Ariwara no Narihira
A Heian-period poet legendary as a handsome man with a free spirit, he is one of the Six Poet Immortals and one of the Thirty-six Poet Immortals
Ariwara no Narihira (825-880) was a poet in the early Heian period. He was the fifth child of Prince Abo, a prince and son of Emperor Heizei, and became a hereditary courtier in the imperial court. He achieved the rank of lieutenant commander of the inner palace guard, junior fourth rank, upper grade. Nearly ninety of his poems are recorded in collections, including Japan's first imperial collection of Japanese poetry, Kokin wakashu (Collection of Japanese Poems of Ancient and Modern Times), compiled early in the Heian period.
In addition to being named as one of the Six Poet Immortals in Kokin wakashu, he was chosen as one of the Thirty-six Poet Immortals by Fujiwara no Kinto in the middle of the Heian period. He was also included in Ogura hyakunin isshu (The Ogura Anthology of One Hundred Tanka by One Hundred Poets), said to have been selected by Fujiwara no Teika in the early Kamakura period (1185-1333). Many of his poems express rich emotions with fresh wording.
He is considered to be the model of the main character of Ise monogatari (Tales of Ise), a Heian-period collection of waka poetry and stories, and in ancient times became legendary as a handsome, free-spirited, amorous man. Ise monogatari includes a biography of a person who seems to be Ariwara no Narihira, but the author is unknown. It is believed that this book was based on Narihira's poetry, had new chapters added, and was reorganized several times before taking on its current form. This work had great influence on later Japanese literature and provided motifs in such fields as painting, performing arts, and crafts.
During the Edo period (1603-1867), publishers actively published picture books, annotated editions, and parodies of Ise monogatari. In addition, kabuki companies performed kabuki plays with the theme of the Six Poet Immortals, one such play being Yosooi Rokkasen (The Six Poet Immortals All Dressed Up) and another being Rokkasen sugata no irodori (The Smartly Dressed Six Poet Immortals). Owing to the popularity of these plays, many images of Narihira were published as colored woodblock prints and portraits of poets accompanying their poetry.
Related People, Things and Events
Books
Related Works
Drawings of Ariwara no Narihira in paintings (Rokkasen (Imaginary portraits of The Six Immortal Poets), Sanju-rokkasen (Imaginary portraits of the Thirty-six Immortal Poets))
Drawings of Ariwara no Narihira in paintings (Ise Monogatari)
Drawings of Ariwara no Narihira in paintings (other)
Noh and kyogen plays on the subject of Ariwara no Narihira
Kabuki plays on the subject of Ariwara no Narihira
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Past Exhibitions
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Institutions Holding Related Materials
The National Diet Library (NDL), founded in 1948, is the library which belongs to the Diet. The NDL assists the activities of the National Diet. The Library collects and conserves materials and information both from Japan and abroad, serving as a foundation of knowledge and culture and providing library services to administrative and judicial entities and Japanese citizens.
As Japan’s representative museum, Tokyo National Museum collects, preserves, displays, and researches the cultural properties of Asia with a focus on Japan, and also provides educational programs.
Kyoto National Museum collects, preserves, displays, researches and provides educational programs focusing on cultural properties from Heian- through to Edo- period Japan, when the capital was located there.
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小倉百人一首や日本美術をはじめとする嵯峨嵐山にゆかりのある芸術・文化を紹介するミュージアム。1階常設展で百人一首に関する展示を行うほか、シーズンごとに日本美術の企画展を開催。
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斎宮歴史博物館が所蔵する『伊勢物語』関連資料の一覧。
References
- 片桐洋一 著,明治書院
- 片桐洋一 著,明治書院
- 目崎徳衛 著,筑摩書房
- 片桐洋一 著,新典社
- 小学館
- 片桐洋一 監修,明尾圭造, 西村美香 編,芦屋市立美術博物館
- 人間文化研究機構国文学研究資料館普及・連携活動事業部 編,人間文化研究機構国文学研究資料館
- 秋山虔, 三好行雄 編著,文英堂
- 日立デジタル平凡社,平凡社