Fujiwara no Shunzei - Fujiwara no Shunzei

Japanese: 藤原俊成 - ふじわらのしゅんぜい

Year of death: 1st year of Genkyu, November 30th (1204.12.22)
Year of birth: Eternal 2 (1114)
A poet of the Heian and Kamakura periods. His father was Gon Chunagon Fujiwara Toshitada, and his mother was the daughter of Iyo no Kami Fujiwara Atsushi. He lost his father at the age of 10. He was adopted by Hamuro Akiyori and initially called himself Akihiro, but later returned to the main family and changed his name to Shunzei. He first participated in Fujiwara Tametada's events, such as the "Tametada Family One Hundred Poems," and at the age of 25, he became a disciple of Fujiwara Mototoshi, thus forming the basis of his career as a poet. He became the author of the "Kuan Hyakushu" (1150), sponsored by the retired Emperor Sutoku, and rose to prominence when he was entrusted with the category. From his fifties, he served as a judge in numerous poetry contests, such as the "Chugu Ryoshige Ason Family Poetry Contest" (1166), and came to be regarded as a central figure in the world of poetry. He then became the waka master of Kujo Kanezane, and solidified his position as a leading figure when he was selected for the "Senzai Wakashu" (1188). Even in his final years, his creative drive did not wane, and he left behind many waka works, such as "Gojushu of the Shukakuhoshinnōke" (1199) and "Shoji 2nd Year First One Hundred Poems" (1200). He also mentored new-fashioned poets such as his son Teika, and made a major contribution to the "Shin Kokin Wakashu" (1205) and the formation of medieval waka expression. His style of poetry is essentially a strong emotionality based on a sense of misfortune. On the other hand, he also had a thorough understanding of the function of words in waka, a form of short-poem literature, and a delicate awareness of expression, and developed new techniques (honka-tori, monagoridori) that boldly introduced the sentiments of ancient poems and court tales. His awareness of expression can be seen in his many hankotoba (poetry contests) such as "Koraifudaishō" (1197), a book on waka theory dedicated to Princess Shikishi, and "Rokuhyakuban Uta-awase" (around 1193). Other works include "Kokin Mondo" and "Manyoshu Jidai Ko", and his family anthologies include "Choshu Eimo" and "Shunsei Kashu". <References> Matsuno Yoichi, "Research on Fujiwara Shunzei", Kubota Jun, "Research on New Kokin Poets", Taniyama Shigeru, "Fujiwara Shunzei and His Works" ("Taniyama Shigeru Collected Works", vol. 2)

(Yasuaki Watanabe)

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

Japanese:

没年：元久1.11.30(1204.12.22)
生年：永久2(1114)
平安・鎌倉時代の歌人。父は権中納言藤原俊忠,母は伊予守藤原敦家の娘。10歳で父に死別。葉室顕頼の養子となり,初め顕広と名乗ったが,のちに本家に戻り,俊成と改名。初め『為忠家百首』など藤原為忠の催しに参加,また25歳のとき藤原基俊の門弟になるなどして,歌人としての基礎を形成した。崇徳上皇主催の『久安百首』(1150)の作者となり,かつその部類を任されて頭角を現す。『中宮亮重家朝臣家歌合』(1166)など,50代のころより数多くの歌合の判者を務めて歌界の中心人物と目されるようになった。そして九条兼実の歌道師範となり,『千載和歌集』(1188)の選者となるにおよんで,第一人者の地位を不動のものとした。以後最晩年にかけても創作意欲はいっこうに衰えず,『守覚法親王家五十首』(1199)や『正治二年初度百首』(1200)など,多数の和歌作品を残す。また,息子の定家ら新風歌人の指導にも当たり,『新古今和歌集』(1205)や中世和歌の表現形成に,大きく寄与した。その歌風は,不遇感をベースにした濃厚な主情性を本質とする。一方,短詩型文学である和歌の言葉の機能を熟知した,繊細な表現意識をも併せ持ち,古歌や王朝物語の情趣を大胆に導入する新技法(本歌取,物語取)を開発した。その表現意識は,式子内親王に献じられた歌論書『古来風躰抄』(1197)のほか,『六百番歌合』(1193年ごろ)などの数多くの歌合判詞からも窺われる。他に『古今問答』『万葉集時代考』などの歌学書があり,家集に『長秋詠藻』『俊成家集』が存する。<参考文献>松野陽一『藤原俊成の研究』,久保田淳『新古今歌人の研究』,谷山茂『藤原俊成人と作品』(『谷山茂著作集』2巻)

(渡部泰明)

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