Sat Dec 13, 2003 3:49 pm
Dear List,
Over the past year I have been working on updating information about Aloeswood, Kodo History, and the Rikkoku. Please understand, even among Japanese experts there are different opinions on these matters.
There has been a lot written on the subject, and a great deal comes from the original source of Lafcadio Hearn, and next from the text by Kiyoko Morita. In Morita's work Shino Soshin is said to have been requested by Shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa to classify his 130 varieties of incense, and he solicited the help of Sanetaka Sanjonishi and together they established rules for the Kodo games etc. I'm afraid I can't say too much about Shino's contributions, and Morita may very well be correct. However, I cannot verify her version either.
On that matter, those of us who have studied histories of Buddhism and Zen in both China and Japan can tell you that it is quite common for schools to assemble histories which lend credibility to that school. The "Transmission of the Lamp" is one example in Zen. Written several years later it describes a history and lineage of Zen that is just not accurate. I have tried to find more information on Soshin Shino, but there is very little written about him that I've found. The Shino ryu website shows him has founder of their school and a student of Sanetaka Sanjonishi. The Japanese Kodo lineage charts also show him as a student of Sanjonishi.
In order to understand the history of Kodo, and examine it in its context, a certain amount of knowledge about the political and civil structures of the times is helpful. Prior to the Kamakura era in Japan, both civil and military power was in the hands of the Imperial Court. The beginning of the Kamakura era ends civil and military rule by the Imperial Court. Later, Ashikaga Takauji sided with the Imperial court and defeated the Kamakura Shogunate. At this time, the Muromachi period begins.
The Ashikaga Shogun shared more power with the Imperial court, but most of the military and civil authority was in the hands of the Shoguns and the Daimyo's. Culture matters were left mostly to the Imperial court. Daimyos were feudal landlords who were originally Samurai who were overseers of the lands belonging to the Japanese nobles. Later they came to own the lands themselves. Sasaki Doyo was one of these Daimyo who was a tea advocate.
In reading some articles it may be easy to confuse him with Ashikaga Takauji who was a famous collector of Aloeswood. According to many reports the Ashikaga shoguns were the first shogun to become collectors of Chinese arts and students of Chinese ceremonies and customs, where the Imperial courts were the previous holders of such treasures. However, I think it is reasonable to assume that Daimyo's and previous Shoguns were also interested in such matters, and this period really speaks of a codification of art & ceremony. Part of this codification was the appointment of officials who were art and culture experts in the service to the Shoguns. They were the Shogun's cultural curators or experts, called Doboshu. Ironically, the Doboshu are rarely mentioned in texts about Incense and Tea Ceremonies. Perhaps this is because of the later advent of the Iemoto systems where schools were formed around a central figure, master or teacher (Iemoto) However, some of the first Iemoto were actually descendents of the earlier Doboshu. One of the early Doboshu was named Noami or Shinno Noami. I don't know if it is possible this is same person as Soushin Shino, but it is more than likely that the person in charge of Incense & Tea cultures was a Doboshu. Sanetaka Sanjonishi was poet and expert on Chinese culture, and he was in the Imperial court, not the court of the Ashikaga Shogun, although he may have had close affiliation. The lineage charts, of course, are documents of the Iemoto schools rather than general historical documents. I have recently amended the history and especially the aloeswood section of Japanese-incense.com to reflect what I currently believe to be the most accurate information, and at the same time, I'm still working to get other books and documents translated so the information can be improved.
David
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