photo #2825152

'Race at the Uji River' - the main detail of a ca. 1760s byobu screen - by Soga Shohaku (曾我蕭白, 1730 – 1781), a Japanese painter of the Edo period. From the Feinberg Collection at the MET in New York.The picture relates to a famous historic event - the first battle of Uji (1180), significant for having began the Genpei War (源平合戦, Genpei kassen, Genpei gassen), 1180–1185, a national civil war between the Taira and Minamoto clans during the late-Heian period of Japan.In early 1180, Prince Mochihito, the Minamoto Clan's favoured claimant to the Imperial Throne, was chased by Taira forces to the Mii-dera, a temple just outside Kyoto. Due to the interference of a Mii-dera monk with Taira sympathies, the Minamoto army arrived too late to help defend the temple.Minamoto no Yorimasa and Prince Mochihito, along with a force of about fifteen hundred men including the warrior monks of Mii-dera and the Watanabe clan, fled south towards Nara. They crossed the Uji River, just outside the Byōdō-in, and tore up the planks of the bridge behind them to prevent the Taira from following.Three warrior monks in particular are named in the "Heike Monogatari": Gochi-in no Tajima, Tsutsui Jōmyō Meishū, and Ichirai Hōshi. These three, along with the other monks of Mii-dera, fought with bow and arrow, a variety of swords, daggers and naginata.As for the Taira troops, they were led by Ashikaga Tadatsuna, one of the few warriors of direct Minamoto descent who stayed loyal to his oath to the Taira family up until he and his father were murdered by one of their retainers, Kiryū Rokurō. According to Azuma Kagami, the 18-year-old Tadatsuna is supposedly remembered as having had the strength of one hundred men, a voice that echoed over 10 li (5 km), and teeth of 1 sun (3.03 cm) long. Further stating that "there will be no warrior in future ages like this Tadatsuna"!Led by their young general, the Taira force soon began to ford the river and caught up with the Minamoto. Tadatsuna was the first warrior on the frontline and following a custom of the period is said to have proclaimed his name and lineage before charging his enemies. Yorimasa tried to help the Imperial Prince get away, but was struck with an arrow in the right elbow. While his sons, Nakatsuna and Kanetsuna were fighting to fend off their enemies, Yorimasa committed seppuku. Meanwhile Prince Mochihito was captured and killed shortly after the battle by the Taira clan.0 Comments