Rokujo family
Encyclopedia
The Rokujō family was a poetically conservative faction in the Japanese Imperial court
, founded by Fujiwara no Akisue
(1055-1123 CE
); it was the first clan to specialize in attaining power and influence via success in poetry
, and was originally opposed to their opposite numbers amongst the Minamoto clan
(such as the innovative Minamoto no Shunrai
), although later they would be opposed to a more junior (and poetically liberal) branch of the old and puissant Fujiwara family
, as represented by Fujiwara no Shunzei
and his son, Fujiwara no Teika
. It was also known for, besides its conservative views on the composition of poetry, the quality of its scholar's work on old poetry (because of the allusive nature of waka
, and the early confusions of transcription and writing them down, new versions and exegetical works were constantly needed by the court; the situation was especially bad with the Man'yōshū- Brower remarks that "It is doubtful whether more than three or four hundred Man'yō poems could actually be read with accuracy until the commentaries of the priest Senkaku
laid the foundations of modern Man'yō scholarship..."). One of the Rokujō - Fujiwara no Akisuke (1090-1155) - compiled the Imperial anthology, the Shika Wakashū.
Imperial Court
An Imperial Court is the noble court of an empire .For example:*The noble court of an Emperor of China, Emperor of Japan, Emperor of Ethiopia, Emperor of Austria, Emperor of India, Emperor of Persia, etc....
, founded by Fujiwara no Akisue
Fujiwara no Akisue
was a noted Japanese poet and nobleman. He was active at the end of the Heian period, and the son of Fujiwara no Takatsune . He was also a member of the famous poetic and aristocratic clan, the Fujiwara....
(1055-1123 CE
Common Era
Common Era ,abbreviated as CE, is an alternative designation for the calendar era originally introduced by Dionysius Exiguus in the 6th century, traditionally identified with Anno Domini .Dates before the year 1 CE are indicated by the usage of BCE, short for Before the Common Era Common Era...
); it was the first clan to specialize in attaining power and influence via success in poetry
Japanese poetry
Japanese poets first encountered Chinese poetry during the Tang Dynasty. It took them several hundred years to digest the foreign impact, make it a part of their culture and merge it with their literary tradition in their mother tongue, and begin to develop the diversity of their native poetry. For...
, and was originally opposed to their opposite numbers amongst the Minamoto clan
Minamoto clan
was one of the surnames bestowed by the Emperors of Japan upon members of the imperial family who were demoted into the ranks of the nobility. The practice was most prevalent during the Heian Period , although its last occurrence was during the Sengoku Era. The Taira were another such offshoot of...
(such as the innovative Minamoto no Shunrai
Minamoto no Shunrai
was an important and innovative Japanese poet, who compiled the Gosen Wakashū. He was the son of Minamoto no Tsunenobu ; holder of the second rank in court and of the position of Grand Counsellor). Shunrai was favored by Emperor Go-Sanjo and to a lesser degree Emperor Shirakawa; in no small part...
), although later they would be opposed to a more junior (and poetically liberal) branch of the old and puissant Fujiwara family
Fujiwara family
The Fujiwara clan , descending from the Nakatomi clan, was a powerful family of regents in Japan.The clan originated when the founder, Nakatomi no Kamatari , was rewarded by Emperor Tenji with the honorific "Fujiwara", which evolved as a surname for Kamatari and his descendants...
, as represented by Fujiwara no Shunzei
Fujiwara no Shunzei
was a noted Japanese poet and nobleman, son of Fujiwara no Toshitada. He was also known as Fujiwara no Toshinari or Shakua ; in his younger days , he gave his name as Akihiro , but in 1167, changed to Shunzei...
and his son, Fujiwara no Teika
Fujiwara no Teika
Fujiwara no Teika , also known as Fujiwara no Sadaie or Sada-ie, was a Japanese poet, critic, calligrapher, novelist, anthologist, scribe, and scholar of the late Heian and early Kamakura periods...
. It was also known for, besides its conservative views on the composition of poetry, the quality of its scholar's work on old poetry (because of the allusive nature of waka
Waka (poetry)
Waka or Yamato uta is a genre of classical Japanese verse and one of the major genres of Japanese literature...
, and the early confusions of transcription and writing them down, new versions and exegetical works were constantly needed by the court; the situation was especially bad with the Man'yōshū- Brower remarks that "It is doubtful whether more than three or four hundred Man'yō poems could actually be read with accuracy until the commentaries of the priest Senkaku
Senkaku
Senkaku can refer to:* Senkaku Islands, disputed territory named "Diaoyu" or "Diaoyutai Islands" in Chinese, also known as "Pinnacle Islands", a Japanese Buddhist priest, the head of the Yasui school of Go, which was established in 1612...
laid the foundations of modern Man'yō scholarship..."). One of the Rokujō - Fujiwara no Akisuke (1090-1155) - compiled the Imperial anthology, the Shika Wakashū.