His father, Emperor Kiritsubo, had intended to make Hikaru Kimi the Crown Prince but instead demotes him to the status of a subject and gives him the family name of Genji because he fears the fact that his son would not be supported by his mother's family, and because a Korean predicted that the country will be in a state of disorder if Hikaru Kimi became emperor.
父桐壺帝は光る君を東宮（皇太子）とすることを考えたが、実家の後援がないことを危ぶみ、また光る君が帝位につけば国は乱れると高麗人に予言されたこともあり、臣籍降下させ源氏の姓を与えた。