[1] Gion Shoja---Sets theme (impermanence) and topic (Taira no Kiyomori's fall). These first few lines are the most famous of the entire work and some of the most famous lines of all Japanese literature.
Important characters or characters that will later become important
Taira no Kiyomori
Kiyomori's father Taira no Tadamori
Section summary
Famous opening paragraph
Many have fallen but tale of Kiyomori is the most incredible
Family background of Kiyomori can be traced back to Emperor Kanmu but had received the commoner's name Taira (more details at: http://www.samurai-archives.com/HeianPeriod.html) and have been provincial governor level appointees
Reading notes
<23> "Taira no Ason Kiyomori"---"Ason" is just a title not part of his name proper; something like "Gentleman X" or "X, Esquire"
Multimedia
An example of a first page of an early Japanese manuscript (dates from 1621)
[2] The Night attack at the Courtiers' Hall---The Taira clan, at the generation level of Kiyomori's father, Tadamori, regain imperial favor and access to court, against the wishes of the Fujiwara who have had a strangle hold of imperial appointments (and thus influence over the emperor) for generations
Important characters or characters that will become important
Taira no Tadamori (Kiyomori's father)
Section summary
Jealous courtiers and senior nobles (these men are marked as Fujiwara because nearly 100% of the high-ranking courtiers were Fujiwara at this time, early 1100s) conspire to attack Tadamori at an imperial function. They are jealous because the Retired Emperor Toba had granted Tadamori a province, and he received courtier privileges. Tadamori hears of the plot and cleverly diffuses it. The ultimate result is greater approval by Toba, not less.
Reading notes
<25> "latter days of the Law"---Buddhist doctrine holds that there is a cosmic cycle where the dharma (Buddhist truth and principles) has an apex and a nadir. At its low point, for humans, corruption is rampant, immorality becomes the rule not the exception, it is difficult to follow Buddhism sincerely, natural disasters occur, etc. It is a type of millennium thinking. There were various calculations as to when this nadir would arrive, but the widely believed doctrine at the time was that it began around 1050. Buddhist reforms preached heavily with this doctrine, to create a sense of urgency for the need to devote oneself to the Buddhist Way. This is an important concept that will be mentioned frequently in the course of the study.
[3] The Sea Bass---Tadamori dies, Kiyomori succeeds him and via the Hogen and Heiji Disturbances, being on the winning side and having much to do with that winning, rises to the high post of Chancellor. The sea bass title comes from an anecdote that portends Kiyomori's great luck in life.
Important characters or characters that will become important
Taira no Tadamori (Kiyomori's father)
Taira no Kiyomori
Retired Emperor Toba (1103-56; r. 1107-23); was an influential force after abdicating the throne during three emperors. His support of Go-Shirakawa against Sutoku helped cause the Hogen Disturbance (Taira-no-Kiyomori, Minamoto-no-Yoshitomoand others attack the palace of retired emperor Sutoku, it is the beginning of the end of the dominance of theFujiwaraand the emergence of the warrior class on the political scene).
Section summary
Tadamori's male children secure court appointments (in other words, they become insiders to government) and once granted the privileges are revoked only with difficulty, even for later generations
Tadamori dies in 1153; Kiyomori succeeds him
The Hogen Disturbance happens in 1156 and Kiyomori's position is strengthened by it
Further successes for Kiyomori during the Heiji Disturbance of 1159, (more details at: http://www.samurai-archives.com/time0.html) and in 1160 he is promoted to the stellar level of Third Rank, a huge breakthrough for his clan (there are hundreds of nobles with the Fourth Rank, which is sort of a glass ceiling for nearly everyone, and only a handful that ever attain the Third Rank). Then, in 1167, he becomes Chancellor, the next to top post in government.
[4] Page-Boy Cuts-Kiyomori exercises absolute control over the Capital. One way he does this is with "enforcers"---special page-boys with distinctive haircuts and wardrobe that identify them as agents of Kiyomori. They could harass and arrest those who spoke against the Taira.
Important characters or characters that will become important
Taira no Kiyomori
Section summary
A description of Kiyomori's page-boy agents
Reading notes
<28> "third year of Nin'an"---1168
<28> "Rokuhara"---This is a location associated with the home ground of the Taira clan and so often substitutes for the word "Taira"
<28> Hitatare, a type of loose and full outer robe associated with warriors; that is, it is a non-court type of dressing
Multimedia
"Page-boys" with distinctive haircuts and red hitatare cloaks who spy on citizens of the Capital for the Taira. From: Heike monogatari e-maki housed at the Okayama Art Museum (Okayama Bijutsukan). Undated but 17th or 18th century.
