Fujiwara no Nakazane


Fujiwara no Nakazane was a Japanese nobleman and waka poet of the late Heian period.

Life

Fujiwara no Nakazane was born in 1057. His father was Yoshinari, the Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade governor of Echizen Province, and his mother was a daughter of Minamoto no Norinari. His paternal grandfather was, the Controller of the Left and Tutor to the emperor.
In his late 20s, he served as Emperor Shirakawa's ', and was granted court rank in Ōtoku 2 at the age of 29, by Japanese reckoning. At the height of his career, he held the positions of governor of Echizen, Palace Assistant and the Senior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade. He left service in the palace to serve under Yōmeimon-in, becoming governor of Ki Province and governor of Mikawa Province.
According to the ', he died on the 26th day of the third month of Eikyū 6. He was 62 years old, by Japanese reckoning.

Poetry

Nakazane began his poetic career when, at 26, he took part in the Dewa-no-kami Tsunenaka-ke uta-awase. He served under Retired Emperor Horikawa, and took part in the latter's poetic circles, participating in both the Horikawa-in Hyakushu and Eikyū Hyakushu and frequently showing up in poetic gatherings such as utakai and uta-awase.
At the Horikawa-in Hyakushu he was second only to Minamoto no Toshiyori in his use of unusual language, and is considered to be second to Toshiyori among the "new-style" poets of the period. His poetry was included in imperial collections from the Kin'yō Wakashū on,
Nakazane wrote Kigoshō, a work of poetic theory, and the Kokin Wakashū Mokuroku.

Citations

Works cited

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