Photo/Illutration An 84-centimeter-tall sculpture of Dokyo dedicated to Saidaiji temple in Nara in 2020 (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

Dokyo, a Buddhist priest who lived during the Nara Period (710-784), came to be seen as one of the worst villains in Japanese history.

This year marks the 1,250th anniversary of his death.

When I received a newsletter in the mail from a group calling itself the “Dokyo wo Mamoru Kai” (Group defending Dokyo), I became intrigued and decided to meet Yoshichika Honda, the group’s leader.

“It all began when I wondered, out of righteous anger if you will, why Dokyo had to be portrayed so ruthlessly as the most egregious scoundrel that ever lived,” said Honda, a 76-year-old former teacher in Osaki, Miyagi Prefecture.

“At first, I was motivated by a spirit of defiance, but as I kept digging, I became totally fascinated.”

He started traveling around the nation, visiting places associated with the “rogue priest” who allegedly angled for the position of emperor while courting Empress Koken (also known as Shotoku).

Honda and his group laud Dokyo as a learned and virtuous priest who personally produced manuscripts of Buddhist scriptures, studied the properties of medicinal herbs and contributed to the construction of temples.

Dokyo's reputation was thoroughly dragged through the mud, however, after his fall from power.

Since the Middle Ages, Honda laments, he became known primarily as an ambitious, scheming philanderer.

At Honda’s recommendation, I read the novel “Dokyo” by Ango Sakaguchi (1906-1955) and watched the 1963 film “Yoso,” in which actor Raizo Ichikawa (1931-1969) played Dokyo.

In these works, the priest was portrayed either as an unambitious man or as a reformer with high aspirations.

These images, completely different from what the public is used to, felt almost refreshing to see.

But even the noted novelist and the film star could not overturn society’s negative views of Dokyo.

It is no surprise, then, that members of Honda’s group have faced a slew of setbacks.

No major publishing house will accept their well-organized manuscripts related to Dokyo. In the spirit of decluttering, their families keep asking them to discard painstakingly gathered research materials. 

Thus, I am surprised to hear that memorials were held at temples associated with Dokyo in Nara as well as Shimotsuke, Tochigi Prefecture, on April 7.

For the first time, I felt deep respect for this priest, who could evoke a sense of devotion even 1,250 years after his death.

--The Asahi Shimbun, April 18

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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