Saionji Kintsune
- Period: Heian Period / Kamakura Period
- Occupation: Waka Poet, Chancellor of the Realm, Monk.
- Family: Elder sister (who was Teika’s wife)
- Birth: 1171D
- Death: 1244AD
Saionji Kintsune
Saionji Kintsune (西園寺 公経) was the founder of the Saionji Family (a descendant of the Fujiwara Clan), living from 1171-1244AD. His elder sister was the wife of Fujiwara no Teika.
In 1222AD he was appointed as the Chancellor of the Realm and later entered in religion in 1231AD.
He is regarded to have been one of the best poets of his time and we can find 114 of his poems in Imperial Anthologies.
One of this poems (No.96) can be found in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu and goes as follows:1
| Japanese text2 | Romanized Japanese1 | English translation1 |
|---|---|---|
| 花さそふ あらしの庭の 雪ならで ふりゆくものは わが身なりけり | Hana sasou Arashi no niwa no Yuki narade Furiyuku mono wa Waga mi narikeri | As if lured by the storm The blossoms are strewn about, White upon the garden floor, Yet all this whiteness is not snow - It is me who withers and grows old. |
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.
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