A hundred mosquito swarms - Kabashira no hyakku

...In 1670 (Kanbun 10), he became a monk under the guidance of Zen Master Houn, and after handing over the position of master of the Renga-dokoro to his son, Muneharu, he became even more passionate about haiku. His haiku style, as early as apparent in Soin Senku, a collection of 100 solo recitations from the Manji period, naturally formed an antithesis to the old-fashioned Teimon style in its eccentric parodies of lines from waka and Noh songs, its light-hearted tone, and its dramatic developments in the use of accompaniment. As a result, he was labeled a heretic by the Teimon, with names such as "light-hearted" and "Moritake-style," and even a critical book titled Shibu Uchiwa (1674) was published in response to Nishiyama Soin's Kabashira no Hiyatsuku (1674). On the other hand, he received enthusiastic support from promising new poets such as Saikaku and Korenaka in Osaka, Takamasa in Kyoto, and Matsui and Tosei (Basho) in Edo, who were dissatisfied with the Teimon style and were seeking a new style, and he was elevated to the position of leader of the Danrin school. The succession of haiku books bearing his name, such as "Seizan Soin Shakukyo Haikai" (1674), "Soin 500 Verses" (1674), and "Soin 700 Verses" (1677), is a testament to his popularity.

*Some of the terminology that refers to "Mosquito Pillar Hyakuku" is listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…70年(寛文10)法雲禅師のもとで出家，連歌所宗匠の地位を一子宗春に譲ってからは，いよいよ俳諧に熱中した。彼の俳風は，万治期からの独吟百韻を集めた《宗因千句》に早くも顕在化するごとく，和歌･謡曲などの文句の奇抜なパロディ，句調の軽妙さ，付合（つけあい）の飛躍的展開などにおいて，おのずから貞門古風へのアンチテーゼをなしたため，貞門からは〈軽口（かるくち）〉〈守武（もりたけ）流〉など異端者呼ばわりされ，《西山宗因蚊柱百句（かばしらのひやつく）》(1674)に対して論難書《しぶうちわ》(1674)が出されたりした一方，貞門風にあきたらず新風を模索していた大坂の西鶴･惟中，京の高政，江戸の松意･桃青(芭蕉)など気鋭の新人たちから熱狂的支持を受け，談林派の盟主にまつりあげられた。《西山宗因釈教俳諧》(1674)，《宗因五百句》(1674)，《宗因七百韻》(1677)など，宗因の名を冠した俳書が続々刊行されたのは，その声望の表れである。…

※「蚊柱百句」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報