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Seikōin 清光院 | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1558 |
| Died | July 19, 1631(1631-07-19) (aged 72–73) |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Other names | Lady Minami (南の大方) |
| Spouse | Mōri Terumoto |
| Parent(s) | Shishido Takaie Lady Goryū |
| Relatives | Shishido Motohide (brother) Two sisters |
| Family |  Shishido clan.svg) Mōri clan |
Seikōin (清光院, 1558 - July 19, 1631) was a Japanese noble woman from theSengoku period and earlyEdo period. She was the wife ofMōri Terumoto. Her father wasShishido Takaie, and her mother was the daughter ofMōri Motonari,Lady Goryū. She was also calledLady Minami (南の大方,Minami no Ōkata).
Seikōin was the third daughter ofShishido Takaie in 1558.
In March 1563, a betrothal withMōri Terumoto was established, and in April 1568, a magnificent wedding was held inside theYoshida-Kōriyama Castle. However, the engagement was once annulled byMōri Motonari. At the time, with theAshikaga shogunateshōgun,Ashikaga Yoshiteru, as a mediator, it was decided that Terumoto would marryŌtomo Sōrin's daughter as a peace negotiation.[1] Afterward, because the peace negotiation failed, the marriage between Terumoto and Sōrin's daughter was not followed through, so Terumoto and Seikōin proceeded to be wed.
Since there were no children between Seikōin and Terumoto, the latter adoptedHoida Motokiyo's child,Hidemoto, in 1585. However,Seitai-in, a concubine of Terumoto, gave birth toMōri Hidenari in 1595. Hidemoto made another branch in theChōfu Domain, leaving Hidenari as Terumoto's heir.
After the Mōri clan allied withToyotomi Hideyoshi in 1590, prior to theSiege of Odawara, Seikōin went to the capital with her court ladies.
After theBattle of Sekigahara in 1600, when the Mōri clan was reduced to two provinces –Suō andChōshū – Seikōin moved toYamaguchi, and she moved again in 1604 toHagi Castle. She was devoted toShin Buddhism, and around 1604 she erected theKōshōji Temple in Yamaguchi. Around 1608, it was moved to Hagi.
In 1631, Seikōin died in Miyano Village, Yamaguchi, at the age of 74. Her tomb is located atTenju-in inHagi, Yamaguchi, alongside Terumoto. Terumoto's tomb is 2.1m high, and Seikōin's is 1.8m high and large, both granite-madegorintō. Also, due to her death, Kōshōji Temple is called "Getsurinzan Seikōji" in her honor, which holds a portrait of her to this day.
Seikōin is portrayed in the 1997NHKTaiga dramaMōri Motonari as "Tamahime". She is portrayed byMatsumoto Rio.