Kibi no Makibi

Kibi no Makibi as minister

From the Nittō emaki

Kibi no Makibi ( Japanese 吉 備 真 吉 備 , first name also Mabi ( 真 備 ); 695 - 775 ) was a Japanese civil servant and scholar.

Live and act

Kibi no Makibi came from an influential family in the Kibi region, now part of Okayama Prefecture . His real name was Shimotsumichi Asomi, but since he was a descendant of Kibitsuhiko no mikoto ( 吉 備 津 彦 命 ) and lived in the Kibi region, he changed his name, under which he was known.

In 717 he was sent to China to study with the scholar Abe no Nakamaro ( 阿 倍 仲 麻 呂 ; approx. 698 – approx. 770), the priest Gembō ( 玄 昉 ; † 746) and others. After their return, Makibi, who is said to have brought the art of silk embroidery, the game of Go and the Biwa from China , won together with Gembō under Tachibana no Moroe ( 橘 諸兄 ; 684-757) influence in the government, Makibi as Daigaku no suke ( 大学 の 介 ).

Makibi was destined to teach Princess Abe ( 阿 部 内 親王 Abe-naishinnō ), the future Empress Kōken and the future Emperor Shōtoku . In 752 Makibi went to China again, this time as the 2nd ambassador ( 遣 唐 副使 Kentō fukushi ). Makibi was pushed back for a time when Fujiwara no Nakamaro ( 藤原 仲 麻 呂 ; 706–764) became powerful. In 764, Makibi played a central role in suppressing an uprising led by Nakamaro. In 766 Makibi was promoted to "Minister to the Right" ( Udaijin ).

After the death of Empress Kōken in 769, Fujiwara no Nagate ( 藤原 永 手 ; 714-771) and Fujiwara no Momokawa ( 藤原 百川 ; 732-779), Prince Shirakabe no Ōji ( 白髮 部 大 炊 ) against the will of Makibi to bring the throne. Makibi then gave up his office as minister and withdrew into private life in 771.

Makibi was well versed in the Confucian classics, astronomy, the arts of war, and law. He directed the establishment of the Tōdai-ji in Nara and is credited with inventing the katakana script. His first trip to China was published in a picture roll entitled "Kibi no otodo Nittō emaki" ( 吉 備 大臣 入 唐 絵 巻 ).

literature

• S. Noma (Ed.): Kibi no Makibi . In: Japan. An Illustrated Encyclopedia. Kodansha, 1993, ISBN 4-06-205938-X , p. 555
• Papinot, Edmond: Kibi Makibi . In: Historical and Geographical Dictionary of Japan. Reprinted by Tuttle, 1972 edition of 1910 edition. ISBN 0-8048-0996-8 .