Shunki (春記)

The Shunki is a diary written by the court noble FUJIWARA no Sukefusa in the Heian period. The name Shunki originated from the title of Togu Gon no Daibu (Provisional Master of the Crown Prince's Quarters) assumed for twelve years until his death. It is also referred to as the "Yaboki" (after his house name Ononomiya and his name Sukefusa).

The remaining entries in the Shunki are dated 1038, 1039, 1040, 1042, 1048, 1052 and 1054. Most of them are collected in a handwritten copy created in the late Heian period, the Toji-bon (To-ji Temple book); eight volumes of the book are held in the Imperial Household Archives, three volumes in Kyoto National Museum, and one volume in Otani University. The handwritten copies such as the one owned once by the Kujo family and currently by the Imperial Household Archives, Vol. 5 of the Chokyu Gannen Ki (chronicle of the first year of the Chokyu era) in the Kamakura period, the one possessed by Kaku TANAKA, Vol. 1 of the Choreki Ninen Ki (chronicle of the second year of the Choreki era), and the one owned by Sonkeikaku-bunko library, Vol. 3 of the Eisho Sannen Ki (chronicle of the third year of the Eisho era) in the Sanjonishike-bon (Sanjonishi family book) include many entries that are not contained in the Toji-bon. Most of the currently existing entries in the Shunki were written when Sukefusa served as Kurodo no to (Head Chamberlain), and they are unique in describing concrete activities of Kurodo (Chamberlain) in the Heian period. The Shunki is gaining attention as a historical document for the period for which relatively few historical documents have been found, and, being full of the author's personal emotions and critical assertions, the diary is of great interest in this regard.

The diary became widely known when it was published in thirteen volumes in the series "Tankaku-sosho" compiled in the late Edo period.

[Original Japanese]