Tachibana no Kachiko


Tachibana no Kachiko, also known as Empress Danrin, was a Japanese empress, the chief consort of Emperor Saga and the daughter of. She was de facto ruler of the empire between 833 and 850.
The empress was a devout Buddhist. In addition to being beautiful, she was described as having hands that reached below her knees, one of the 32 characteristics of a fully enlightened Buddha. She founded the Buddhist Danrin-ji temple complex some time prior to 847, which became the first temple in Japan to promote the teachings of Zen Buddhism, and for this reason, she came to be called Danrin-kōgō.
She died in the 4th day of the 5th month of 850. Known for her renowned beauty in her life, on her deathbed, Empress Danrin requested her body to be left open to the environment for the public to see the effects of human decomposition. This event later became a popular Japanese folk legend and was later depicted by the 18th century painting "".

Genealogy

Lady Kachiko was born to Tachibana no Kiyotomo and his wife, Taguchi Michihime. Her father died when she was three years old.
In June 809, Tachibana no Kachiko married the new emperor, although she was not appointed to the position of primary consort until 815. The marriage produced seven children: two sons and five daughters. Her eldest son would succeed his father as Emperor of Japan and her eldest daughter married Prince Otomo, who later became Emperor Junna.
  • Husband: Emperor Saga
  • *Son: Imperial Prince Masara later Emperor Ninmyō
  • *Daughter: Imperial Princess Seishi , married to Emperor Junna
  • *Daughter: Imperial Princess Hideko
  • *Son: Imperial Prince Hidera
  • *Daughter: Imperial Princess Toshiko
  • *Daughter: Imperial Princess Yoshiko
  • *Daughter: Imperial Princess Shigeko

    In popular culture

In the acclaimed 2013 movie Avalokitesvara, a loose adaptation of the Putuoshan genesis story, Ryoko Nakano starred as the Empress Dowager Tachibana Kachiko.