Word 109
In a corner of the rice fields of Asuka Village lies a quiet set of ruins known as the Asuka Palace Site. Among the swaying stalks of rice, only foundation stones remain, along with the traces of ditches uncovered through archaeological excavation, to mark where a palace once stood.
In the fourth year of Empress Kōgyoku's reign, within a hall of the Asuka Itabuki Palace that stood here, Soga no Iruka — the most powerful figure of his time — was struck down by Prince Naka no Ōe and Nakatomi no Kamatari. The event, known as the Isshi Incident, marked the turning point after which the power the Soga clan had built up over generations receded like an outgoing tide.
Standing on this ground today, little remains to speak of that struggle for power. Only a dry breeze passes quietly over the stones.
Compared to those around them, people who are more capable, more accomplished at their work, can easily fall into the trap of unconsciously looking down on others and passing judgment on them.
As a result, they can lose the trust and standing they have built up over time — and sometimes even their fortune.
Let us never forget the imagination and empathy to care for others.
Even resting a hand on the old foundation stones today, nothing tells in words of the power that once gathered here. Only a dry breeze moves through, and somewhere in the distance, the rice stalks rustle softly.