- Gukanshō
is a historical and literary work about the history of Japan. Seven volumes in length, it was composed by
Buddhist priestJien of theTendai sect c.1220 . [Brownlee, John. (1991). "Political thought in Japanese historical writing: from "Kojiki" (712) to "Tokushi Yoron" (1712)." pp. 92-102.]Political problems arising from the relations between the Imperial government and the bakufu inspired Jien to write. [Brown, Delmer "et al." (1975). "Gunkanshō," pp. 402-403.] Jien was the son of
Fujiwara no Tadamichi , and his insider's perspective ensured that his work would have a distinct point-of-view. Rather than working towards an absence of bias, he embraced it; and "Gushankō" is fairly described as a work of historical argument. [ Brownlee, pp. 92-93.] The writer does try to approach Japan's past in a new way, but he does so under the influences of old historical and genealogical interests. [Brown, p. 6.]Contents
The text is composed of three major sections:
# Volumes 1 and 2 consist of imperial chronicle beginning withEmperor Jimmu and concluding withEmperor Juntoku .
# Volumes 3 through 6 present a historical description focusing on the transition of things.
# Volume 7 offers a summary of the state of things.The careful writer attempted to apply Buddhist principles such as
mappō to the process of developing a chronicle of people and events. He was also self-consciously focused on the application of Buddhist principles in the analysis of Japanese history. [Brownlee, p. 96.] However, Jien could never completely divorce his position as as a son and brother of Fujiwara "kogyū" officials from his position as a priest who studied and practiced Buddhism. [Brown, p. 418-419.]References
English:
* 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
*Brownlee, John S. (1991). "Political Thought in Japanese Historical Writing: From Kojiki (712) to Tokushi Yoron (1712)." Waterloo, Ontario: Wilfrid Laurier University Press. ISBN 0-889-20997-9Japanese:
* Okami, Masao and Toshihide Akamatsu. (1967). [Jien, c. 1220] "Gukanshō." Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten. ISBN 4-0006-0086-9ee also
*
Kokki , 620
*Tennōki , 620
*Teiki , 681
*Kojiki , 712
*Nihon Shoki , 720 -- historical argument, legendary perspective
*Jinnō Shōtōki , 1359 -- historical argument, Shinto perspective
*Nihon Ōdai Ichiran , 1652 -- historical argument, neo-Confucian perspective
*Tokushi Yoron , 1712 -- historical argument, rationalist perspective*
Historiographical Institute of the University of Tokyo
*International Research Center for Japanese Studies
*Historiography
*Philosophy of History
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