Gwin's Blog continuation of "The Tale of Genji"Hi

Hi, I'm back, (I hope) with a blog on a new computer & a new Internet connection, but the same subject. I found an editorial by Robert Silverberg in the latest issue of  the SF magazine he edits relating to "The Tale of Genji." He was writing about his discovery of a Japanese historical chronicle that dated events from the time of a retired emperor, which he thought was rather odd. "The Tale of Genji" has retired emperors as characters. Indeed, the title character's father retires in the course of the novel. I had assumed there was an historical parallel with the late Roman Emperors like Hadrian or Diocletian, who were able to turn the cares  of office over to a designated successor, & retire to a comfortable life in the country, a good long way from Rome. And, of course, in the modern Rome, the good 'ol USA, ex-presidents must retire after 2 terms. It's not a lifetime job. This predicates a level of security & stability that is rarely reached in history. Tho', according to Silverberg's research, that's not how it worked in medieval Japan. The reason for an emperor's retirement fairly early in his reign was because the ceremonial duties required of him were so numerous & heavy that, in order to take care of the business of state, it was necessary to have his successor take over the ceremonial duties & devote himself to state business full time. This worked fairly well until emperors started to turn over their ceremonial duties to six-year-olds. It helps to remember that the Japanese royal family was never monogamous until the 19th century & also allowed adopted sons to succeed as emperors. When the retirement system broke down, the shogunate succeeded it, under which hereditary shoguns, who functioned as viziers or prime ministers to the emperors took over, & when the hereditary shoguns started producing morons, an appointive system of ministers actually ran the country. This is the system Commodore Perry found when he "opened" Japan to the West in the 1860s. If you think Japan & the Japanese are hard to understand now, it's nothing compared to 19th century Japan! :) I must add that the Meiji Emperor took over in his own name after the 1860s, & the Emperor remains the Head of State to this day, tho' the Diet & elected ministers have ruled Japan since WWII. But the Japanese emperor remains largely inaccessible to the general public. Emperor Akihito's appearance on TV to his people after the earthquake & tsunami this spring, was his first appearance on TV since his accession. I gather retirement is no longer an option for reigning emperors in Japan any more, since the advent of an elected Diet & ministers who run the government. As a constitutional monarch, the emperor is expected to reign lifelong. It's surprising what serendipitous connections  a little research can turn up.
Signing off for now,
Gwin Lee