In classical literatures such as 'Taiheiki' (The Record of the Great Peace), he is described to have committed suicide with his elder brother Masashige by stabbing each other, and he swore the famous 'shichishohokoku' (which means if he is reborn seven times, he will destroy enemies of the Emperor to serve the country every time he is reborn); but this has been mistaken as the words that Masashige said by some people.
古典「太平記」などには兄・正成と刺し違えて自害したと記され、このとき有名な「七生報国」（七たび生まれ変わっても、朝敵を滅ぼし、国に報いるの意）を誓っているが、一部ではこれが正成の発した言葉と誤解されている。