Editing Cloistered rule (section)

{{Short description|Japanese system of imperial politics}}
{{nihongo|'''Cloistered rule'''|院政|insei|lit. "monastery administration"}} was a form of government in [[Japan]] during the [[Heian period]]. In this bifurcated system, an [[Emperor of Japan|emperor]] abdicated, but retained power and influence.  Those retired emperors who withdrew to live in monasteries (''in'') continued to act in ways intended to counterbalance the influence of [[Fujiwara clan|Fujiwara]] regents and the warrior class.<ref name="nussbaum391">Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Insei''" in {{Google books|p2QnPijAEmEC|''Japan Encyclopedia'', p. 391.|page=391}}</ref>  Simultaneously, the titular emperor, the former emperor's chosen successor, fulfilled all the ceremonial roles and formal duties of the monarchy.

Retired emperors were called ''[[Daijō Tennō]]'' or ''Jōkō''. A retired emperor who entered a Buddhist monastic community became a [[Cloistered Emperor]] (''Japanese'' 太上法皇 Daijō Hōō).

There were retired emperors, including cloistered emperors, both before and after the Heian period, but the notion of cloistered rule as a system usually refers to the practice put in place by [[Emperor Shirakawa]] in 1086<ref>Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial House of Japan,'' pp. 257-258.</ref> and followed by his successors until the rise of the [[Kamakura shogunate]] in 1192.<ref name="nussbaum391"/>