Difference between revisions of "Empress Suiko" - New World Encyclopedia

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[[Image:HoryujiYumedono0363.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A hall at the Hōryū-ji Buddhist temple, built by Empress Suiko and her regent, Prince Shotoku]]
 
[[Image:HoryujiYumedono0363.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A hall at the Hōryū-ji Buddhist temple, built by Empress Suiko and her regent, Prince Shotoku]]
  
''Empress Suiko''  (推古天皇 ''Suiko Tennō'') 554C.E.&ndash;April 15, 628C.E.<ref name=Japanese_dates1>April 15, 628C.E. corresponds to the Seventh Day of the Third Month of 628C.E. ([[Sexagenary cycle|Boshi]]) of the traditional [[lunisolar calendar]] used in Japan until 1873.</ref> was the 33rd emperor of [[Japan]], according to the traditional order of succession, and the first known woman to hold this position. She ruled for 35 years. The influence of Chinese culture and [[Buddhism]] developed during her reign, as did the rules of court etiquette using caps to distinguish rank. She protected Buddhism and promoted the study of astronomy and geography when books on these subjects reached Japan from Korea. Suiko, together with [[Soga Umako]] and [[Shotoku Taishi]] ("Prince Shotoku"), initiated reforms of the Japanese bureaucracy and appears to have introduced a Constitution, the Seventeen Article Constitution of 604, which aimed to set the moral tone for her centralizing reforms at a time when Japan was disunited. Its central virtue was harmony (和 ''wa''), which was the characteristic of Japanese cultural tradition. It set out the conduct that was expected of civil servants in the running of the country under the supreme authority of the Emperor. Suiko sent official diplomatic delegations to China during the [[Sui dynasty]] and diplomatic relations with China were enforced. Suiko was able to retain authority at a time when women in the world did not play significant public roles and to reign for 35 years. <ref>. While the Bushido code did not develop in its fullest form until much later, there is evidence that the image of the 'ideal warrior' was extant at this time. Prince Shotoku was a renowned martial arts practitioner, see Tanaka: 18</ref>. The Empress was concerned with good governance and the promotion of a value based social system at a time when many rulers were only interested in protecting their power and in accumulating wealth.
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''Empress Suiko''  (推古天皇 ''Suiko Tennō'') 554C.E.&ndash;April 15, 628C.E.<ref name=Japanese_dates1>April 15, 628C.E. corresponds to the Seventh Day of the Third Month of 628C.E. ([[Sexagenary cycle|Boshi]]) of the traditional [[lunisolar calendar]] used in Japan until 1873.</ref> was the 33rd emperor of [[Japan]], according to the traditional order of succession, and the first known woman to hold this position. She ruled for 35 years. She encouraged the influence of Chinese culture and [[Buddhism]] by protecting Buddhism and promoting the study of astronomy and geography when books on these subjects reached Japan from Korea. Suiko also enforced diplomatic relations with China by sending official diplomatic delegations to China during the [[Sui dynasty]]. She developed the rules of court etiquette, for example, by the use of caps to distinguish rank. Suiko, together with [[Soga Umako]] and [[Shotoku Taishi]] ("Prince Shotoku"), initiated reforms of the Japanese bureaucracy and they appear to have introduced a Constitution, the Seventeen Article Constitution of 604.  In Empress Suiko's efforts to centralize the state, this constitution set the moral tone of her reforms according to the central virtue of Japanese cultural tradition, harmony (和 ''wa''). It outlined the conduct that was expected of civil servants in the running of the country under the supreme authority of the Emperor. In a time and place in history where women did not hold significant public positions, Suiko was remarkably able to retain her authority for 35 years. The Empress was concerned with good governance and the promotion of a value based social system during an age in which many rulers were only interested in protecting their power and accumulating wealth.
  
