Taira no Masakado

Eiji Yoshikawa / 松月白Jan 2025

3.9

Word count: 191K words
Chapters: 123

Summary

Japan's greatest rebel—the only man to ever declare himself "a new emperor"! The author is so fascinated by Taira no Masakado that he cannot resist trying to erase the historical brand of rebel from him, for in Masakado he sees the purest, most unvarnished primal bloodlust. In the capital, Masakado was made a fool of by the nobles; in his homeland, his uncle robbed him of the lands his father had left him.

His fury, with no outlet, finally erupted, giving rise to the great conflagration of the Jōhei Disturbance. He openly defied the court, subdued the eight provinces of Kantō in one stroke, and declared himself the New Emperor.

This is a famous episode of the mid-to-late Heian period, when Mount Fuji was still young and still spewing flames; and the vast Kantō plain still kept the look of wild fields.

Editor's review

This book presents Taira no Masakado as 'the greatest rebel in Japanese history' and 'the only man to proclaim himself a new emperor,' yet its narrative refuses to settle for labeling him. Eiji Yoshikawa took a strong interest in Masakado and even wanted to erase the historical stigma of rebel from him, and this attitude gives the book a tension between defense and understanding. Readers see how Masakado, mocked by nobles in the capital and stripped in his homeland of the territory his father left him by his uncle, is driven step by step by anger into the Johei Disturbance—and how he openly defies the court, subdues the eight provinces of Kanto, and proclaims himself the new emperor. The book also depicts the environment of the mid-to-late Heian period: Mount Fuji is still young and still erupting flames, and the Kanto plain remains wild. These details place the events in a Japan not yet fully formed. It suits readers interested in rebellion, power, and local order, to be read slowly, noting how the author sustains the narrative tension between 'rebel' and 'hot-blooded spirit.'

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in the Heian period and the Johei Disturbance
Literary readers who enjoy Eiji Yoshikawa's style of historical portraiture
Readers who want to understand how the figure of the 'rebel' is written and defended
Readers curious about Kanto local history and ancient power structures

Not a good fit for

Researchers of ancient Japanese history seeking rigorous source verification and academic annotation
Readers who accept only orthodox historical verdicts and are unwilling to consider a defensive perspective
Readers who prefer modern urban themes or fast-paced genre fiction

Reading tips

First sort out the two threads—Masakado's humiliation in the capital and his loss of land at home—then see how the Johei Disturbance erupts.
Note the author's technique of 'erasing the stigma of rebel' from Masakado, and distinguish narrative attitude from historical fact.
Compare environmental passages such as Mount Fuji's eruptions and the Kanto plain with the course of events to sense the atmosphere of the era.
After finishing, revisit the passage where Masakado proclaims himself new emperor and consider how the author writes 'hot-blooded spirit' and its cost.

版权信息
公子与女奴
土地与奴隶阶层
自然嬉戏
菅公的三儿子
年轻时的富士山
短暂的我的天国
一堆篝火
预言中的末世
白与黑的分界
恶骂宴
箭风
转折
白粉逸事
投钱
右大臣忠平
患有狂疾的贵族阶层
马儿们不要寂寞
候差时的闲谈
质朴的读书郎
两位堂兄
梦想远大
流放者秀乡
当宠物般豢养
老书法家
冷漠的年轻人
自己的愚蠢
紫阳花之君
河之滩·人之滩
大臣的肌肤是蚊虫的美味佳肴
公子们
赠送空蝉
卑微与弱点
纵情放歌·快意漫游
野火般的肌肤
水草记
泷口
不见君兮
归国
旧山河
空寂之馆
浦人遗书
荫庇下的弟弟们
麦秋
行行子
野霜之宿
分野
朝雾
潺潺流水边的女子
玉虫
忘恩论争
虫笼中的女人
月与水
痣
飘客
睿山之约
狼友
旧日相识
沉默之人
桔梗花开
常陆源氏
掠夺
名门之子
富贵与积罪
幸福的百日
伏兵
野爪合战
不请自来的援手
骑虎难下
燎原之火
诉讼文
将门再上京
对决
里之京都
茧中
土与人
木像阵
饱受足疾折磨
病躯
浮寝之巢
秋水萧杀
鬼哭
富士山喷火
冬之海
迷吏与病国
喷火口时代
武藏野争吵
相搏相伤
追长蛇
千曲川
山中放浪
人心鸣动
策士策动
夜夜之辻
陆之酒
女之贡物
元祖关东者
笨蛋
相似的草笛
纠问使
若称虾夷荻
侠者之门
心目中首选之人
攻入常陆
回京都之日
途中之难
危险的游说者
火魔与火星
老兽
秀乡起兵
痴儿之醉
毒杯
乐土
夜神乐·朝神乐
寂寞之人
上申文
森之巫女
泥醉余兴
天皇节刀赐下
秀乡出兵
贞盛的妻子
狂风阵
将门遗事

