Minamoto no Arihito - The man who grew up

Japanese: 源有仁 - みなもとのありひと

Year of death: Hisayasu 3.2.13 (1147.3.16)
Year of birth: 1103
A nobleman in the late Heian period. Son of Prince Sukehito, son of Emperor Gosanjo, and the daughter of Dainagon Minamoto no Morotada. Emperor Shirakawa adopted Arihito as compensation for preventing his father Prince Sukehito from becoming crown prince. In 1119, he was bestowed the surname Minamoto, conferred the rank of Junior Third Rank, and was selected to become Gon Chunagon in the same year. He rose through the ranks, serving as Minister of the Interior and General of the Konoe, and then Minister of the Right and Junior First Rank in 1131, and Minister of the Left in 1136. He was called Hanazono Sadaijin. He was of excellent looks, so much so that he was likened to Hikaru Genji. He was also particular about clothing, and made improvements to the length of his robes and eboshi hats, competing with the retired Emperor Toba. Gifted in poetry, he had 21 poems included in imperial anthologies such as the Kinyoshu. He was also a talented musician, and was particularly skilled in the biwa and sho. He was also good at calligraphy, and his style was said to have been in the style of Fujiwara no Tadamichi. The residence of such a man of refinement, Arihito, was frequented by many people, and was a constant source of entertainment, including music and renga poetry.

(Harumi Watanabe)

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

Japanese:

没年：久安3.2.13(1147.3.16)
生年：康和5(1103)
平安末期の公卿。後三条天皇の皇子輔仁親王と大納言源師忠の娘の子。白河天皇が父輔仁親王の立太子を阻んだ代償として有仁を養子とする。元永2(1119)年賜姓源氏となり,従三位に叙せられ,同年中に権中納言となる抜擢を受けた。以後累進し,内大臣・近衛大将を経て,天承1(1131)年右大臣・従一位,保延2(1136)年左大臣に至る。花園左大臣と称せられた。容貌が優れ,光源氏にたとえられるほどであった。また衣裳に凝り,衣の長さや烏帽子などに工夫を加え,鳥羽上皇と競い合った。詩歌の才に恵まれ,『金葉集』以下の勅撰集に21首入集。音楽の才能も豊かで,ことに琵琶と笙に長じていた。書道もよくし,書風は藤原忠通流のものであったという。このような風流人有仁の邸宅には人の出入りが多く,音楽,鎖連歌などさまざまの趣向豊かな催しが絶えなかったという。

(渡辺晴美)

出典　朝日日本歴史人物事典：（株）朝日新聞出版朝日日本歴史人物事典について　情報

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