Wake no Hiromushi (和気広虫)
WAKE no Hiromushi (730-799) was a lady-in-waiting in the Nara period. She was the older sister of WAKE no Kiyomaro.
She was also known as ' Fujinowake no Hiromushime.'
She married KATSURAGI no Muraji no Henushi, Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade), but became a widow later.
She served the retired Empress Koken and followed her Imperial Highness' step to enter the priesthood in 762 and called herself 'Hokin.'
In 765, she was given the surname 'Kibi no Fujinnowake no Mahito' and created 'Daini' (great female Buddhist monk) in 768. In the following year, upon the Imperial decree, she was instructed to receive an oracle from Usa Hachimangu Shrine. At that time, however, she was unable to stand a long-distance travel because of her delicate health and asked her younger brother, WAKE no Kiyomaro, to receive the oracle by proxy. Since the result of the oracle was against the expectation of Dokyo, her priesthood was deprived (she was forced to return to secular life). Her brother Kiyomaro was forced to change his name to 'WAKEBE no Kitanamaro' (the word 'kitana' (dirty) is the antonym of the word 'kiyo' (clean)) and displaced to Osumi Province, whereas Hiromushi was forced to change her name to 'WAKEBE no Hiromushi-me' (the suffix '-me' suggests 'a disgraced woman') and displaced to Bingo Province. In 770, she was allowed to return to the capital and created Jugoinoge. In 774, together with Kiyomaro, she was conferred the kabane (hereditary title) of Asomi and promoted steadily. In 785, she was created Jushiijo (Junior Fourth Rank, Upper Grade). After her death, she was created Shosanmi (Senior Third Rank).
It is recorded that WAKE no Hiromushi devoted herself to the nursing of orphans.