Sekiro: The Second Life of Souls by Ludovic Castro

Author:Ludovic Castro [Castro, Ludovic]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9782377842865
Publisher: Third Editions
Published: 2020-09-02T04:00:00+00:00

PALACE NOBLES

During the Heian period (794-1185 AD), Japan was governed by a system of highly centralized political power, for the most part, held by the aristocratic court of the imperial capital attended by the emperor himself. The noble class was divided into ten ranks and approximately thirty titles. Each category of noble would have their own specific attire, residence, transport and, of course, their own special privileges. Unlike the court system in China, which provided for changes in ruling circles on the basis of meritocratic promotions, at least to some extent, the end-product of the Japanese system was hermetically sealed castes. The fact that it was impossible to enhance one’s status in the social hierarchy would have seismic repercussions for the future of the regime. Once their mandates expired, the provincial officials tended to stay behind in their allocated territories instead of going back to the capital, where there were no prospects of advancing their careers. What they did was develop significant economic and military power at a local level. Over the centuries, local autonomies gradually became more widespread, and, by the tenth century, the imperial court was nothing more than a cultural bubble in a self-contained reality.

Additionally, the breakdown of central authority was exacerbated by the conduct of the nobles themselves, who showed little concern for provincial life. As they saw it, there was no life outside of the imperial capital. In fact, they were only interested in two things: culture and courtly intrigue. Indeed, life at the imperial court was far from harmonious. Numerous families would stoop to any means to ascend the noble hierarchy and seize the closest political offices to the emperor himself. Marriage, murder, score-settling… The Heian era was every bit the game of thrones envisaged by George R. R. Martin (who drew similar inspiration from the late Middle Ages in Europe). To make things worse, every stratum of government was riddled to the core with corruption; in particular, unchecked bribery for official positions and favors.

This climate of wanton decadence was so flagrant that a relative of Emperor Kanmu, Taira no Masakado, declared himself the “New Emperor” in 939, seized control of the Kanto region and established his own imperial court. Masakado then appointed governors to rule the eight northern provinces of the Archipelago that had risen in support of his claim. Although it was by no means a resounding success, the rebellion laid bare the dissolution of the imperial court’s authority over the remote provinces in relation to the capital and the weakened central government of the day. By way of anecdote, Masakado has been considered a demigod by the Japanese ever since; it is said that his military campaign against the corrupt aristocracy was punctuated with otherworldly miracles66.

Notwithstanding the prevailing climate of intrigue, the Heian court was celebrated for its exceptionally developed art culture. Albeit the artistic influence of China could still be felt, the Japanese devised their own literature, including a very specific style of poetry and novelistic genre.

In Sekiro, Fountainhead Palace

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