Fujiwara no Teika
Hear about Fujiwara no Teika on Episode 15 of our Podcast, the Japan Archives. |  |  |
- Period: Heian Period / Kamakura Period
- Occupation: Waka Poet
- Family: Fujiwara no Shunzei (father) Priest Jakuren (brother-in-law)
- Birth: 1162AD
- Death: 1241AD
Table of Contents
Fujiwara no Teika
Fujiwara no Teika, also known as Fujiwara no Sadaie (藤原 定家) was a member of the Fujiwara Clan living from 1162 to 1241. He was the son of Fujiwara no Shunzei and during his life was a member of the Mikohidari House of poetry alongside Jakuren and Fujiwara no Ietaka. Physically he is said to have been a rather ugly man and is said to have had a rivallry with Fujiwara no Kiyosuke.1
Connections
During his life he enjoyed the patronage of Emperor Go-Toba, taught poetry to Minamoto no Sanetomo and served as an offical to the Kūjo Family which held close ties to the Kamakura Shogunate.4
Poetry and Literature
He held the position of Acting Middle Counsellor and acted as one of the compilers of the Shin-kokinshū. He later was the sole compiler of the Shin-chokusenshū. With a keen interest in poetry and literature he collated and copied many Heian period pieces of literature which have survived to this day because of him. He also has a personal diary called the Meigetsuki and a private collection of poetry called the Shūigūso.
Due to his interest in poetry he was a great judge of poems as well as an accomplished poet himself and made the poetry compilaton book called the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu. He held Inpumon’n no Tayū in high regard.
One of his poems he included in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (No.97) and goes as follows:1
| Japanese text2 | Romanized Japanese1 | English translation1 |
|---|---|---|
| こぬ人を まつほの浦の 夕なぎに やくやもしほの 身もこがれつつ | Konu hito o Matsuho no ura no yūnagi ni yaku ya moshio no mi mo kogaretsutsu | Pining for you, who do not come, I am like the salt-making fires at duck on the Bay of Waiting - burning bitterly in flames of love. |
Delcining friendship with Emperor Go-Toba
During his life he was close to the Emperor Go-Toba, prior to as well as after his abdication as emperor. Though this friendship eventually found itself on rocky ground.
Many years prior to this Teika came into mourning after the passing of his mother, and one day (on the anniversary of his mothers death) the now retired Emperor called on Teika to recite poetry for him. Teika asked if he could not, so he may honour the anniversary of his mothers death, however the Emperor made him come to him none the less. Angered by this Teika wrote two poems.
These poems, though they fit into the poetic theme the Emperor had asked for, were full of hidden meaning to show the Emperor the anger Teika was feeling towards being made to be here reciting poetry instead of honouring his mother.
It is noted Teika was sent from the palace after angering the Emperor and it is fortunate that this was all that happened to him. Such a break of decorum could easily have seen Teika stripped of his lands and titles because of this.3
The two poems go as follows:
| Poem #1 | Poem #23 |
|---|---|
| sayaka ni mo mirubeki yama wa kasumitsutsu waga mi no hoka mo haru no yo no tsuki | michinobu no nohara no yanagi shitamoenu aware nageki no keburi kurabe ni |
| The mountain that I should be able to see clearly have misted over- this spring night’s moon belongs to someone else. | A willow in the meadow by the side of the road has secretly bloomed vying against the smoke of my smoldering lament. |
Footnotes
1. MacMillan, P. (2018) ”One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each: A Treasury of Classical Japanese Verse”. St. Ives: Penguin Classics.
2. Suzuki, H. et al. (1997) ”Genshoku: Ogura Hyakunin Isshu”. Tokyo: Bun’eidō.
3. Atkins, P.S. (2017) “Teika: The Life and Works of a Medieval Japanese Poet.” Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.
4. Kodansha. (1993) “Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopaedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
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