[5] Kiyomori's Flowering fortunes---Establishes the Taira, with Kiyomori as its leader, as fantastically powerful politically and financially wealthy
Important characters or characters that will become important
Taira no Kiyomori
Taira no Shigemori, his eldest son
Taira no Munemori, his "second" son (my historical notes makes him the third son)
Taira no Tomomori, his "third" son (my historical notes makes him the second son)
Taira no Koremori, Shigemori's eldest son (therefore, the clan leadership will follow the line Kiyomori, then Shigemori, then Koremori)
Kenreimon'in, Kiyomori's daughter who becomes a consort to emperor Takakura and gives birth to emperor Antoku. Kenreimon'in's "color code" should be Kenreimon'in (Kiyomori's daughter, remains loyal to the Taira clan and will be punished for it), Kenreimon'in (becomes an imperial lady and thus looses her family name "Taira"), Kenreimon'in (will become a nun at the end of her life)
Section summary
Describes the flourishing fortunes of Kiyomori's many children as well as the extensive land holdings and wealth of the clan
[6] Gio---This is one of the Tale of Heike's most famous sections and is squarely in one of the two main themes of the tale. One of those themes is the strong morality of the warrior code requiring ferocity, decisiveness based on courage, total loyalty to a hierarchical ruling structure, and personal sacrifice to the group. This is part of the second theme and could be called the "human side" of a nation at war; this theme depicts with moving stories, often of women or younger soldiers, the suffering caused by human greed and ignorance, as Buddhism would say.
Important characters or characters that will become important
Kiyomori
Low level dancers Gio and Ginyo, who are sisters, and their mother Toji and another young woman dancer Hotoke (means "Buddha" in Japanese)
Section summary
Kiyomori's affections (and the financial remunerations associated with them) for Gio are transferred to a "new girl in town" named Hotoke, an event that happens in part out of innocent sympathy for the girl on Gio's part. Gio and her sister, when it is thoroughly obvious that they are cast aside by Kiyomori, consider various solutions to their problem and eventually become nuns. In the end, Hotoke joins them, understanding that eventually she, too, will become uninteresting to Kiyomori. (That good fortune cannot last with a Buddhist teaching.) In addition, she feels guilty for causing Gio and her sister to lose their job entertaining Kiyomori.
Reading notes
<34> "bonds linking a man and a woman are fashioned before this life begins"---This claim is based on the Buddhist notion of karma, where one's actions now will condition one's circumstances in the future, either in this life or the next.
Multimedia
A shirabyôshi dancer. By Uemura Shôen, 1943. Housed at Tôkyô National Museum of Modern Art (Tôkyô Kokuritsu Kindai Bijutsukan).
Four panels illustrating the story of Giô. From: Heike monogatari e-maki housed at the Okayama Art Museum (Okayama Bijutsukan). Undated but 17th or 18th century.
[7] Twice an Imperial Consort---This section uses the fate of a woman to describe how difficult it was for everyone to find a "safe" side to be on during this turbulent time for the country.
Section summary
A Senior Grand Empress serves Retired Emperor Konoe (76th emperor; 1139-55; r. 1141-55), who dies; though she tries to retire from public life, she is forced back into service as a consort to Emperor Nijo (78th emperor, 1143-65; r. 1158-65, nephew to Konoe), even against the will of Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa (77th emperor, 1127-92; r. 1155-58), Nijo's father.
Reading notes
<37> "Tameyoshi"---This is Yoshitomo's father; both were Minamoto clan leaders
<37> "death of Retired Emperor Toba"---In 1156
<37> "latter days of the Law"---see Chapter 1, Section [2]
[8] The Quarrel over the Tablets---Two Buddhist factions engage in provocative actions after the death of Emperor Nijo, at the unacceptably inappropriate occasion of the emperor's funeral.
Important characters or characters who will become important
Emperor Nijo
Section summary
Emperor Nijo abdicates the throne (1165) to his exceptionally young eldest son (Emperor Rokujo), who is two. "Two" means biologically between about 0 and 24 months old because a child was counted as one year old at the moment of birth and then age is added in units of one at the beginning of each calendric new year. Thus, someone born on the last day of an old year would be said to be two years old on the second day of the new year.
