Fujiwara no Toshiyuki
Hear this tale on Episode 76 of our Podcast, the Japan Archives. |  |  |
- Period: Heian Period
- Occupation: Waka Poet
- Family:
- Birth: ?
- Death: 901/907AD
Fujiwara no Toshiyuki
Fujiwara no Toshiyuki (藤原 敏行) was a member of the Fujiwara Clan who died in 9011/907AD2.
During his lifetime, serving under four Emperors, and was known for his poetic talents as well as being a celebrated caligrapher. In regards to his poetry, we can find 29 of them in the Imperial Anthologies (including the Kokinshū2) and a private collection. He was also listed as one of the Thirty Six Poetic Geniuses.1
In 897AD he was given the position of Captain of the Imperial Guard of the Right.1
One of his poems is included in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (No.18) and goes as follows:
| Japanese text3 | Romanized Japanese1 | English translation1 |
|---|---|---|
| 住の江の 岸による波 よるさへや 夢の通ひ路 人目よくらむ | Suminoe no kishi ni yoru nami yoru sae ya yume no kayoiji hitome yokuran | Unlike the waves that approach the shores of Sumiyoshi Bay, why do you avoid the eyes of others, refusing to approach me- even on the path of dreams? |
Footnotes
1. MacMillan, P. (2018) ”One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each: A Treasury of Classical Japanese Verse”. St. Ives: Penguin Classics.
2. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.
3. Suzuki, H. et al. (1997) ”Genshoku: Ogura Hyakunin Isshu”. Tokyo: Bun’eidō.
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