 
==Ascension==
 
==Ascension==
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===Patronage of Buddhism===
 
===Patronage of Buddhism===
Three key leaders, Empress Suiko, Soga Iruka, and Shotoku Taishi supported Buddhism. Under her reign, unique Buddhist, culture flourished and a number of temples including [[Horyuji]], the oldest existing wooden building in the world, were built. The Empress actively employed Korean Buddhist monks and scholars, who were also familiar with Chinese culture, and created a unique international culture, ([[Asuka]] culture), based upon Japanese traditional cultural heritages.
+
Three key leaders, Empress Suiko, Soga Iruka, and Shotoku Taishi, supported Buddhism. Under her reign, a unique Buddhist culture flourished and a number of temples including [[Horyuji]], the oldest existing wooden building in the world, were built. The Empress actively employed Korean Buddhist monks and scholars, who were also familiar with Chinese culture, and created a unique international culture ([[Asuka]] culture) based upon Japan's traditional cultural heritage.
  
 
===Death and Succession===
 
===Death and Succession===

Revision as of 12:57, 28 March 2007


A hall at the Hōryū-ji Buddhist temple, built by Empress Suiko and her regent, Prince Shotoku

Empress Suiko (推古天皇 Suiko Tennō) 554C.E.–April 15, 628C.E.[1] was the 33rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession, and the first known woman to hold this position. She ruled for 35 years. She encouraged the influence of Chinese culture and Buddhism by protecting Buddhism and promoting the study of astronomy and geography when books on these subjects reached Japan from Korea. Suiko also enforced diplomatic relations with China by sending official diplomatic delegations to China during the Sui dynasty. She developed the rules of court etiquette, for example, by the use of caps to distinguish rank. Suiko, together with Soga Umako and Shotoku Taishi ("Prince Shotoku"), initiated reforms of the Japanese bureaucracy and they appear to have introduced a Constitution, the Seventeen Article Constitution of 604. In Empress Suiko's efforts to centralize the state, this constitution set the moral tone of her reforms according to the central virtue of Japanese cultural tradition, harmony (和 wa). It outlined the conduct that was expected of civil servants in the running of the country under the supreme authority of the Emperor. In a time and place in history where women did not hold significant public positions, Suiko was remarkably able to retain her authority for 35 years. The Empress was concerned with good governance and the promotion of a value based social system during an age in which many rulers were only interested in protecting their power and accumulating wealth.

Ascension

The future Empress was known by several names, including Princess Nukatabe and (possibly posthumous) Toyomike Kashikiya. She was the third daughter of Emperor Kimmei, and her mother was Soga no Iname's daughter, Soga no Kitashihime. She was a consort to her half-brother Emperor Bidatsu, but after Bidatsu's first wife died she became his official wife and was given the title Ōkisaki (official wife of the emperor). She bore two sons and three daughters.

After Bidatsu's death, Suiko's brother, Emperor Yōmei, came to power for a brief period of about two years before dying of illness. Following Yōmei's death, a power struggle developed between the Soga clan and the Mononobe clan, with the Sogas supporting Prince Hatsusebe and the Mononobes supporting Prince Anahobe. The Sogas prevailed and Prince Hatsusebe acceded to the throne as Emperor Sushun in 587. However, Soga no Umako quickly began to fear Sushun's growing resentment of the power of the Soga clan and Umako had him assassinated in 592. When asked to accede to the throne to fill the power vacuum that then developed, Suiko became the first of several examples in Japanese history where a woman was chosen to accede to the throne to avert a power struggle.

Career

Prince Shōtoku, Yomei's second son, was appointed regent the following year. Political power during Suiko's long reign is widely viewed as having been wielded by Prince Shōtoku and Soga no Umako but Suiko was far from powerless. For example, her refusal to grant Soga no Umako's request that he be granted the imperial territory known as Kazuraki no Agata in 624 is widely cited as evidence of her independence from his influence. Some of the many achievements under Empress Suiko's reign include the official recognition of Buddhism by the issuance of the Flourishing Three Treasures Edict in 594, the opening of relations with China's Sui court in 600, the adoption of the Twelve Level Cap and Rank System of court etiquette in 603 and the adoption of the Seventeen-article constitution in 604.

