Tachibana no Kachiko (橘 嘉智子, 786 – June 17, 850), also known as Empress Danrin (檀林皇后, Danrin-kōgō), was a Japanese empress, the chief consort of Emperor Saga[1] and the daughter of Tachibana no Kiyotomo (橘 清友).[2] She was de facto ruler of the empire between 833 and 850.
| Tachibana no Kachiko 橘嘉智子 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Empress consort of Japan | |
| Tenure | August 21, 815 – June 5, 823 |
| Empress dowager of Japan | |
| Tenure | April 23, 823 – March 2, 833 |
| Grand empress dowager of Japan | |
| Tenure | March 26, 833 – June 17, 850 |
| Born | 786 |
| Died | June 17, 850 (aged 63–64) Heian Kyō (Kyōto) |
| Spouse | Emperor Saga |
| Issue | Emperor Ninmyō Princess Seishi Princess Hideko Prince Hidera Princess Toshiko Princess Yoshiko Princess Shigeko |
| House | Tachibana (by birth) Imperial House of Japan (by marriage) |
| Father | Tachibana no Kiyotomo |
| Mother | Taguchi Michihime |
The empress was a devout Buddhist. She founded the Buddhist Danrin-ji temple complex, and for this reason, she came to be called Danrin-kōgō.[2]
She died in the 4th day of the 5th month of 850.[3] Known for her renowned beauty in her life, on her deathbed, Empress Danrin requested her body to be left open to the environment for the public to see the effects of human decomposition. This event later became a popular Japanese folk legend and was later depicted by the 18th century painting "Nine Stages of Decomposition of the Heian Period Empress Danrin".[4]
Genealogy
editLady Kachiko was born to Tachibana no Kiyotomo and his wife, Taguchi Michihime.
In June 809, Tachibana no Kachiko married the new emperor. The marriage produced seven children: two sons and five daughters. Her eldest son would succeed his father as Emperor of Japan and her eldest daughter married Prince Otomo, who later became Emperor Junna.
- Husband: Emperor Saga (嵯峨天皇, Saga-tennō, October 3, 786 – August 24, 842)
- Son: Imperial Prince Masara (正良親王) later Emperor Ninmyō
- Daughter: Imperial Princess Seishi (正子内親王; 810–879), married to Emperor Junna
- Daughter: Imperial Princess Hideko (秀子内親王; d. 850)
- Son: Imperial Prince Hidera (秀良親王; 817–895)
- Daughter: Imperial Princess Toshiko (俊子内親王; d. 826)
- Daughter: Imperial Princess Yoshiko (芳子内親王; d. 836)
- Daughter: Imperial Princess Shigeko (繁子内親王; d. 865)
In popular culture
editIn the acclaimed 2013 movie Avalokitesvara, a loose adaptation of the Putuoshan genesis story, Ryoko Nakano starred as the Empress Dowager Tachibana Kachiko.
Notes
edit- ^ Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan, pp. 318-319.
- ^ a b Ponsonby-Fane, p. 319.
- ^ Adolphson, Mikael et al. (2006). Heian Japan, Centers and Peripheries, p. 23., p. 23, at Google Books
- ^ "The Empress Danrin was a beautiful woman and "Katabira no Tsuji," the entrance to her burial place". Leaf KYOTO (in Japanese). 1 June 2024.
References
edit- Adolphson, Mikael S., Edward Kamens and Stacie Matsumoto. (2006). Heian Japan, Centers and Peripheries. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 9780824830137; OCLC 71542885
- Kōjien, 6th edition
- Ponsonby-Fane, Richard Arthur Brabazon. (1959). The Imperial House of Japan. Kyoto: Ponsonby Memorial Society. OCLC 194887