Fujiwara no Masatsune

Fujiwara no Masatsune
Fujiwara no Masatsune

Fujiwara no Masatsune

Fujiwara no Masatsune (藤原 雅経) was a member of the Fujiwara Clan and founder of the Asukai Family. He lived from 1170-1221. In his time he was a prolific kemari player1 and was the founder of the Kemari Football School.2

In 1201, he helped in the compiliation of the sengohyaku ban uta awase, a poetic collection on 1500 linked waka poems.1

In 1198 was see him summoned by Emperor Go-Toba from Kamakura and was appointed as a member of the Bureau of Poetry in 1201 when he takes part in the compiliation of the Shin-Kokinshū.

In total we can find 134 poems of his in the Imperial Anthologies as well as in a private collection. He was also included as one of the 36 Poetic Geniuses of the Late Classical Period.2

One of this poems (No.94) can be found in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu and goes as follows:

Japanese text3
Romanized Japanese2
English translation2
みよし野の
山の秋風
さよふけて
ふるさとさむく
衣うつなり
Mitoyoshino no
yama no akikaze
sayo fukete
furusato samuku
koromo utsunari
A cold mountain wind blows down
on the capital of Yoshino,
as the autumn night deepens
I can hear the chilly pounding
of cloth being fulled.

Footnotes

1. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.

Thirty Six Poetic Geniuses of the Late Classical Period
Fujiwara no Sadayori * Fujiwara no Masatsune * Fujiwara no Michinobu * Fujiwara no Michitsuna no Haha * Fujiwara no Mototoshi * Fujiwara no Yoshitaka * Kujō Yoshitsune * Priest Nōin

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