Kibi Makibi
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese
scholar and noble during the Nara period
. Also known as Kibi Daijin ("Minister Kibi"). Born in Bitchu Province
(present-day Kurashiki
, Okayama Prefecture
) as Shimotsumichi Asomi, he came from a line of local elites. Kibi was the name of the town or area he came from.
In 716, he traveled to China to study. He stayed in China for 17 years before returning to Japan. He is credited with bringing back a number of things, introducing to Japan for the first time the game of go
, the art of embroidery, and the biwa
(a kind of lute
). He became famous for these journeys in China with Abe no Nakamaro and the monk Genbō
.
In 737, he received promotion to the junior fifth rank. In 751, at the senior fourth rank (upper grade), he received an appointment as vice-ambassador to the T'ang Dynasty and traveled to China
the following year, returning to Japan in 753.
After spending some years in Kyūshū
as the assistant administrator of Dazaifu (the principal governmental post on that island), he returned to Nara
for appointment in 764 to the leadership of the project to construct Tōdai-ji
. Promotion to the junior third rank followed, as well as appointment to head an army to put down the uprising by Fujiwara no Nakamaro
. Reaching the second rank in 765, he took the offices of Major Councillor
, then Minister of the Right
. In 770, he supported a losing candidate for the throne and submitted his resignation from office, but the court accepted only his resignation from military office, and retained him as Minister of the Right. He finally resigned in 771, devoting himself to the study of Confucian
principles and their applications in Japanese administration. Kibi died in 775.
Kibi has sometimes been credited with inventing the katakana
phonetic syllabary and writing system.
A late 12th century narrative handscroll in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
depicting Kibi's journey to China is one of the earliest of all Japanese narrative pictorial handscrolls (e-maki) known to be extant. It is believed to have been commissioned to help support the prestige of a school of divination which claimed connections to Kibi. Its purchase by the museum in 1932 directly led to the strengthening of Japanese laws against the removal of cultural properties of particular importance from the country.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
scholar and noble during the Nara period
Nara period
The of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Gemmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō . Except for 5 years , when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kammu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyō, in 784...
. Also known as Kibi Daijin ("Minister Kibi"). Born in Bitchu Province
Bitchu Province
was a province of Japan on the Inland Sea side of western Honshū, in what is today western Okayama Prefecture. It was sometimes called , with Bizen and Bingo Provinces. Bitchu bordered Hōki, Mimasaka, Bizen, and Bingo Provinces....
(present-day Kurashiki
Kurashiki, Okayama
is a historic city located to the west of Okayama Prefecture, Japan, sitting on the Takahashi River, on the coast of the Inland Sea.As of April 2010, the city has a population of 473,392. The total area is .-History:...
, Okayama Prefecture
Okayama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Okayama.- History :During the Meiji Restoration, the area of Okayama Prefecture was known as Bitchū Province, Bizen Province and Mimasaka Province.- Geography :...
) as Shimotsumichi Asomi, he came from a line of local elites. Kibi was the name of the town or area he came from.
In 716, he traveled to China to study. He stayed in China for 17 years before returning to Japan. He is credited with bringing back a number of things, introducing to Japan for the first time the game of go
Go (board game)
Go , is an ancient board game for two players that originated in China more than 2,000 years ago...
, the art of embroidery, and the biwa
Biwa
The is a Japanese short-necked fretted lute, often used in narrative storytelling. The biwa is the chosen instrument of Benten, goddess of music, eloquence, poetry, and education in Japanese Shinto....
(a kind of lute
Lute
Lute can refer generally to any plucked string instrument with a neck and a deep round back, or more specifically to an instrument from the family of European lutes....
). He became famous for these journeys in China with Abe no Nakamaro and the monk Genbō
Genbō
, also known as Gembō, was a Japanese scholar-monk and bureaucrat of the Imperial Court at Nara.In 717-718, he was part of the Japanese mission to Tang China along with Kibi no Makibi and Abe no Nakamaro...
.
In 737, he received promotion to the junior fifth rank. In 751, at the senior fourth rank (upper grade), he received an appointment as vice-ambassador to the T'ang Dynasty and traveled to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
the following year, returning to Japan in 753.
After spending some years in Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
as the assistant administrator of Dazaifu (the principal governmental post on that island), he returned to Nara
Nara, Nara
is the capital city of Nara Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan. The city occupies the northern part of Nara Prefecture, directly bordering Kyoto Prefecture...
for appointment in 764 to the leadership of the project to construct Tōdai-ji
Todai-ji
, is a Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. Its Great Buddha Hall , the largest wooden building in the world, houses the world's largest bronze statue of the Buddha Vairocana, known in Japanese simply as Daibutsu . The temple also serves as the Japanese headquarters of the ...
. Promotion to the junior third rank followed, as well as appointment to head an army to put down the uprising by Fujiwara no Nakamaro
Fujiwara no Nakamaro
, later also given the name of by Emperor Kōnin, was an aristocrat and poet of Nara period in Japan. His father was Fujiwara no Muchimaro, founder of Nanke lineage of Fujiwara clan....
. Reaching the second rank in 765, he took the offices of Major Councillor
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....
, then Minister of the Right
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...
. In 770, he supported a losing candidate for the throne and submitted his resignation from office, but the court accepted only his resignation from military office, and retained him as Minister of the Right. He finally resigned in 771, devoting himself to the study of Confucian
Confucianism
Confucianism is a Chinese ethical and philosophical system developed from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius . Confucianism originated as an "ethical-sociopolitical teaching" during the Spring and Autumn Period, but later developed metaphysical and cosmological elements in the Han...
principles and their applications in Japanese administration. Kibi died in 775.
Kibi has sometimes been credited with inventing the katakana
Katakana
is a Japanese syllabary, one component of the Japanese writing system along with hiragana, kanji, and in some cases the Latin alphabet . The word katakana means "fragmentary kana", as the katakana scripts are derived from components of more complex kanji. Each kana represents one mora...
phonetic syllabary and writing system.
A late 12th century narrative handscroll in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts, is one of the largest museums in the United States, attracting over one million visitors a year. It contains over 450,000 works of art, making it one of the most comprehensive collections in the Americas...
depicting Kibi's journey to China is one of the earliest of all Japanese narrative pictorial handscrolls (e-maki) known to be extant. It is believed to have been commissioned to help support the prestige of a school of divination which claimed connections to Kibi. Its purchase by the museum in 1932 directly led to the strengthening of Japanese laws against the removal of cultural properties of particular importance from the country.