Hôgen monogatari
Tale of the Disorder in Hôgen

Anonymous
Translated by William R. Wilson

Ithaca: Cornell University East Asia Program, 2001; Pp. xv, 176

Review © 2002 Branislav L. Slantchev

There are several famous war tales that narrate the history of the dissolution of the refined Heian society and the gradual establishment of the military bakufu that would rule Japan well into the modern era. The important incidents are the Hôgen Disturbance (this tale), the Heiji Disturbance, the Gempei War, the Shokyu War, the Kemmu Restoration, and the War of the Two Courts. The first four have their own tale each, Hôgen monogatari, Heiji monogatari, Heike monogatari, and Shôkyûki, and the last two are part of the Taiheiki.

This is the only complete translation of Hôgen monogatari in English and it is based on the final popular (Rufubon) version of the tale that is less chronologically rigid, more moralistic, and far more entertaining than the straightforward chronicle. Authorship of this gunki monogatari is unknown and in any way the present texts are the product of cumulative efforts of many biwa hôshi who have recited it for centuries.

The tale deals with the momentous events of 1156 during the Hôgen era, from which it derives its title. As with most of the disturbances that finally led to the establishment of military rule, this one had to do with the imperial succession. Emperors Shirakawa and Toba had established the insei, or cloistered emperor, rule that attempted to circumvent the power of the Fujiwara regents. In this bizarre system of government, the real authority was vested with the retired emperor, not the reigning one. Although the system persisted for quite some time, only these two emperors managed to use it effectively.

After Toba retired, his son Sutoku ascended the throne in 1123, but was forced to abdicate in 1141 in favor of his younger brother Konoe, who was Toba's son by his favorite concubine Bifukumon-in. Konoe, however, died in 1155, at which point Sutoku hoped that his own son Shigehito would naturally ascend, but Toba instead installed his other son Go-Shirakawa. Sutoku was greatly displeased for he could neither rule (as long as Toba remained the senior cloistered emperor) nor could his son reign.

Things came to head in 1156 when Toba died and Sutoku decided to use the opportunity to seize the throne. This rebelion by the cloistered emperor became the Hôgen Disturbance. Sutoku managed to assemble an impressive array of followers for his cause: Fujiwara Yorinaga, Minamoto Tameyoshi, Minamoto Tamemoto, and Taira Tadamasa. The first was the scion of the Fujiwara clan, the second was the leader of the Genji, the third was his son and legendary warrior, and the last was a senior Taira. Go-Shorakawa imperial side comprised Lay Priest Shinzei, Taira Kiyomori, and Minamoto Yoshitomo, the second being Tadamasa's nephew, and the third being one of Tameyoshi's sons. The revolt thus split warrior families apart, pitting son against father and nephew against uncle. More importantly, both Taira and Minamoto fought on both sides in this quarrel.

The incident itself was decided in a single fight when forces led by Yoshitomo stormed Sutoku's residence at night and, having set fire to the buildings, defeated its opponents. All the rebels were captured and Sutoku was forced to take Buddhist vows. More tragically, Kiyomori had his uncle beheaded and Yoshitomo killed his father and several of his brothers that had followed Tameyoshi. Even for this ghastly deed that demonstrated his loyalty to Go-Shirakawa he was not properly rewarded, which led to his participation on the opposing side during the Heiji Disturbance that broke out in 1159 (and which itself sets the stage for the Gempei War of 1180-85).

The tale is divided in three parts, with the first covering the background of Toba's rule, his arbitrary assignment of successors, and the gathering of forces on the imperial and rebel sides. Part two covers the fighting itself, and part three deals with the aftermath.

There is a strong moralistic tone to Hôgen monogatari that is more Confucian in character than Buddhist (unlike Heike, for example), and it makes it a little less dramatic and somewhat more pedantic. It is an unabashedly pro-imperial work although it squarely puts the blame for the disturbance on Emperor Toba and his ill-advised meddling with good precedent. (As a good Confucian work, the tale focuses on the evils caused by women when they are allowed to meddle in court affairs. Citing Chinese examples, the author concludes that it is not that women "stir up the sovereign and force him to do evil things, nor is it that they advocate methods of rule which bring disorder, but when one keeps company with women and acts upon their words, without fail, disaster and disorder arise" (p. 91). It is thus Toba's failing to have listened to Bifukumon-in in his infatuation with her that is the direct cause of the war.)

The tale does have its moving moments, all of them without exception (as usual for this sort of work) occur in the apocalyptic aftermath of the war when the victorious side wreaks terrible retribution on the losers. In this case, the most dramatic parts involve the decapitation of four of Yoshitomo's younger brothers aged seven, nine, eleven, and thirteen. The scene with the oldest Otowaka asking to go last so that not to scare his younger siblings is awe-inspiring. The next tragedy unfolds when their mother drowns herself unable to bear the separation from her children.

The tale also has its legendary hero, Minamoto Tamemoto, the seven-feet tall giant and master of military arts. He is fierce, unruly (even his father at one point disowned him), brave, but also very smart and even benevolent at times. We see him single-handedly repulsing attack after attack of the numerous foe, scaring off Kiyomori, killing two people with a single arrow, and displaying quick wits in verbal exchanges with the enemy. He is only captured when he falls ill while in hiding, is not killed but exiled, where he performs many exploits until he finally runs afoul of the authorities and they despatch a strong force to capture him. Even then he sinks a ship with one arrow (!) and then commits suicide. Tamemoto displays all the traits of a failed tragic hero, so prominent in the tales, and his spirit that remained unvanquished to the end has inspired many listeners to the tales.

Wilson's study is fine, with copious notes and extensive documentation. He also includes an essay on the textual history of the tale and several translations from works that relate the incident or relevant stories. This was a monograph published back in 1971 and has only now made it back in print.

I did not find the essay particularly illuminating seing that it deals a whole lot with the Heike variants, and not so much with Hôgen, but in any case the textual analysis is only likely to interest the specialist. The notes are nice but are also clearly not intended for lay audience for terms are always followed by the Japanese/Chinese characters making them somewhat hard to read. The two maps of Kyoto (the ancient grid superimposed on the modern layout) are worthless because the print is so bad it is practically undecipherable. There is a helpful index that contains mostly names.

December 28, 2002

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@book{wilson-hogen,
    title={H\={o}gen monogatari: Tale of the Disorder in H\={o}gen},
    author={Anonymous},
    year={2001},
    publisher={Cornell University East Asia Program},
    address={Ithaca},
    isbn={1-885445-99-7},
    note={Index, notes, bibliography, essay; Pp. xv, 176}
}