Ki no Tsurayuki
Ki no Tsurayuki (c. 872–945) was a prominent Japanese poet, author, and courtier during the Heian period, which is often regarded as a golden age for Japanese literature. He gained recognition for his waka poetry, a traditional form of lyric verse characterized by a specific five-line structure. Tsurayuki was selected as one of the thirty-six masters of poetry (kasen) and played a crucial role as an editor of the *Kokin-shū*, the first imperial anthology of waka, completed around 920. His preface to this collection is significant, as it laid the groundwork for poetic criticism in Japan and reflected on the history and quality of waka poetry.
In addition to his poetic achievements, Tsurayuki served in various political roles, including as the governor of Tosa province. His major prose work, *Tosa nikki* (The Tosa Diary), is notable for its emotional depth, chronicling not just a journey but also his profound grief over the loss of his daughter. This diary is credited with establishing a tradition of literary diaries in Japan and was influential in promoting the use of kana, a new syllabary at the time. Tsurayuki’s legacy is profound, shaping the trajectory of later Japanese literature and encouraging men to express themes of peace and harmony, which had previously been considered feminine ideals.
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Subject Terms
Ki no Tsurayuki
Author
- Born: c. 872
- Birthplace: Kyoto?, Japan
- Died: c. 945
- Place of death: Kyoto, Japan
Biography
Ki no Tsurayuki was born around 872. His father was named Ki no Mochiyuki, but little else is known about his early life. By the 890’s, he was composing waka poems, traditional Japanese lyric verses organized into patterns of five lines. His poetry became so famous that Fujiwara no Kinto, a famous poet of the next generation, chose him as one of the thirty-six kasen (poet masters).
The imperial court selected Tsurayuki to work as one of the leading editors of the Kokin-shū, a collection of ancient and modern waka poetry and the first imperial anthology of its kind, which was completed about 920. He wrote an oft-quoted preface to the Kokin-shū, which is considered the first significant articulation of poetic criticism in Japan. The preface provided a theoretical guide for many generations of poets and critics. It also included a history of the waka poetry from its mythical beginnings, with harsh criticisms for many of the major poets.
After holding political positions in Kyoto, Tsurayuki served as the governor of Tosa province from 930 to 935. There is some evidence that he also served as the governor of Sua province. Tsurayuki’s name is mentioned in the Tale of Genji, in which the Emperor Uda ordered him and several female poets to decorate the royal panes with waka poems.
Around 935, Tsurayuki wrote his major book of prose, the Tosa nikki (The Tosa Diary), which recorded his experiences and reflections during a trip from Kyoto to Tosa province. Although the diary describes the roughness of a sea voyage, the theme of the diary is not the trip as much as his great sorrow over the death of his daughter. The Tosa nikki is commonly said to have begun the tradition of literary diaries in Japan, and it also promoted the use of the new syllabary alphabet called kana. Tsurayuki’s death probably occurred in 945.
Tsurayuki was unquestionably one of the most exceptional writers of the Heian period (794-1184), which is remembered as “the golden age of Japanese literature.” His contributions were so profound that scholars have written that without him, later Japanese literature would have followed a fundamentally different path. In addition to producing a reflective diary and superb poetry, he helped make it socially acceptable for men to discuss peace and harmony, moral values that had earlier been denigrated as feminine principles.