Fujiwara no Akisue
Encyclopedia
was a noted Japanese
poet
and nobleman. He was active at the end of the Heian period
, and the son of Fujiwara no Takatsune (藤原 隆経). He was also a member of the famous poetic and aristocratic clan, the Fujiwara.
Akisue was close to Emperor Shirakawa
, both through his mother who was the Emperor’s nurse
, and through the influence of Fujiwara no Sanesue (藤原 実季), his foster father, who was Dainagon
to the Emperor. Starting in 1075, Akisue held a number of local official posts, and by 1109 was appointed as a Dazai Daini (secretary to the administrative officer of several provinces). Akisue was the father of Fujiwara no Akisuke.
at the crossing of two streets, Rokujô and Karasuma, and the poets of his salon used to meet there. The poetic school that he established came to be called Rokujô. Similarly his descendants formed a clan that came to be called the Rokujō family
. His poetic style was very conservative. Members of his salon were many of the more conservative poets of the time, such as Fujiwara no Akisuke, Fujiwara no Kiyosuke, Fujiwara no Motosuke and Fujiwara no Ari'i.e.
Akisue was a scholar of the Man'yōshū and worked to recover and popularize the poetry of Kakinomoto no Hitomaro
. Both Akisue and the Emperor revered Hitomaro, and Akisue managed to borrow a famous painting of Hitomaro from the Emperor to make a copy for his own family, which he proudly displayed. In 1118, Akisue held a celebration of Hitomaro at his Rokujô mansion which was attended by the poetry luminaries of the time including Minamoto no Shunrai
and Fujiwara no Akisuke. They presented offerings before the painting of Hitomaro and recited both his poems and their own, both Japanese waka and Chinese verse, composed especially for this occasion. This was the first formal ceremony on record dedicated to the veneration of Hitomaro, and began a practice that was later for other esteemed poets.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
poet
Japanese poetry
Japanese poets first encountered Chinese poetry during the Tang Dynasty. It took them several hundred years to digest the foreign impact, make it a part of their culture and merge it with their literary tradition in their mother tongue, and begin to develop the diversity of their native poetry. For...
and nobleman. He was active at the end of the Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
, and the son of Fujiwara no Takatsune (藤原 隆経). He was also a member of the famous poetic and aristocratic clan, the Fujiwara.
Akisue was close to Emperor Shirakawa
Emperor Shirakawa
was the 72nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Shirakawa's reign lasted from 1073 to 1087.-Genealogy:Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Sadahito-shinnō ....
, both through his mother who was the Emperor’s nurse
Nanny
A nanny, childminder or child care provider, is an individual who provides care for one or more children in a family as a service...
, and through the influence of Fujiwara no Sanesue (藤原 実季), his foster father, who was Dainagon
Dainagon
was a counselor of the first rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century.This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century....
to the Emperor. Starting in 1075, Akisue held a number of local official posts, and by 1109 was appointed as a Dazai Daini (secretary to the administrative officer of several provinces). Akisue was the father of Fujiwara no Akisuke.
Poetry
In 1078 Akisue participated in『承暦二年内裏歌合』(The Imperial Palace Poetry Match of Shôryaku 2). In 1093 he contributed a one-hundred poem set to the 『堀河院百首』 (Horikawa-in hyakushu), and participated in『郁芳門院根合』 (Ikuhômon-in neawase), 『堀河院艶書合』 (Horikawa-in tsuyakotobaawase), and 『鳥羽殿北面歌合』 (Toba-dono hokumen utaawase), among others, firmly establishing his reputation as a poet.Poetry school
Akisue’s most famous house was built in KyotoKyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
at the crossing of two streets, Rokujô and Karasuma, and the poets of his salon used to meet there. The poetic school that he established came to be called Rokujô. Similarly his descendants formed a clan that came to be called the Rokujō family
Rokujo family
The Rokujō family was a poetically conservative faction in the Japanese Imperial court, founded by Fujiwara no Akisue ; it was the first clan to specialize in attaining power and influence via success in poetry, and was originally opposed to their opposite numbers amongst the Minamoto clan ,...
. His poetic style was very conservative. Members of his salon were many of the more conservative poets of the time, such as Fujiwara no Akisuke, Fujiwara no Kiyosuke, Fujiwara no Motosuke and Fujiwara no Ari'i.e.
Akisue was a scholar of the Man'yōshū and worked to recover and popularize the poetry of Kakinomoto no Hitomaro
Kakinomoto no Hitomaro
Kakinomoto no Hitomaro was a Japanese poet and aristocrat of the late Asuka period. He was the most prominent of the poets included in the Man'yōshū, and was particularly represented in volumes 1 and 2. In Japan, he is considered one of the Thirty-six Poetry Immortals...
. Both Akisue and the Emperor revered Hitomaro, and Akisue managed to borrow a famous painting of Hitomaro from the Emperor to make a copy for his own family, which he proudly displayed. In 1118, Akisue held a celebration of Hitomaro at his Rokujô mansion which was attended by the poetry luminaries of the time including Minamoto no Shunrai
Minamoto no Shunrai
was an important and innovative Japanese poet, who compiled the Gosen Wakashū. He was the son of Minamoto no Tsunenobu ; holder of the second rank in court and of the position of Grand Counsellor). Shunrai was favored by Emperor Go-Sanjo and to a lesser degree Emperor Shirakawa; in no small part...
and Fujiwara no Akisuke. They presented offerings before the painting of Hitomaro and recited both his poems and their own, both Japanese waka and Chinese verse, composed especially for this occasion. This was the first formal ceremony on record dedicated to the veneration of Hitomaro, and began a practice that was later for other esteemed poets.