Minamoto no Kaneyuki

Japanese: 源兼行 - みなもとのかねゆき

Years of birth: Years of birth and death unknown. A calligrapher from the mid-Heian period. His activities from 1023 to 1074 are recorded. His father, Nobumoto, was a calligrapher from around the beginning of the 11th century, and was praised on a par with Fujiwara no Yukinari. After serving as Shonaiki and Ise no Kami, he reached the rank of Yamatono Kami and Junior Fourth Rank. His many calligrapher activities can be seen in the diaries of nobles of the time, such as clean copies of petitions and prayers, and shikishi-gata (paper strips of paper) and plaques on temple doors. In particular, his commission to write the shikishi-gata (paper strips of paper) for the Yuki Nuki folding screen at the Daijosai ceremony for three successive emperors, Goreizei, Gosanjo, and Shirakawa, is worthy of special mention in the history of calligraphy. Recent research has confirmed that the shikishi-gata (letter of writing on a shikishi) of the Phoenix Hall of Byodo-in Temple, which was built by Fujiwara no Yorimichi in March 1053, was handwritten by Kaneyuki himself, and this, together with a letter written by Kaneyuki himself that still exists as a document on the back of the "Kujo-kehon Engishiki," has become an important resource, leading to the identification of a number of extant works in his handwriting, including "Koyagire Type 2," "Katsurahon Manyoshu," "Unshihon Wakan Roeishu," and "Sekidohon Wakan Roeishu." All of these works are written in a dignified style that is composed and profound, making them unique among the ancient calligraphy of the Heian period.

(Minoru Furuya)

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

Japanese:

生年：生没年不詳
平安中期の能書。治安3(1023)年から承保1(1074)年までの活躍が記録されている。父の延幹は11世紀初めごろの能書で,藤原行成と並び称せられた。少内記・伊勢守などを経て,大和守・正四位下に至った。上表文や願文の清書,寺院の扉色紙形や門額など,多くの能書活躍が当時の公卿日記などに窺える。とりわけ後冷泉・後三条・白河の3代にわたる天皇の大嘗会における悠紀主基屏風の色紙形の執筆を拝命したことは,書道史上にも特筆すべきものである。近年の研究によって,天喜1(1053)年3月に藤原頼通によって建立された平等院鳳凰堂の色紙形が兼行の自筆と確認され,また「九条家本延喜式」の紙背文書として現存する兼行自筆書状と併せて重要な資料となり,その結果,「高野切第二種」「桂本万葉集」「雲紙本和漢朗詠集」「関戸本和漢朗詠集」ほか一群の同筆遺品が確認されることとなった。これらの書は,いずれも沈着で重厚味のある風格ある書風で,平安時代古筆の中でも特異の存在である。

(古谷稔)

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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