Japan's First Constitution

The Constitution did not set out systems and accountability of governance in the modern understanding of a constitution but duties and responsibilities. Civil servants must obey imperial commands scrupulosuly, must not be greedy or gluttonous and all cases must be treated fairly and without favor. Anger should be avoided. The three refuges of Buddhism were upheld as the state's basic moral truths. Ministers of state should have the public, not private or personal, interests at heart. The Constitution is credited with creating a unified Japan from "out of an essentially tribal or clan society." Sovereignty, "derives from heaven," and symbolized the moral order of the world. [2]. The land envisioned by the Constitution was a "Buddha-land" in which "ruler's fostered their subjects welfare both materially and spiritually" and also one in which all subordinated "their private interests and local loyalities to the good of a unified state" [3]. The Constitution stated:

Harmony is to be valued, and an avoidance of wanton opposition to be honoured. All men are influenced by class-feelings, and there are few who are intelligent. Hence, there are some who disobey their lords and fathers, or who maintaim feuds with the neigboring villages. But when those abobe are harmonious and those below are friendly, and there is concord in the discussion of business, right views of things spontaneously gain acceptance [4].

While it is speculated that the Constitution may have been posthumously attributed to the Empress and her regent, it sets out ideas and reforms that were initiated by them, including state patronage of Buddhism.

Patronage of Buddhism

Three key leaders, Empress Suiko, Soga Iruka, and Shotoku Taishi, supported Buddhism. Under her reign, a unique Buddhist culture flourished and a number of temples including Horyuji, the oldest existing wooden building in the world, were built. The Empress actively employed Korean Buddhist monks and scholars, who were also familiar with Chinese culture, and created a unique international culture (Asuka culture) based upon Japan's traditional cultural heritage.

Death and Succession

At a time when imperial succession was generally determined by clan leaders, rather than the emperor, Suiko left only vague indications of succession to two candidates while on her deathbed. One, Prince Tamura, was a grandson of Emperor Bidatsu and was supported by the main line of Sogas, including Soga no Emishi. The other, Prince Yamashiro, was a son of Prince Shōtoku and had the support of some lesser members of the Soga clan. After a brief struggle within the Soga clan in which one of Prince Yamashiro's main supporters was killed, Prince Tamura was chosen and he acceded to the throne as Emperor Jomei in 629.

Legacy

The two oldest volcanoes in the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain are named for Suiko. They are approximately 65 million years old.[5]. During Empress Suiko's reign, art and education and culture flourished in Japan. She ordered the construction of copper images of the Buddha [6]. During Empress Suiko's reign, the island nation of Japan was open to cultural and religious influence from the continental civilizations of China and Korea. These influences were valued, and incoroprated into the Constitution of 604. Later, Japan would despise the Chinese and Koreans and regard themselves as superior to them but at this period their was recognition that Japan, China and Korea belonged to a common cultural world. Lewis credits the Empress with furthering Korean influence in art and culture [7].

Notes

  1. April 15, 628C.E. corresponds to the Seventh Day of the Third Month of 628C.E. (Boshi) of the traditional lunisolar calendar used in Japan until 1873.
  2. De Bary: 259
  3. De Bary: 264
  4. Aston: 129
  5. "The Formation of the Hawaiian Islands," Hawaii Center for Volcanology The Formation of the Hawaiian Islands Retrieved March 18, 2007
  6. Aston: 133
  7. Lewis, Jone Johnson “Suiko – Empress Suiko of Japan,” About Women’s History,Empress Suiko - Suiko of Japan Retrieved March 18, 2007

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Aston, William G Nihongi: chronicles of Japan from the Earliest Times to AD 697, North Clarendon, VT: Tuttle Publishing, 2005 ISBN 978-0804836746
  • De Bary, William Theodore The Buddhist Tradition: In India, China and Japan, NY: Vintage, 978-0394716961
  • Kerr, George H and Sakihara, Mitsugu Okinawa: The History of an Island People, North Clarendon, VT: Tuttle Publishing, 2000 ISBN 978-0804820875
  • Tanaka, Fumon Samurai Fighting Arts: The Spirit and the Practice, NY: Oxford University Press, 2003 ISBN 978-4770028983

External Links

  • "Empress Suiko" by Jone Johnson Lewis, About Women's History, Empress Suiko Retrieved March 18, 2007
  • Encyclopedia of World Biography on Empress Suiko, Empress Suiko Retrieved March 18, 2007


Preceded by:
Emperor Sushun
Empress of Japan
593-628
Succeeded by:
Emperor Jomei

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