It describes 176 years of the Imperial Court's history, the reigns of 14 emperors from Emperor Montoku's ascension up to 1025 and the reign of Emperor Go-ichijo, with the prosperity of the Northern House of the Fujiwara clan, and especially the glory of Michinaga FUJIWARA as its core, being written in the style of a dialogue between two extremely old men, 190-year-old OYAKE no Yotsugi and 180-year-old NATSUYAMA no Shigeki, with the criticisms of a young samurai, taking place at the enlightenment sermons (bodaiko) held at the Urinin.
文徳天皇即位から後一条天皇の万寿2年（1025年）に至るまで14代176年間の宮廷の歴史を、藤原北家、ことに藤原道長の栄華を軸にして、大宅世継（190歳）と夏山繁樹（180歳）という長命な二人の老人が雲林院の菩提講で語り合い、それを若侍が批評するという対話形式で書かれている。