Friday, August 19, 2016

Soga no Umako

Soga no Umako (?-626) was a prominent member of the powerful Soga clan. He worked together with Prince Shōtoku to promote Buddhism in Japan, but his intentions were more practical than religious. The powerful rival clan Mononobe was against the addoption of Buddhism, so Umako supported the new religion with the intention of weakening the rival family.

In 587, Umako succeeded in destroying the Mononobe clan by defeating its leader, Mononobe no Moriya. He then worked with the imperial court, but grew up disatissfied with the Sushun emperor, whom he had assassinated and replaced with empress Suiko. He then supported  Shōtoku Taishin in the adoption of Buddhism and Chinese culture in Japan.

It is believed that his tomb is located in the Ishibutai Kofun in Nara.

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