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Saigyō

Type Figure Region Japan Time 1118–1190 Also known as Saigyō Hōshi、Satō Yoshikiyo、Saigyō Shōnin

Saigyō (1118–1190), born Satō Yoshikiyo, was a famous late-Heian poet and Tendai monk.

Timeline

  1. 1118–1147Kyoto · KyotoA descendant of the Satō clan of the Kanmu Heike, he served as saemon-no-jō. Around 1147 he ordained at Kumano or Kyoto, taking the dharma name Saigyō, abandoning his samurai status to devote himself to Buddhism and waka composition.
  2. 1151–1160Provinces of Japan · JapanFrom 1151 to 1160 Saigyō traveled the provinces, visiting sacred sites such as Kumano and Kōyasan, composing waka amid the chaotic age following the Hōgen and Heiji rebellions, his works filled with thoughts of impermanence and renunciation. By this period he already enjoyed great fame in poetic circles, exchanging verses with courtiers and literati.
  3. 1161–1190Kamakura · KamakuraDuring the Genpei War Saigyō resided in Kamakura and had dealings with Minamoto no Yoritomo and others. His waka were selected for the Shin Kokin Wakashū, and he was praised as a master poet. He passed away in 1190 at Kōgawa-ji in Kawachi Province at the age of seventy-three.

Sources