• • Period: Heian Period
  • Occupation: Waka Poet,
  • Family: Kiyohara no Motosuke (grand-son) Sei Shonagon (great-granddaughter) Prince Toneri (ancestor)
  • Birth: fl.9th/10th Century
  • Death:

Kiyohara no Fukayabu

Kiyohara no Fukayabu (清原 深養父) was a poet who flourished around the 9th and 10th centuries. He was a descendant of Prince Toneri, grandfather of Motosuke and the great-grandfather of Sei Shonagon.

Fujiwara no Kiyosuke, a late Heian poetic critic, rated him as a first class poet as good as those listed in the 36 Poetic Geniuses.

We can find 41 of his poems in the Imperial Anthologies, 17 of them in the Kokinshū. One of his poems (No.36) can be found in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu and goes as follows:¹

Japanese text2	Romanized Japanese1	English translation1
夏の夜は まだ宵ながら 明けぬるを 雲のいづくに 月やどるらむ	Natsu no yo wa mada yoi nagara akenuru o kumo no izuko ni tsuki yadoruran	On this summer night when twilight has so quickly become the dawn, where is the moon at rest among the clouds?

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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Daughter of Michitaka

• • Period: Heian Period
  • Occupation: –
  • Family: Emperor Ichijo (husband) Fujiwara no Michitaka (father) Takashina no Takako (mother) Fujiwara no Korechika (brother) Fujiwara no Takaie (brother)
  • Birth: 976AD
  • Death: 1001AD

Fujiwara no Teishi (藤原 定子) was a member of the Fujiwara Clan, more specifically the Hokke Branch of this clan,¹ living from 976-1001AD. She was the daughter of Fujiwara no Michitaka² and Takashina no Takako³. During her life she would go on to become junior consort he wife of Emperor Ichijo before later becoming Empress. She was also known as Fujiwara no Sadako.²

Her uncle Michinaga saw to it that his daughter Shoshi was named Chūgū in 1000AD and so Teishi recieved the title of Kōgō. This was the first time an Emperor has two offical Empresses.

Teishi with Shoshi were in a literary rivalry with Sei Shonagon and Murasaki Shikibu during there life.²

Daughter of Tadamichi

• • Period: Heian Period
  • Occupation: Concubine
  • Family: Fujiwara no Tadamichi (father) Emperor Konoe (husband) Kanoe no Motozane (brother) Fujiwara no Motofusa (brother) Kujō no Kanezane (brother) Fujiwara no Kanefusa (brother) Jien (brother) Fujiwara no Masako (sister) Fujiwara no Ikushi (adopted sister) Fujiwara no Seishi (sister)
  • Birth:1131AD
  • Death: 1176AD

Fujiwara no Teishi/Fujiwara no Shimeko (藤原 呈子) was a member of the Fujiwara Clan living from 1131-1176AD. She was the daughter of Fujiwara no Tadamichi and in her lifetime became the concubine of Emperor Konoe.¹

Daughter of Tamemitsu

• • Period: Heian Period
  • Occupation: –
  • Family: Fujiwara no Tamemitsu (father) Fujiwara no Kiminobu (brother) Fujiwara no Tadanobu (brother) Fujiwara no Michinobu (brother)
  • Birth: –
  • Death: –

Fujiwara no Teishi was a member of the Fujiwara Clan and daughter to Fujiwara no Tamemitsu. She also had brothers by the names of Fujiwara no Kiminobu and Fujiwara no Tadanobu.²

Daughter of Yoritada

• • Period: Heian Period
  • Occupation: –
  • Family: Fujiwara no Yoritada (father) Fujiwara no Kintō (brother) Fujiwara no Junshi (sister)
  • Birth: –
  • Death: –

Fujiwara no Teishi was a member of the Fujiwara Clan. She was the daughter of Fujiwara no Yoritada and sister to the renown poet Fujiwara no Kintō as well as Fujiwara no Junshi.²

Footnotes

1. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.
2. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
3. MacMillan, P. (2018) ”One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each: A Treasury of Classical Japanese Verse”. St. Ives: Penguin Classics.

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• • Period: Heian Period
  • Occupation: Poet, Caligrapher, Statesman.
  • Family: Fujiwara no Yoritada (father) Fujiwara no Sadayori (son) Fujiwara no Teishi (sister) Fujiwara no Junshi (sister)
  • Birth: 966AD
  • Death: 1041AD

Fujiwara no Kintō

Fujiwara no Kintō (藤原 公任) was a renowned member of the Fujiwara Clan living from 966-1041AD.¹² He was the son of Fujiwara no Yoritada¹² and had a son by the name of Sadayori.³ He was also known in his lifetime as Shijō Dainagon.¹

During his life his was a stateman and poet¹ and also held the position of Office of Major Counsellor.³ He was also renowned for his calligraphy and as a musician.¹

Later in his life, after the death of his daughter, he enters religion and left Kyoto to the north to live in a valley. His home then became a ‘mecca’ for the best poets and minds of the time and they defered to him in poetic matters.³

His life is connected with many forms of literature. He is seen mentioned in the books of Murasaki Shikibu and Sei Shonagon, as well as the Eiga Monogatari, Konjaku Monogatari and Ōkagami. Additionally more than 100 of his poems can be found in Imperial Anthologies.¹²

One his most famous compilations was his list of the Thirty Six Poetic Geniuses,¹²³ with other publications fully, or partly by him being entitled:

