Emperor Chokei
Encyclopedia
Emperor Chōkei (1343 – August 27, 1394) was the 98th emperor
Emperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...

 of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from 1368 through 1383. His personal name was Yutanari (寛成).

Events of Chōkei's life

On March 29, 1368 (Shōhei
Shohei
was a Japanese era name of the Southern Court during the Era of Northern and Southern Courts after Kōkoku and before Kentoku. This period spanned the years from December 1346 to July 1370. The Southern Court emperors in Yoshino were and...

 23, 11th day of the 3rd month), following the death of Emperor Go-Murakami, he was enthroned in the house of the Chief Priest at the Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine
Sumiyoshi Taisha
, also known as Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine, is a Shinto shrine in Sumiyoshi ward in the city of Osaka, Japan. It is the main shrine of all the Sumiyoshi shrines in Japan...

 in Sumiyoshi, Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...

, where the Southern Court had made its capital. However, because the Southern Court's influence was declining, the enthronement remained in some doubt until the Taishō period
Taisho period
The , or Taishō era, is a period in the history of Japan dating from July 30, 1912 to December 25, 1926, coinciding with the reign of the Taishō Emperor. The health of the new emperor was weak, which prompted the shift in political power from the old oligarchic group of elder statesmen to the Diet...

. In 1926, the enthronement was officially recognized and inserted into the Imperial Line.

Emperor Chōkei persisted to the end in insisting on fighting the Northern Dynasty
Northern Court (Japan)
The , also known as the "Ashikaga Pretenders" or "Northern Pretenders", were a set of six pretenders to the throne of Japan during the Nanboku-chō period from 1336 through 1392...

, but it was already too late. In 1383 (some say 1384), he abdicated to Emperor Go-Kameyama
Emperor Go-Kameyama
was the 99th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He ruled from 1383 to October 21, 1392, becoming the last Emperor of the Southern Court...

, who belonged to the peace faction.

After the Reunification of the rival courts, he went intro retirement and eventually returned to Yoshino where he died on August 27, 1394. The kami
Kami
is the Japanese word for the spirits, natural forces, or essence in the Shinto faith. Although the word is sometimes translated as "god" or "deity", some Shinto scholars argue that such a translation can cause a misunderstanding of the term...

 of Emperor Chōkei is venerated at Shishō jinja in Totsugawa, Yamato province
Yamato Province
was a province of Japan, located in Kinai, corresponding to present-day Nara Prefecture in Honshū. It was also called . At first, the name was written with one different character , and for about ten years after 737, this was revised to use more desirable characters . The final revision was made in...

.

Kugyō

Kugyō (公卿) is a collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan
Emperor of Japan
The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...

 in pre-Meiji
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...

 eras. Even during those years in which the court's actual influence outside the palace walls was minimal, the hierarchic organization persisted.

In general, this elite group included only three to four men at a time. These were hereditary courtiers whose experience and background would have brought them to the pinnacle of a life's career. During Chōkei's reign, this apex of the Daijō-kan included:
  • Sadaijin
    Sadaijin
    , most commonly translated as "Minister of the Left", was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the Sadaijin in the context of a central...

  • Udaijin
    Udaijin
    Udaijin , most commonly translated as the "Minister of the Right", was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the Udaijin in the context of a central...

  • Nadaijin
  • Dainagon
    Dainagon
    was a counselor of the first rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century.This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century....


Eras of Chōkei's reign

The years of Chōkei's reign are more specifically identified by more than one era name or nengō.
Nanboku-chō southern court
  • Eras as reckoned by legitimate Court (as determined by Meiji rescript)
  • Shōhei
    Shohei
    was a Japanese era name of the Southern Court during the Era of Northern and Southern Courts after Kōkoku and before Kentoku. This period spanned the years from December 1346 to July 1370. The Southern Court emperors in Yoshino were and...

      (1346–1370)
  • Kentoku
    Kentoku
    Kentoku was a Japanese era of the Southern Court during the Era of Northern and Southern Courts after Shōhei and before Bunchū, lasting from July 1370 to April 1372...

      (1370–1372)
  • Bunchū
    Bunchu
    Bunchū was a Japanese era name of the Southern Court during the Era of Northern and Southern Courts after Kentoku and before Tenju. This period spanned the years from October 1372 to May 1375. The Southern Court emperor in Yoshino during this time-frame was...

      (1372–1375)
  • Tenju
    Tenju
    Tenju was a Japanese era name of the Southern Court during the Era of Northern and Southern Courts after Bunchū and before Kōwa. This period spanned the years from May 1375 to February 1381. The Southern Court emperor in Yoshino during this time-frame was...

      (1375–1381)
  • Kōwa
    Kowa
    Kōwa was a Japanese era name of the Southern Court during the Era of Northern and Southern Courts after Tenju and before Genchū. This period spanned the years from February 1381 to April 1384. The Southern Court emperors in Yoshino during this time-frame were and...

      (1381–1384)

Nanboku-chō northern court
  • Eras as reckoned by pretender Court (as determined by Meiji rescript)
  • Ōan
    Oan
    , also romanized as Ō-an, was a Japanese era name of the Northern Court during the Era of Northern and Southern Courts after Jōji and before Eiwa. This period spanned the years from February 1368 through February 1375...

      (1368–1375)
  • Eiwa
    Eiwa
    was a Japanese era name of the Northern Court during the Era of Northern and Southern Courts after Ōan and before Kōryaku. This period spanned the years from February 1375 through March 1379...

      (1375–1379)
  • Kōryaku
    Koryaku
    was a Japanese era name of the Northern Court during the Era of Northern and Southern Courts after Eiwa and before Eitoku. This period spanned the years from March 1379 through February 1381...

      (1379–1381)
  • Eitoku
    Eitoku
    was a Japanese era name of the Northern Court during the Era of Northern and Southern Courts after Kōryaku and before Shitoku. This period spanned the years from February 1381 to February 1384...

      (1381–1384)

See also

  • Emperor of Japan
    Emperor of Japan
    The Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...

  • List of Emperors of Japan
  • Imperial cult
    Imperial cult
    An imperial cult is a form of state religion in which an emperor, or a dynasty of emperors , are worshipped as messiahs, demigods or deities. "Cult" here is used to mean "worship", not in the modern pejorative sense...

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