Taira Tadamori’s Family Line (3)

     In 1101, Oe Masafusa (1041-1111), who was the officer in Dazai-fu (Kyushu Regional Government, which administered diplomatic relations and foreign trades) and who was a famed poet and scholar, accused Minamoto Yoshichika (?-1108) of his killing local people and looting their properties.  His vicious and wicked conducts were not, however, rare among those who belonged to the “zuryo” (to take over) class.  Some of them did murder and looting to get wealthier quickly and simply.  Let me pick up Taira Korehira (?-?) for example.

     Fujiwara Sanesuke (957-1046) was known for his thorough knowledge of customer and rites.  He wrote in his journal that Korehisa killed two local people in 1024, when he was a provincial officer in Hitachi Province, and that he tortured the widow into a confession that the murderer was another local person.  Sanosuke also quoted Korehira’s successor’s letter to the central government that people were starving, and that the province was sapped of vitality.  We can easily see how cruel and merciless Korehira’s violent exploitation was.

     As a scholar, Masafusa might not have been so violent as Yoshichika or Korehira, but he wrote several self-recommendations to be appointed as a provincial officer.  In the application dated April 2, 996, he wrote, “If you say an old scholar who loves poetry should not ride on a vehicle, I would say Bai Ju-yi (a famous Chinese poet) was an officer in Suzhou.  If you say a poor gentleman who loves calligraphy should not serve the colors, I would say Zhu May-chen was a general governor in Guiji.”  Even Masafusa recognized being a provincial officer as a way to be wealthy.