Kitabatake Chikafusa - Works

Works

In his writings on the legitimate imperial lineage, Kitabatake delved into the subject of land ownership. In one document he denounces the Provincial Shugo and Jitō (Constables and Stewards) as land-hungry, and writes that the creation of this system in 1190 altered the traditional state of the country, and caused it to lose the art of government.

Though the full details of his ideas for reform are unknown, it is likely that Kitabatake sought a return to the governmental structures set down during the Taihō Era, in 702, before the rise of feudalism and military rule. He recognized that certain privileges gained by the bushi (great warrior families) and kuge (Court nobility) in that time would not be relinquished, but he did seek to abolish the systems of land tenure and tax collection that supported the power of the bushi. Kitabatake viewed the bushi, and by extension the bakufu (shogunate), the military government, as enemies of the Throne.

In 1339, he wrote Jinnō Shōtōki, which related the history of Japan through analysis of the Imperial reigns, from the earliest legendary semi-mythical Emperors down to Go-Daigo and his successor Go-Murakami. It was intended largely as a guide to the young Emperor Go-Murakami, and as a treatise defending the Southern Court's legitimacy. It was largely written on the road, and recompiled and edited in 1343. One of the issues it addressed was the chaotic and unbalanced distribution of land, which he blamed on the government. But he also blamed the government officials and feudal lords who claimed the land. He wrote that seeking rewards was not part of proper behavior, and that it was a warrior's place to give up land and even his life for duty. He also claimed that the chaos of feudalism was derived, ultimately, from an unlimited number of people claiming a limited amount of land.

Kitabatake's other major work, Shokugen-shō, was also written in 1339, largely from memory, as the author, under siege in his home province, was unable to perform research at Court. It described the origins and organization of governmental offices and structures, as well as the author's opinions on the promotion and appointment of officials.