User:Urashimataro/Kanjō
The Letter from Koshigoe (腰越状, Koshigoe-jō) is a message allegedly dictated by Minamoto no Yoshitsune to his retainer Benkei on June 23, 1185 [1] and addressed to his brother, first Kamakura shogun Yoritomo. The letter was the first sign of a feud between brothers that would end with Yoshitsune's destruction[2].
Background[edit]
The letter appears in the Azuma Kagami and in the Heike Monogatari with almost identical content and was originally written in a Japanized version of classical Chinese known as hentai kanbun (変体漢文). For this reason, the massive work was incomprehensible to most Japanese until an edition with furigana glosses was published in 1626. Yoshitsune had arrived from Kyoto carrying with him two extremely important prisoners, Taira no Munemori and his son Hidetsuna, whom he had captured at the battle of ???. Yoritomo's representaves, after denying him admittance, received the prisoners, who were paraded on Kamakura's main street Wakamiya Ōji on May 5, 1185. Yoshitsune had angered him by accepting a title from the Emperor without asking his permission. Yoshitsune stayed at Manpuku-ji near the beach of Shichirigahama in Kawagoe hoping his brother would relent, but there is no evidence he was ever even given receipt. Yoshitsune would later be given his prisoners with instructions toò execute them and leave without having ever seen Yoritomo. This episode brought to the surface latent tension between the two brothers. The feud between them continued until a fugitive Yoshitsune was forced to kill himself. His six-week old head preserved in liquor was then brought to the shogun, who accepted it in Koshigoe in 1182[2]. Yoshitsune is enshrined in Shirahata Jinja in Fujisawa[2].
The episode is an integral part of the Yoshitsune saga, used as background in countless works of art, from Kabuki to videogames[2].
The letter[edit]
Because of its source, the authenticity of the letter is doubtful. What follows is a close translation of the letter as it appears in the Azuma Kagami[3]. The Heike Monogatari laos contains a version of the Letter, very similar in style and content to the Azuma Kagami's. Style and wording are not what would have been normal at the time in such a letter, and the letter is not believed to have been penned by Yoshitsune himself. The feelings expressed however coincide with Yoshitsune's own words left in documents on the relationship between the two brothers like the Gyokuyō ([and are probably an accurate description of the man's feelings.
In fear I, sublieutenant Yoshitsune, dare to address you. After having been chosen as my older brother's Daikan and received an imperial command, I vanquished the enemies of our emperor, showed the valor of our ancestors' bows and arrows and erased our terrible shame. When I expected high praise, I received terrible defamation, my enormous services were ignored, even if I had merits and no faults, I meet disfavor and I fruitlessly shed tears of blood. So far, the slander of those who defame me hasn't been corrected and, while I am not allowed to enter Kamakura, I have wasted several days already unable to explain my position. Having been so long without being able to see my older brother's face that the bond of blood that ties us already feels gone. Is my life near it's end, then? Am I paying the price for the evils I committed in a previous life? Sad state of things. Unless our late father (Minamoto no Yoshitomo]]) is resurrected, who will explain my grief? Who will pity me? 今更改まって申し上げるのも愚痴]]になりますが、義経は身体髪膚を父母に授かりこの世に生を受けて間もなく父上である故源義朝] Error: {{nihongo}}: text has italic markup (help), 左馬の頭]]殿が御他界され、孤児となって常盤御前, 母]]の懐中に抱かれ、大和国]]宇多郡]]龍門の牧に赴いて以来、一日たりとも心安らぐ時がありませんでした。甲斐無き命を長らえるばかりとはいえども、京都の周辺で暮らす事も難しく、諸国を流浪し、所々に身を隠し、辺土遠国に住む為に土民百姓のなどに召し使われました。しかしながら、期が熟して幸運はにわかに巡り、平家]]の一族追討の為に上洛し、まず源義仲) 木曾義仲]]と合戦して打ち倒した後は、平家を攻め滅ぼす為、ある時は険しくそびえ立つ岩山で駿馬にむち打ち、敵の為に命を失う事を顧みず、ある時は漫々たる大海で風波の危険を凌ぎ、身を海底に沈め、骸を鯨の餌になる事も厭いませんでした。また甲冑を枕とし、弓矢をとる本意は、亡き父上の魂を鎮めるというかねてからの願いである事の他に他意はありません。そればかりか、義経が官位