Yuge no Kiyohito (弓削浄人)

YUGE no Kiyohito (date of birth and death unknown) was a Kugyo (high court noble) who lived in the Nara period. Kiyohito was MONONOBE no Moriya's descendant and YUGE no Kushimaro's son. Kiyohito was a younger brother of YUGE no Dokyo. Kiyohito's official court rank was Junii (Junior Second Rank) Dainagon (Major Counselor). Kiyohito which was written as "浄人" was also written as "清人" in Japanese.

Kiyohito was granted a title of Sukune (the third highest of the eight hereditary titles called Yakusa no Kabane) in 764. The rebellion of FUJIWARA no Nakamaro resulted in letting Dokyo, an older brother of Kiyohito, hold actual power over state affairs in the imperial court, and Kiyohito was raised to Jushiinoge (Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade), thereby granting Kiyohito a title of Asomi (also called Ason and Aso, referring to the second highest title in the court). After serving as Emon no kami (Captain gate guards) and Sangi (Councilor), Kiyohito was ranked as Shosanmi Chunagon (Senior Third Rank, Vice-Councilor of State) in 766, and he also served as Naiju-kyo (Head of the Bureau of Pages) in 767, Dainagon (Chief Councilor of State) in 768, and was raised to Junii (Junior Second Rank) in 769. In the same year of 769, Kiyohito was appointed Dazai no sochi (Governor-General of the Dazai-fu offices), who falsely reported an oracle to the Emperor that the deity of the Usa Hachiman-gu Shrine recommended Dokyo's succession to the imperial throne, which incident is known to be the "plot of Usa Hachiman-gu oracle."

In 770 the death of Emperor Shotoku caused Dokyo and Kiyohito's downfall, and Kiyohito was therefore banished to Tosa Province along with his three children. In 781 Kiyohito was pardoned and returned home in Kawachi Province, never to be permitted to re-enter Kyoto.

[Original Japanese]