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Gukanshō (愚管抄) is a historical and literary work about the history of Japan. Seven volumes in length, it was composed by Buddhist priest Jien of the Tendai sect c. 1220.



Political problems arising from the relations between the Imperial government and the Kamakura bakufu inspired Jien to write. 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 Gukanshō is fairly described as a work of historical argument. 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.

Background
By the time of the Kamakura period, ruling power of warriors (samurai) has been getting greater, and the Imperial court has been losing its political power. This led greater political tensions between the Kamakura bakufu and the Imperial court. Emperor Go-Toba, of the Imperial court, was unpleasant with this situation, so planned a rebellion (Jōkyū War) against the bakufu. In this situation, Jien was in a difficult position because while Jien was a member of the Fujiwara clan that works for the imperial court, yet he wanted to make his own grandnephew, Kujō Yoritsune, a shogun of the Kamakura bakufu.

Contents
The text is composed of three major sections:


 * 1) Volumes 1 and 2 consist of imperial chronicle beginning with Emperor Jimmu and concluding with Emperor Juntoku.
 * 2) Volumes 3 through 6 present a historical description focusing on political transitions.
 * 3) Volume 7 offers a summary of the contemporary state of the Japanese polity.

Religious contents
He was self-consciously focused on the application of Buddhist principles in the analysis of Japanese history. In Gukanshō, he used two Buddhism beliefs. The first belief is Buddhism's role as a protector of the state. That is, he believed that the state and monastic groups support mutually so that both sides could get benefit from that relationship. The other Buddhism belief that he used is mappō concept to explain rise of warrior-led government and fall of the Imperial court's power. However, Jien could never completely divorce his position as a son and brother of Fujiwara kogyū officials from his position as a priest who studied and practiced Buddhism. Jien also uses "dōri (道理)" or "a thread that gave continuity, direction, purpose, and meaning to the whole" to explain Japanese history. Dōri has two meanings: one means the reason that forms all reality and the other means an ideal way people should follow. He uses dōri concept because he saw change as the significance of dōri and dōri as the significance of change.

Literary Style
According to Mori, while books in existence today were written with some kanjis, Shiomi argues that the original works of Gukanshō were written with kana. Mori suggests two textual proofs that indicate Jien's use of kana in Gukanshō:

In Volume 2,

偏ニ仮名ニ書ツクル事ハ、是モ道理ヲ思ヒテ書ル也. 先是ヲカクカヽント思ヨル事ハ物シレル事ナキ人ノ料也. （一二六〜二七頁）

Translation: When I write in kana, I do this with a reason in mind. The first thing I consider is that it is for not well educated readers. (page 126 - 127)

In Volume 7,

愚痴無智ノ人ニモ物ノ道理ヲ心ノソコニシラセントテ、仮名ニカキツクル〔......〕. (三二二頁)

Translation: I chose to write in kana so that even a fool and an ignorant person could understand the logic.... (page 322) De Bary et al. argues that Gukanshō is a remonstration for Emperor Go-Toba who intended an insurrection against the bakufu. They thought this because the insurrection might jeopardize Yoritsune's opportunity to be a shogun. However, Mori argues that these two textual proofs of the use of kana in Gukanshō suggest that Gukanshō is not a remonstration for Emperor Go-Toba. Rather, he argues that it is an educational work for Yoritsune and Prince Chukyo, who is also his own grandnephew. He argues this because Jien uses kana to enable "not well educated readers" or "a fool or an ignorant person" to understand what he wrote.