Documented Characters from the Chronicle of the

Ups and Downs of the Minamoto and Taira Clans

(Seisuiki jimpin sen, 盛衰記人品箋)

Publisher: Eshima

1840

The Taira and Minamoto clans fought for control of ancient Japan until the Taira Clan was vanquished at the naval Battle of Dan-no-ura (壇ノ浦の戦い), and Minamoto Yoritomo (源 頼朝) assumed power as shogun in 1192. This series of prints illustrates incidences from this turbulent period in Japanese history that included the Hôgen rebellion (保元の乱), the Heiji rebellion (平治の乱) and finally the Genpei Wars ((源平合戦). The prints are each about 10 by 7 inches (25 by 18 centimeters), a size known as chûban. I am grateful to Robert Pryor for contributing to this section.

	Scene: Three Taira “pages” (Heike no kaburo, 平家の禿童) who were actually youths employed to report any signs of dissidence Robinson: S15.1
	Another state with blue replacing purple
	Scene: Hotoke-gozen (仏御前) dressed as a nun and holding prayer beads after her retirement Robinson: S15.2
	Scene: The poetess Matsuyoi no Jijû (待宵侍従), who is also known as Kojijû, seated on a wooden balcony in court dress Robinson: S15.3
	Scene: Katôji Kagekado (加藤次景廉) standing under a pine tree by a stone lantern in full armor holding a naginata Robinson: S15.4
	Another state without clouds in the text cartouche
	Scene: Aki no Kami Taira Kiyomori (安芸守平清盛) in hunting dress on Rendai Moor encounters an apparition of the fix-goddess Koki-tennô who foretells his future greatness Robinson: S15.5
	Another state of the above design
	Yet another state of the above design
	Scene: Mongaku Shônin (文覚上人) beating a cowering noblemen with the book in which he records charitable donations Robinson: S15.6
	Another state without purple
	Scene: Chohyo e no jo Nobutsura (長兵衛倀連) advancing over several prostrate foe at the fall of the Takakura palace Robinson: S15.7
	Another state without clouds in the text cartouche
	Scene: Komatsu Daifu Shigemori-kyô (小松内府重盛卿) standing in black court robes while an attendant tries to catch a snake wriggling out of his sleeve Robinson: S15.8
	Scene: Hosshôji-shungyô Shunkwan (法勝寺執行俊寛) abandoned on the seashore with his boy-servant Ariô Maru Robinson: S15.9
	Scene: Taira no Tadamori Ason (平忠盛朝臣) examining a sword by lamplight and thereby foiling a plot by jealous noblemen to assassinate him Robinson: S15.10
	Scene: Sasaki Shirô Takatsuna (佐々木四郎高綱) commandeering a farmer’s horse in order to go into battle Robinson: S15.11 NOTE: The gourd shaped seal on the bottom is that of the woodblock carver Hori Shin (ホリシン).
	Scene: Gen Sammi Yorimasa (源三位頼政) picking up gold coins watched by Kinyoshi-kyô in black court robes Robinson: S15.12

“Robinson” refers to listing in Kuniyoshi: The Warrior-Prints by Basil William Robinson (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1982) and its privately published supplement.

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