Kemmu
Kemmu (建武) was a Japanese era name (年号, nengō, lit. year name) of the Northern Court during the Nanboku-chō period after Shōkyō and before Ryakuō.[1] This period started in January 1334 and ended in August 1338 in the Northern Court,[2] but it lasted until only February 1336 in the Southern Court.[3] The pretender in Kyoto was Emperor Kōmyō (光明天皇, Kōmyō-tennō).[4] Kōmyō's Southern Court rival in Yoshino during this time was Emperor Go-Daigo (後醍醐天皇, Go-Diago-tennō).[5]
Events of the Kemmu era
[change | change source]In 1333-1336, the Kemmu Restoration was an attempt by Emperor Go-Daigo to restore Imperial authority after the fall of the Kamakura shogunate. The failure of this effort led to the creation of two rival Imperial courts.[2]
- 1334 (Kemmu 1): Emperor Go-Daigo caused Kemmu nenchū gyōji to be written. This was a book which described the ceremonies of the court; and its purpose was to aid the process of reviving ancient court etiquette.[2]
- 25 October 1334 (Kemmu 1, 27th day of the 9th month): Emperor Go-Daigo made an Imperial progress to Kamo-jinja. No other emperor would visit Kamo's shrines until April 29, 1863 (Bunkyu 3, 11th day of the 3rd month), when Emperor Komei made an Imperial progress to Kamo.[6]
- 1336 (Kemmu 3): An anonymous author published Kemmu nenkan ki, which was a chronicle of the Kemmu era. The text is a source of information about laws, government, bureaucrats, and arable lands and estates given by the emperor to the nobility or to religious institutions (shōen).[2]
- 1336 (Kemmu 3): Ashikaga Takauji issued a new legal code with 17 articles (Kemmu-shikimoku).[7]
- 17 May 1336 (Kemmu 3, 6th day of the 4th month): Former-Emperor Go-Fushimi died.[8]
Southern Court nengō
[change | change source]The previous era ended and the new one commenced in Shōkei 1 as time was reckoned in the Northern Court in Kyoto; and the era began in Genkō 4, as time was ordered in the Southern Court in Yoshino.
Related pages
[change | change source]References
[change | change source]- ↑ Although Kemmu is understood by the Southern Court as having begun at the same time, the era was construed to have begun after Genkō and before Engen.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2002). Japan Encyclopedia. Harvard University Press. p. 507. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5.
- ↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2002). Japan Encyclopedia. Harvard University Press. p. 178. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5.
- ↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2002). Japan Encyclopedia. Harvard University Press. p. 555. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5.
- ↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2002). Japan Encyclopedia. Harvard University Press. p. 251. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5.
- ↑ Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1956). Kyoto: The Old Capital of Japan, 794-1869, p. 325.
- ↑ Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric (2002). Japan Encyclopedia. Harvard University Press. p. 507. ISBN 978-0-674-01753-5.
- ↑ Klaproth, Julius von (1834). Nipon o dai itsi ran: ou Annales des empereurs du Japon. Oriental Translation Fund. p. 295.
Other websites
[change | change source]- National Diet Library, "The Japanese Calendar" -- historical overview plus illustrative images from library's collection
Kemmu | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1334 | 1335 | 1336 | 1337 | 1338 |
Preceded by: Shōkyō |
Northern Court nengō: Kemmu |
Succeeded by: Ryakuō |
Preceded by: Genkō 1331–1334 |
Southern Court nengō: Kemmu 1334–1336 |
Succeeded by: Engen 1336–1340 |