Priest Genbō

• Period: Nara Period
• Occupation: Buddhist Monk, sōjō
• Family: –
• Birth: –
• Death: 746AD

Priest Genbō

Priest Genbō (玄昉) was a Buddhist Priest and court official known to have died on 746AD.

In 717 he was sent to China alongside Abe no Nakamaro and Kibi no Makibi where he studied the Hossō Sect doctrines.

He later returned to Japan in 735 with Makibi, becoming influential at court under Tachibana no Moroe, and in 737 was made sōjō.

During the rebellion of Fujiwara no Hirotsugu, Genbō’s position became insecure, and his power later declined with the rise in power of Fujiwara no Nakamaro.

He was banished by Fujiwara no Nakamaro in 745 to Kyushu where he died the following year.¹

Footnotes

1. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.

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