• Kintōshū, his personal poetry collection containing 385 poems.¹²
• Nyoihōshū, ‘Collection of Buddhist Teasures,’ containing 775 poems.¹
• Waka kuhon, ‘Levels of Excellence in Waka,’ a poetry treatise classifying poems in order of preference.¹
• Shinsen zuinō, ‘The Essence of Poetry, Newly Selected,’ anthology setting forth his ideals of ‘deep feelings, beauty of effect, and an engaging touch of novelty in conception.’²
• Shūi waka-shū, 20 scrolls poetry expansion of the earlier Shuishō.¹²
• Wakan rōeishū, ‘Collection of Japanese and Chinese Songs for Singing.’ which includes 216 Japanese poems and 587 Chinese couplets.¹² He was the sole editor of this.³

One of his poems was included in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu (No. 55) and goes as follows:

It is said it was written when a group of courtiers visited an old waterfall.

The first line of the version from the Shuishū reads: taki no ito wa ‘the waterfall’s thread.’⁴

Footnotes

1. Louis Frederic, translated by Kathe Roth (2002) “Japan Encyclopedia”. London: Harvard University Press.
2. Kodansha. (1993) ”Japan: An Illustrated Encyclopedia”. Tokyo: Kodansha Ltd.
3. MacMillan, P. (2018) ”One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each: A Treasury of Classical Japanese Verse”. St. Ives: Penguin Classics.
4. Carter, S.D. (1991) “Traditional Japanese Poetry: An Anthology.” California, Stanford University Press.
5. Suzuki, H. et al. (1997) ”Genshoku: Ogura Hyakunin Isshu”. Tokyo: Bun’eidō.

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• Period: Heian Period
• Occupation: Nashitsubo no Gonin, Poet
• Family: Kiyohara no Fukayabu (grandfather) Sei Shonagon (daughter)
• Birth: 908AD
• Death: 990AD

Kiyohara no Motosuke

Kiyohara no Motosuke (清原 元輔) was a Heian Period poet living between 908 and 990AD. He was the grandson of Kiyohara no Fukayabu,¹ and was the father of Sei Shonagon.¹³

During his life he served in various provinces, and later was given the role of Nashitsubo no Gonin and holding that postion he helped compile the Gosenshū¹³ and write literary critiques on the Man’yōshū.¹

We can find over 100 of his poems inside the Imperial Waka Anthologies, as well as in a large private collection.

He is listed as one of the Thirty Six Poetic Geniuses and one of his poems (No.42) can be found in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu and goes as follows:¹

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

Nashitsubo no Gonin
Ki no Tokibumi * Kiyohara no Motosuke * Minamoto no Shitagō * Ōnakatomi no Yoshinobu * Sakanoue no Mochiki

Thirty Six Poetic Geniuses
Lady Ise * Yamabe no Akahito * Ariwara no Narihira * Ki no Tomonori * Sarumaru Taifu * Ono no Komachi * Fujiwara no Kanesuke * Fujiwara no Atsutada * Fujiwara no Toshiyuki * Minamoto no Muneyuki * Minamoto no Shitagō * Kiyohara no Motosuke * Sakanoue no Korenori * Ōnakatomi no Yoshinobu * Fujiwara no Okikaze * Fujiwara no Asatada

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Hear about Fujiwara no Sanetaka on Episode 13 of our Podcast, the Japan Archives.

• Period: Heian Period
• Occupation: Waka Poet, Governor.
• Family: Fujiwara no Tadahira (great-grandfather)
• Birth: –
• Death: 998AD

Fujiwara no Sanekata

Fujiwara no Sanekata (藤原 実方) was a member of the Fujiwara Clan, more specifically the Hokke Branch of this clan. He was the great-grandson of the poet Fujiwara no Tadahira. He was a renowned poet during his lifetime with 68 of his poems appearing in imperial waka anthologies. In addition he had a private collection of poetry and during his life he served as the Commander of the Imperial Guard. There are those who cite him as the lover of Sei Shonagon.

In 995AD it is said that he was appointed as the Governor of Mutsu Province. However, there are other documents which give a different story. One such document is the Kojidan (Reminiscing on Old Times, 1215-15) where it says that Emperor Ichijo exiled him to this province after he argued with Fujiwara no Yukinari.

It is said in that document that the Emperor said ‘go and visit some poetic locations,’ before exiling him.¹

Other tales relates that he then turning into a form of Yōkai known as the Nyūnai-Suzume (入内雀 Palace Sparrows), such was his anger and longing to return home.

As a flock of sparrows, he is said to have ravaged the kitchens of the Imperial Palace. This creature is depicted in the Konjaku Gazu Zoku Hyakki.³

He died in Mutsu Province in 998AD.¹

One of his poems is included in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu, his is the 51st in the sequence and reads:

Japanese text2	Romanized Japanese1	English translation1
かくとだに えやはいぶきの さしも草 さしも知らじな 燃ゆる思ひを	Kaku to dani e ya wa ibuki no sashimo-gusa sa shimo shiraji na moyuru omoi wo	Because my feelings are too great to put into words, my heart blazes like the moxa of Mount Ibuki, with a love you cannot know.

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. Yoda, H. and Alt, M. (2016) “Japandemonium: Illustrated: The Yokai Encyclopaedia of Toriyama Sekien.”. New York: over Publications, Inc.

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