Hiraga Motoyoshi

A poet of the late Edo period. He was known by the pseudonyms Nekohiko, Kibio, Tatenoya, and Bizen Tokushi. He was born on July 3, 1791, as the son of Hirao Nagaharu, a vassal of the Okayama domain, in Suemura, Hohokugo, Shimomichi-gun, Bitchu (Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture), the home of his mother, who was a concubine. He soon returned to his father's house and became the legitimate son, but at the age of 21, he handed over the family home to his younger brother. At the age of 33, he left the domain and left Okayama under the pseudonym Hiraga Saemontaro Motoyoshi, wandering around Bishu, Banshu, and Sakushu until his death. At the age of 49, he married the daughter of a Shinto priest in Inamaki, Iwanashi County, Bizen, and had a second son, but he fell into poverty due to illness and continued to make ends meet by visiting his disciples. In 1865 (Keio 1), he received an order from the lord of Okayama Domain to make a New Year's appearance the following year, and was promised the position of advisor to Kurozumikyo, which should have put an end to his impoverished life, but on December 28, he suffered a stroke on the road in Otara Village, Kamimichi County (Otara Town, Higashi Ward, Okayama City) and died of a travel illness. He was 66 years old. He loved ancient learning from a young age and was a personal admirer of Kamo no Mabuchi, and with his open-minded and free-spirited lifestyle, he composed heroic poems that approached the Man'yoshu, which he was devoted to. "The light of the moon shines brightly, as a man wielding a spear walks about, lonely among the strong men." He was nicknamed "My Little Sister Sensei" for his unique love poems. "As I push open the wooden door of my sister's house and enter, flowers scatter on the top of my sword," "On the stone bridge in Gobancho, my little sister takes my penis in a rope, how sad." His family anthology "Hiraga Motoyoshi Collection." He was a man of great faith and respect for the gods and the emperor, and wrote many books related to Shinto, local geography, history, and ancient shrines.

[Ken Anayama]

"Annotated National Anthem Series 19" (1977, Kodansha) " Hiraga Motoyoshi Poetry and Calligraphy" (1980, Shueisha), edited by the Hiraga Motoyoshi Poetry and Calligraphy Publishing Association"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸後期の歌人。弥古彦(ねこひこ)、吉備雄(きびお)、楯舎(たてのや)、備前処士と号す。寛政(かんせい)12年7月3日、岡山藩陪臣平尾長春の子として妾であった母の実家備中(びっちゅう)下道郡穂北郷陶(すえ)村（岡山県倉敷市）に生まれ、まもなく父の家に戻り嫡子となったが、21歳のとき家を弟に譲る。33歳のとき藩籍を脱し、平賀左衛門太郎元義と称して岡山を去り、死に至るまで備州(びしゅう)、播(ばん)州、作(さく)州を放浪する。49歳にして備前(びぜん)磐梨(いわなし)郡稲蒔(いなまき)の神職の娘を娶(めと)り二男を得るが、病のため困窮、門人を歴訪して糊口(ここう)をしのぐ生活を続ける。1865年（慶応1）岡山藩主から翌年正月お目見えの内命あり、黒住教顧問の地位も約され窮乏生活に終止符を打つはずであったが、12月28日上道郡大多羅(おおだら)村（岡山市東区大多羅町）路上で卒中の発作をおこし、行路病者として死んだ。66歳。若年から古学を好み賀茂真淵(かもまぶち)に私淑、磊落不羈(らいらくふき)の気性と自由奔放な生活から、傾倒する『万葉集』に迫る雄健な歌を詠んだ。「月よみの光さやけみ矛(ほこ)とりて男さびする丈夫(ますらを)のとも」。異色の相聞歌によって「吾妹子(わぎもこ)先生」とよばれた。「妹(いも)が家の板戸押開き我が入れば太刀(たち)の手上(たかみ)に花散りかかる」「五番町石橋の上に我が魔羅(まら)をたぐさにとりし吾妹子あはれ」。家集『平賀元義集』。敬神尊皇の志厚く、神道関係、郷土の地理・歴史・古社に関する著述が多い。

［穴山　健］

『『校註国歌大系19』（1977・講談社）』▽『平賀元義歌と書刊行会編『平賀元義歌と書』（1980・集英社）』

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