Prince Shōtoku

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Prince Shotoku flanked by younger brother (left: Prince Eguri) and 1st son (right: Prince Yamashiro), Woodblock painting
Prince Shotoku flanked by younger brother (left: Prince Eguri) and 1st son (right: Prince Yamashiro), Woodblock painting
Sculpture of Prince Shōtoku depicted as a bodhisattva in Asuka-dera, Asuka, Nara.
Sculpture of Prince Shōtoku depicted as a bodhisattva in Asuka-dera, Asuka, Nara.
10,000 yen banknote featuring the prince
10,000 yen banknote featuring the prince

Prince Shōtoku (聖徳太子 Shōtoku Taishi?, 573–621), also known as Prince Umayado (厩戸皇子 Umayado no ōji?), was a mythological regent and a politician of the Asuka period in Japan.

Contents

[edit] Cultural and Political Role

Prince Shōtoku looked particularly to China for political and religious inspiration.

According to the Nihon Shoki, Shōtoku, inspired by Confucius' teachings, succeeded in establishing a centralized government during his reign. Thus, in 603, he established the twelve official ranks at court. He also is credited with promulgating a Seventeen-article constitution, although contemporary scholars question the attribution based on its style.

The Prince was a proponent of Buddhism, and composed commentaries on the Lotus Sutra, the Vimalakirti Sutra, and the Sutra of Queen Srimala. He also commissioned the Shitennō-ji Temple in Settsu province (present-day Osaka). Shōtoku's name has long been linked with Hōryū-ji in Yamato province. Documentation at Hōryū-ji, in fact, claim Suiko and Shōtoku as founders during the year 607. Moreover, archaeological excavations of 1939 have confirmed that Prince Shōtoku's palace, the Ikaruga-no-miya (斑鳩宮), occupied the eastern part of the current temple complex, where the Tō-in (東院) sits today.[1]

Although Shōtoku admired China from afar, China seems to have taken the initative in opening relations with Japan. Sui Emperor, Yangdi (kensui taishi) dispatched a message in 605 which said:

"The sovereign of Sui respectfully inquires about the sovereign of Wa."[2]

Shōtoku responded by sponsoring a mission led by Ono no Imoko in 607. The Prince's own message contains the earliest written instance in which the Japanese archipelago is named "Nihon," literally, sun-origin. Nihon is also what the Japanese call their island nation today. The salutation said:

"From the sovereign of the land of the rising sun (nihon/hi izuru) to the sovereign of the land of the setting sun."[3]

Nevertheless, after the death of Prince Shōtoku, the status of Japan did not change. Japan still paid tribute(朝貢) to China and Korea. However, there were no countries to send tribute(朝貢) to Japan. As a matter of fact a number of modern historians have come to the conclusion that Prince Shōtoku was not a historical person at all. [4]

[edit] Legacy

Prince Shotoku laid the foundations for the rise of a stable political and economical systems through his prudent reign and reforms. His patronage of Buddhism brought in a flowering of Japanese art and culture. His legendary wisdom and far-sightedness, as well as peaceful foreign policy with Japan's neighbours has kept him in the public eyes in high esteem, even until today. In his honour, the 10,000 Yen banknote featured his image, the highest denomination. The 10,000 yen banknote with him was printed from the 1950's until the 1980's.

[edit] Titles and name

He is known by several titles and his real name is Prince Umayado (厩戸皇子 Umayado no ōji?, literally the prince of the stable door) since he was born in front of a stable. He is also known as Toyotomimi (豊聡耳?) or Kamitsumiyaō (上宮王?). In the Kojiki, his name appears as Kamitsumiya no Umayado no Toyotomimi no Mikoto (上宮之厩戸豊聡耳命?). In the Nihon Shoki, in addition to Umayado no ōji, he is referred as 豊耳聡聖徳, 豊聡耳法大王, and 法主王. The popular name Prince Shōtoku first appeared in Kaifūsō written in 751, more than a hundred years after his death.

The name of Shōtoku Taishi is considered it is called in posterity, and Japanese school textbook adopts the name Prince Umayado (厩戸皇子) together or instead[5] in modern days.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ John Whitney Hall (1988). The Cambridge history of Japan "The Asuka Enlightment" p.175. Cambridge University. Retrieved on 2007-04-03.
  2. ^ Varley, Paul. (1980). Jinnō Shōtōki, p. 128.
  3. ^ Varley, Paul. (1973). Japanese Culture: A Short History. p. 15
  4. ^ 誇張や粉飾があったにしても、実在と非実在では話の次元が全く違ってしまいます。ところが、積み重ねられた近代の実証的歴史学の結論は「聖徳太子はいなかった」で、どうやら決定的らしいのです。 Prince Shōtoku, Tokyo Shimbun 2008-02-10 [1](Japanese)
  5. ^ Wikipedia Japanese site, and Asahi Shinbun paper[[2]] reports Teikoku-shoin, Nihon-shoseki-shinsha and other publishing firms use the name together.

[edit] Literature

[edit] External links