Emperor Nijo dies (1165).
Northern faction Buddhists scuffle with southern faction Buddhists at the emperor's funeral.
Reading notes
<39> "Eiman"---1165
<40> "a violent quarrel over tablet emplacements between monks from the Enryakuji and the Kofukuji"---Enryakuji belonged to the group of temples at the strong, intellectual and activist Buddhist center at Mt. Hiei, a range of mountains northeast of the Capital that maintained its own military force and was well fortified. Kofukuji belonged to a group of temples based towards the south at Nara that had extremely close ties with the Fujiwara family.
[9] The Burning of Kiyomizudera---The revenge for the events at the funeral come in the form of the soldier-monks descending from their Mt. Hiei to attack the Capital. It is possible that Go-Shirakawa is secretly behind this attack, as a blow meant for the Taira.
Important characters or characters who will become important
"Retired Emperor" = Emperor Go-Shirakawa
Taira no Kiyomori and his eldest son Shigemori
Section summary
Enryakuji soldier-monks attack the Capital. The Taira take up defensive positions at Rokuhara, but the monk's target is not there; rather, they overwhelm and destroy the Kofukuji-related temple called Kiyomizu (which is within the Capital).
Though Go-Shirakawa might be secretly involved in instigating the attack; publicly he takes up defensive positions with the Taira. And, though the Taira suspect him, publicly he is treated with great reverence.
Kiyomori and his son Shigemori discuss their concerns about Emperor Go-Shirakawa.
Reading notes
<41> "Hour of the Horse"---About noon
[10] The Naming of the Crown Prince---Describes the change of emperors that establishes Taira control over the throne, and Kiyomori's supremacy.
Important characters or characters who will become important
Emperor Rokujo, the child-emperor who was Emperor Nijo's son; also called "New Retired Emperor"
"Crown Prince" = Emperor Takakura (though he is an emperor, I have marked him in red because he is entirely aligned with the Taira; his mother was a Taira, and the consort he will take as his wife Kenreimon'in is a Taira as well)
Taira no Kiyomori
Section summary
Child-emperor Rokujo abdicates and Taira's pick for emperor, Takakura, takes the throne (1167).
Kiyomori's power is so great that he is called "Taira Regent." (By tradition this post, the highest in the land, could only be held by a Fujiwara; he does not get the appointment officially, but he is recognized as the de facto ruler of the country.)
[11] Horsemen Encounter the Regent---When an imperial procession of the highest ranking government official (a Fujiwara) meets the procession of Kiyomori's grandson, both sides trade insults and the Fujiwara rough up the grandson's group. Kiyomori engages in an act of revenge against the wise advice of his son Shigemori. Shigemori's personality as the more cool-headed of the two is becoming more obvious.
Important characters or characters who will become important
Emperor Go-Shirakawa, now a monk but maintaining his political posture
Taira no Shigemori, the eldest son of Kiyomori and eventual head of the clan
Sukemori, Shigemori's second son
Fujiwara no Motofusa, Regent, the highest office in the country
Section summary
Go-Shirakawa becomes a monk but continues to exercise political clout (which puts him somewhat at odds with his young son, Taira's puppet, Emperor Takakura).
The Taira accept this situation until the day when an imperial procession asserts its authority over a Taira procession. Specifically, a Fujiwara Regent abuses the attendants of Kiyomori's grandson for failing to show proper respect to the throne. Kiyomori gets revenge, sending hooligans to cut off the hair of the attendants of the Regent. Shigemori had advised against it, and when he learns of the acts, all who carried out Kiyomori's orders are fired.
Reading notes
<43> "these latter days of the Law"--- See Chapter 1, Section [2]
<43> "Imperial Regent"---This is the real Regent, Fujiwara no Motofusa (as opposed to the title "Taira Regent" used in the previous section).
[12] Shishi-no-tani---Here at this location in the eastern hills of the Capital, many men secretly plot the overthrow of the Taira. Go-Shirakawa is among their supporters.
Important characters or characters who will become important
Fujiwara no Narichika, confidant to Go-Shirakawa but associated through marriage to the Taira
Bishop Shunkan, provides the location for the anti-Taira plotters
Section summary
Emperor Takakura comes of age and receives a Taira as his consort.
