
to
Emperor Horikawa
was the 73rd emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 堀河天皇 (73)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.
Horikawa's reign spanned the years from 1087 through 1107.
Biography
Before his ascension to the ...
), or sixteen books in total, are extant. The complete work originally chronicled Japan's history from the reign of
Emperor Jimmu
was the legendary first emperor of Japan according to the '' Nihon Shoki'' and '' Kojiki''. His ascension is traditionally dated as 660 BC.Kelly, Charles F"Kofun Culture" Kanji 8 (1094 CE). Using surviving extracts, however, the ''Ryakuki''s accounts of the reigns of Emperor Jimmu through
Emperor Heizei
, also known as ''Heijō-tennō'', was the 51st emperor of Japan, Emperor Heizei, Yamamomo Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. Heizei's reign lasted from 806 to 809.
Traditional narr ...
can be reconstructed to some extent.
It utilizes the ''
Six National Histories
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. ...
engi
, also known as Entertainment Graphic Innovation, or Studio ENGI, is a Japanese animation studio founded by Kadokawa, Sammy Corporation, and Ultra Super Pictures, and is a subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation.
History
On April 4, 2018, Kadokawa e ...
'', biographies of and temple traditions to construct a narrative history of Japan, with a particular emphasis on topics of Buddhist interest. It supposedly also included an account of the
Age of the Gods
In Shinto chronology, the is the period preceding the accession of Jimmu, the first Emperor of Japan. The kamiyo myths are chronicled in the "upper roll" (''Kamitsumaki'') of the ''Kojiki'' and in the first and second chapters of the '' Nihon Sho ...
but this has not survived and its contents are unknown.