FAQ

What kind of person is Taira no Masakado in this book?

The book portrays Masakado as the greatest rebel in Japanese history and the only man to proclaim himself 'a new emperor,' yet the author is deeply interested in him and even wants to erase the historical stigma of rebel from him. The narrative highlights his pure, unadorned hot-blooded spirit, and shows how his anger—after being mocked by nobles in the capital and stripped of his territory by his uncle at home—brews into the Johei Disturbance.

How much of the book does the Johei Disturbance occupy?

The Johei Disturbance is the great conflict that forms after Masakado's anger erupts; the book shows how it develops from personal misfortune into open defiance of the court, the subduing of the eight Kanto provinces, and his self-proclamation as new emperor. Read it as the turning point of the figure's fate rather than an isolated list of events.

What is the purpose of the passages about Mount Fuji's eruptions and the Kanto plain?

These passages place the events in the environment of the mid-to-late Heian period: Mount Fuji is still young and still erupting flames, and the Kanto plain remains wild. They are not idle digressions but help readers feel that not-yet-formed Japan and understand the atmosphere and geography of Masakado's time.

Does the author's attitude toward Masakado affect the reader's judgment?

Yes. The author is clearly deeply interested in Masakado and even wants to erase the historical stigma of rebel from him, which gives the narrative a tension of defense and understanding. While reading, keep the author's attitude separate from historical fact: appreciate how he writes 'hot-blooded spirit,' while noting how the 'rebel' verdict is preserved and questioned in the book.

Comments

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About the author

Eiji Yoshikawa Author · Japan · 1892–1962

Eiji Yoshikawa (1892–1962) was a native of Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, and a leading author of Japanese popular literature, hailed as a “national writer.” After leaving school early, he worked as a printer and a shipyard worker, among other jobs, while continuing to educate himself. He entered the literary world in 1914 and later became known for his historical novels. His works are mostly drawn from Japanese and Chinese history, and he excelled at portraying personal growth and the sweep of an era within a framework of historical fact, in a style that is accessible and deeply engaging. His major works include Musashi, Romance of the Three Kingdoms, The New Taiko Chronicles, Kuroda Josui, and Minamoto no Yoritomo. This library holds 46 of his works, including several volumes of the Three Kingdoms series and the complete Musashi. His historical novels have long enjoyed a wide readership and have had a significant influence on the development of Japanese popular literature.

松月白 Author

Songyue Bai is a Chinese translator working in the field of Japanese historical and swordsman fiction. Public information about this translator is limited, with no clear records of biography, nationality, or dates of birth and death. Judging from the twelve works held in the collection, Songyue Bai has focused on introducing Japanese popular historical literature to Chinese readers, having translated works such as Uesugi Kenshin, Taira no Masakado, Yagyu Tsukikage-sho, Kumo no Enmacho, and the new edition of Chushingura. The translated works center on stories of Sengoku warlords, Edo-period swordsmen, and loyal retainers, while also touching on mystery and otherworld fantasy genres. The representative work Shinran, in three volumes, deals with the biography of a Japanese Buddhist figure. Overall, Songyue Bai's choices lean toward strongly narrative works rich in legendary characters, and the translations serve to convey the appeal of Japanese historical fiction, offering readable texts for Chinese readers interested in such subjects.