Ban Kokei

Japanese: 伴蒿蹊 - ばん・こうけい

Year of death: 25th July 1806 (7th September 1806)
Year of birth: October 1, 1733 (November 7, 1733)
A poet and Japanese writer in the mid-Edo period. His childhood name was Tomijiro, his real name was Sukeyoshi, and his pen names were Kandako and Kandanoro. His pen name was Kokei. He was born into the wealthy merchant family of Ban Yabei in Takakura Nishimachi, Sanjo, Kyoto. He was adopted by the head of the family, Ban Sukeyuki, but he lost both his parents in succession, his family line was cut off, and after that, his wives died one after the other, and he had no children, so his family life was unhappy. In 1768 (Meiwa 5), he retired and began a leisurely life. The only reason Kokei was able to enjoy the world of literature was because of his financial comfort. In addition, the Ban family had a tradition of being fond of learning, such as studying poetry under Kitamura Kigin, so Kokei's education was well cultivated. He studied under Mushanokoji Sanetake. After Sanetake's death, he did not take on a teacher in particular, but instead enjoyed what he liked. He had frequent contact with Kyoto's literary figures, and came to be highly regarded as a master of Japanese literature himself. His dealings with Ozawa Rosan and Ueda Akinari are well known. As can be seen from the eloquent prose of "Kinsei Kijinden," which made Kokei's name the most famous, his forte was in Japanese literature. His works include "Kokubun Yoyoi no Ato," a highly valued treatise on Japanese literary style, the Japanese essay collection "Kanda Bunsou," and the essay "Kanda Kohitsu," as well as anthologies of poetry such as "Kanda Hyakushu" and "Kanda Eiso." He was a man of such skill that he was praised for his talent in waka and Japanese literature, surpassing that of the court poets of the time, but it is difficult to say that he is necessarily receiving the recognition he deserves today. <References> Edited by Munemasa Isoo, "Biographies of Eccentrics in the Early Modern Period and Continuation of Biographies of Eccentrics in the Early Modern Period," Shimizu Masaru, "Kansai University's 'Ban Family Tree' and Ban Kokei" ("Early Modern Literature" No. 40), Kazama Masashi, "Ban Kokei Collection"

(Keichi Kubota)

Source: Asahi Japanese Historical Biography: Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. About Asahi Japanese Historical Biography

Japanese:

没年：文化3.7.25(1806.9.7)
生年：享保18.10.1(1733.11.7)
江戸中期の歌人,和文作家。幼名富二郎,名資芳,号閑田子,閑田廬。蒿蹊は号。京三条高倉西町の豪商伴弥兵衛家に生まれる。本家の伴資之の養子となったが,実父母を相次いで失い,実家は断絶,以後も妻に相次いで先立たれ,実子を得ないなど,家庭的には不幸であった。明和5(1768)年薙髪隠居し,悠々自適の生活に入る。蒿蹊が文芸の世界に遊ぶことができた理由はひとえに,その経済的な余裕にある。また伴家の代々には北村季吟に歌を学ぶような好学の風が伝統としてあったので,蒿蹊の素養は十分に培われていた。武者小路実岳に師事。実岳没後は特に師に就かず,己の好む所を楽しむ。京の文人との交流は繁く,自らも和文の達人として高く評価されるに至る。小沢蘆庵や上田秋成との交渉は有名。蒿蹊の名を最も高からしめた『近世畸人伝』の達意の文章にみられる通り,その本領は和文にあった。和文の文体論として価値の高い『国文世々の跡』や和文集『閑田文草』,随筆『閑田耕筆』などがあり,歌集に『閑田百首』『閑田詠草』などがある。当時の堂上歌人よりも高く和歌和文の才を称せられるほどの実力者であったが,現在必ずしも正当な評価を得ているとはいい難い。<参考文献>宗政五十緒編『近世畸人伝・続近世畸人伝』,清水勝「関西大学本『伴氏系図』と伴蒿蹊」(『近世文芸』40号),風間誠史『伴蒿蹊集』

(久保田啓一)

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