Book VI 461
positions and let generals and commanders place their names on the candi-
date list. However, some who were cunning and wicked took advantage of
this opportunity and rose rapidly to high positions by falsifying the records
of their ranks and achievements. Everyone feels resentment towards them,
and those people must be punished according to the law. The government
already sent orders to all local provinces to search out those people and
recall their horses and letters of appointment.
“However, we believe that it is better to be cautious from the beginning
than to punish wrongdoings later. So we request that henceforth those who
receive a sinecure higher than grand master for excellent goodness below
rank 4 should be required to record all the official titles they have held in the
letters of their appointment, which will prevent trickery. The letters of
appointment will be sent down again to the Office of Inspector-General for
the final verification before they are officially issued to the individuals. If
this procedure is implemented, there will be few people who want to get
a promotion recklessly, and there will be no abuses such as the govern -
ment granting sinecure appointment inappropriately.” The king granted the
request.
This month Minamoto Ryōshun, governor of Kyushu, Japan, requested a
copy of the Tripitaka by sending an envoy.