Various imperial appointments break with tradition, showing great favor for Taira and pro-Taira families.
Narichika, and ally of Go-Shirakawa, prays for a proper imperial post but many untoward natural phenomena seem to occur. Narichika is thrown off the temple grounds.
Narichika and others, including Go-Shirakawa, gather secretly at Shishi-no-tani to plot their attack against the Taira.
Multimedia
A photograph of what was Bishop Shunkan's mountain villa where anti-Taira plots were discussed.
[13] The Matter of Shunkan and the Battle at Ukawa---An event years later (1176) characterizing some of those who are party to resistance to the Taira. They are not portrayed with much sympathy.
Important characters or characters who will become important
Shunkan, a Buddhist administrator
Fujiwara no Narichika, close advisor to Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa
Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa, now a monk, an increasingly anti-Taira
Taira no Shigemori, Kiyomori's son and eventual head of the clan
Fujiwara no Morotaka, and his younger brother Morotsune. I'm not 100% sure they are Fujiwaras, but they are sons to Saiko who serves Go-Shirakawa. They are part of the growing anti-Taira faction and allied with Go-Shirakawa.
Section summary
Speculates on why Shunkan gets involved in the insurrection.
Describes the origins of some of the other individuals involved in the insurrection.
Describes Morotsune's military defeat at Ukawa by Buddhist monks after offending a temple in the province he has been newly appointed to as Deputy Governor---it is his 1,000 against the monks' 2,000. Since Morotsune has fled rather than meeting them in battle, they bring their complaint to Enryakuji of Mt. Hiei, with which they are affiliated.
[14] The Vows---This sections establishes a scene---the monks from the insulted Shirayama arriving at Enryakuji where they request punishment for Morotsune and his father. Then the story digresses to an example of how the gods punish those who act wrongly.
Important characters or characters who will become important
Retired Emperor Go-Shirakawa
Section summary
The angry monks of that had been insulted in the province by Go-Shirakawa's man Morotsune arrive at Enryakuji, bringing their deity with them (to visit with the deity at Enryakuji). The Enryakuji monks (called the "Hieizan monks", "Hieizan" means Mt. Hiei) petition Go-Shirakawa on behalf of the Shirayama monks to punish Morotsune. But Morotsune is close to Go-Shirakawa and he hesitates.
The main line of the story pauses and an event from the past is recounted to illustrate the power of the monks and the gods to which they pray.
Reading notes
<51> "Angered because the Retired Emperor was slow to act in the matter,"---This is a continuation of the digression begun a paragraph earlier, not a return to the current situation.
[15] Petitioning with Sacred Palanquins---In this instance both Taira and Minamoto serve the imperial system, defending it against belligerent monks.
Important characters or characters who will become important
Enryakuji monks, the soldier-monks of the powerful Mt. Hiei consortium of temples
Morotsune and his older brother Morotaka, who had insulted the provincial monks at Shirayama when Morotsune arrived to take over the governorship in that province
Shigemori, Kiyomori's son and a strong leader
Section summary
The Enryakuji's demands have been ignored by Go-Shirakawa. They belligerently carry their gods to the Capital, planning on marching in. The Capital is defended by both Taira and Minamoto warriors. The Taira have the better defensive position. The soldier-monks decide to hit the weaker place that the Minamoto defend. But a great orator of the Minamoto explains to them that they must face the more fierce enemy or they will be dishonored. Convinced, they attack the Taira, and lose. Unfortunately, the sacred palanquins are damaged by the Taira in the process.
[16] The Burning of the Imperial Palace---The angry Enryakuji monks are finally pacified when they are shown the wisdom of religious truth and also receive the punishments of the men, for which they have petitioned. This chapter ends with the dramatic fire of 1177 that destroyed much of the Capital, including a great number of imperial buildings. While no reason is given in this text, some historians believe this fire was set on purpose by anti-government discontents.
Important characters or characters who will become important
Enryakuji monks, who have been petitioning for the punishment of men who had insulted the monks of an affiliate temple in the provinces
Morotsune and his older brother Morotaka, who had insulted the provincial Shirayamamonks
Section summary
The Enryakuji monks convene, trying to determine what action to take next.
Taira no Tokitaka arrives as an official envoy of the government and convinces them to quiet down.
In a switch of topic, the great fire of 1177 is described. This fire is also famously described in An Account of My Ten-Foot Square Hut (Hojoki).
