Hensho - Hensho

A monk and poet of the early Heian period. Also written as Hensho. One of the Rokkasen or Thirty-six Immortal Poets. His real name was Yoshimine no Munesada. He was the grandson of Emperor Kanmu and the eighth son of Dainagon Yasuyo. He was the father of Sosei and Yusei. He served Emperor Ninmyo and reached the rank of Kurodono-to, but in 850 (Kasho 3) he became a monk and martyred himself for the emperor. He received the precepts from Ennin, the head priest of Mount Hiei, and after more than ten years of training, he founded Kazan Genkei-ji Temple in the Jogan era (859-877) and became its head priest. He also established Murasakino Unrin-in as a branch temple and became a center of literary exchange in addition to his religious activities. He was trusted even before Emperor Koko ascended to the throne, and in 885 (the 1st year of the Ninna era) he became a monk, and was given a 70th birthday celebration at the Jijuden temple, as well as imperial permission to grant him 100 households and a carriage, enjoying extraordinary honors. His poetry is generally light and witty, and has been described as "having acquired the style of poetry, but with little truth. For example, it is as if one's heart is moved by looking at a woman in a painting" (Kana preface to the Kokinshu). His poetry is elegant in contrast to the plain, descriptive taste of his background, but he also wrote many beautiful poems in which he poured out his painful feelings before and after becoming a monk. A tale of his becoming a monk appears in "Yamato Monogatari," and the "Gosenshu" includes a tale of his encounter with Ono no Komachi, which became a popular subject for uta-bushi (song-telling). He also left behind anecdotes such as the subjugation of a Tengu (long-nosed goblin) ("Zoku Honcho Ojoden"). He died on January 19, 2nd year of Kanpyo, at the age of 75. Thirty-five poems are included in the "Kokinshu" and subsequent collections, and the three "Henshoshu" series are all later compilations.

[Goto Shoko]

The wind blows through the path of the clouds, and the image of the young girl remains for a moment.

"A Study of the History of Heian Culture by Tokuei Mezaki (1968, Ohfusha)" "Utamonogatari and its Surroundings by Toshiko Abe (1969, Kazama Shobo)" " A Study of the Origins of Poets by Sumi Kuranaka (1980, Ohfusha)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

平安前期の僧侶(そうりょ)歌人。遍照とも書く。六歌仙、三十六歌仙の一人。俗名良岑宗貞(よしみねのむねさだ)。桓武(かんむ)天皇孫、大納言(だいなごん)安世(やすよ)の八男。素性(そせい)・由性らの父。仁明(にんみょう)天皇に仕え蔵人頭(くろうどのとう)に至ったが、850年（嘉祥3）、天皇に殉じて出家した。叡山座主(えいざんざす)円仁(えんにん)に戒を受け、十数年の修行ののち、貞観(じょうがん)年間（859～877）に花山元慶寺(がんけいじ)を草創、座主となった。また、紫野(むらさきの)雲林院(うりんいん)を別院として宗教活動のかたわら文芸交流の中心となる。光孝(こうこう)天皇の即位以前から信任を得て、885年（仁和1）には僧正となり、仁寿殿(じじゅうでん)で七十賀を賜い、さらに食邑(しょくゆう)100戸、輦車(てぐるま)の勅許を賜るなど破格の栄に浴した。歌柄は概して軽妙洒脱(しゃだつ)で、「歌のさまを得たれどもまこと少し。たとへば絵にかける女を見て、いたづらに心を動かすが如(ごと)し」（『古今集』仮名序）と評され、素性の淡々とした写生味に対して艶麗(えんれい)だが、出家前後には悲痛な心境を吐露した佳詠も多い。出家譚(たん)が『大和(やまと)物語』にみえ、『後撰(ごせん)集』にも小野小町との邂逅(かいこう)説話を収めるなど歌語りの好話材となったほか、天狗調伏(てんぐちょうぶく)などの逸話も残す（『続本朝往生伝』）。寛平(かんぴょう)2年正月19日滅、75歳。『古今集』以下に35首入集(にっしゅう)、『遍昭集』3系統はいずれも後代の編になる。

［後藤祥子］

　あまつ風くもの通ひ路吹きとぢよ少女(をとめ)の姿しばしとどめむ

『目崎徳衛著『平安文化史論』（1968・桜楓社）』▽『阿部俊子著『歌物語とその周辺』（1969・風間書房）』▽『蔵中スミ著『歌人素性の研究』（1980・桜楓社）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例