, also known as Mikohidari Tadaie, was a

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

statesman, courtier, politician,

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems ( oral or wri ...

and

calligrapher Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...

during the

Heian period The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kanmu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means "peace" in Japanese ...

. In 1090 he ordained as a Buddhist monk and undertook the precepts a year later. He died several months later.

Career at court

He was a minister during the reigns of

Emperor Go-Reizei was the 70th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 後冷泉天皇 (70)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Go-Reizei's reign spanned the years 1045–1068. This 11th century sovereign was named after the ...

Emperor Shirakawa was the 72nd emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 白河天皇 (72)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Shirakawa's reign lasted from 1073 to 1087. Genealogy Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Thr ...

and

Emperor Horikawa was the 73rd emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 堀河天皇 (73)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Horikawa's reign spanned the years from 1087 through 1107. Biography Before his ascension to the ...

. Tadaie did well at court, rising to the

Senior Second Rank The court ranks of Japan, also known in Japanese as ''ikai'' (位階), are indications of an individual's court rank in Japan based on the system of the state. ''Ikai'' as a system was originally used in the Ritsuryo system, which was the polit ...

and the office of ''

Dainagon was a counselor of the first rank in the Imperial court of Japan. The role dates from the 7th century. This advisory position remained a part of the Imperial court from the 8th century until the Meiji period in the 19th century.Nussbaum, "Dainag ...

'' (Major Counselor).''Journal of Asian Culture'' (1989), Vol. 13, p. 166.

Poet

In this period of Japanese history, the duties of Imperial courtiers included an expectation that each would create and present poems. An incident from Tadaie's life is featured in a poem which captured a fleeting moment and a gallant gesture:

Calligrapher

Examples of calligraphy attributable to Tadaie are identified variously by the Japanese government as a "National Treasure", as an "Important Art Object" and as an "Important Cultural Property".

Genealogy

Tadaie's grandfather was

Fujiwara no Michinaga was a Japanese statesman. The Fujiwara clan's control over Japan and its politics reached its zenith under his leadership. Early life Michinaga was born in Kyōto, the son of Kaneiye. Kaneiye had become Regent in 986, holding the position unt ...

; and his father was

Fujiwara no Nagaie Fujiwara no Nagaie (; 26 September 1005 – 19 December 1064) was a Japanese nobleman and ''waka'' poet of the Heian period. Life Fujiwara no Nagaie was born on the 20th day of the eighth month of Kankō 2 (26 September 1005 in the Julian cale ...

. The son of Tadaie was Fujiwara no Toshitada (1071–1123). This lineage was identified as the '' Mikohidari'' lineage within the ''Hokke'' branch of the

Fujiwara clan was a powerful family of imperial regents in Japan, descending from the Nakatomi clan and, as legend held, through them their ancestral god Ame-no-Koyane. The Fujiwara prospered since the ancient times and dominated the imperial court until ...

. Tadaie was the grandfather of the poet Fujiwara no Toshinari (1114–1204), who was also known as Shunzei.Keene, Donald. (1999). ''Seeds in the Heart,'' p. 681 n2; excerpt, "... the Sino-Japanese versions of their names were used by their contemporaries, and this practice is still observed." Tadaie was the great-grandfather of

Fujiwara no Sadaie , better-known as Fujiwara no Teika"Sadaie" and "Teika" are both possible readings of ; "...there is the further problem, the rendition of the name in romanized form. Teika probably referred to himself as Sadaie, and his father probably called ...

, also known as Fujiwara no Teika.

Notes

References

* Porter, William N. (1909). ''A Hundred Verses from Old Japan, Being a Translation of the Hyaku-nin-isshiu.'' Oxford: Oxford University Press. * Sato, Hiroaki. (2008). ''Japanese Women Poets: an Anthology.'' Armonk, New York: M.E. Sharpe.; {{DEFAULTSORT:Fujiwara no, Tadaie 1033 births 1091 deaths Fujiwara clan People of Heian-period Japan Heian period Buddhist clergy