Fujiwara no Yoritada
Encyclopedia
Fujiwara no Yoritada the second son of Saneyori
, was a kugyo
(high-ranked Japan
ese noble) who served as regent
for Emperor En'yū
and Emperor Kazan
. His mother was a daughter of Fujiwara no Tokihira
. His elder brother from the same mother Atsutoshi died before father's death. In 977 He became Sadaijin
, and when his cousin regent Fujiwara no Kanemichi
was into a critical condition, Kanemichi ceded Kampaku
(regent) to Yoritada, because Kanemichi rivaled Kanemichi's brother Kaneie
. Although his two daughters were consorts of Emperor En'yū and Emperor Kazan, they couldn't have any sons. Yoritada had not so close blood relationship with Emperors. His cousin Kaneie was the grandfather of Crown Prince Yasuhito (Emperor Ichijō
), and he encouraged Emperor Kazan to abdicate a throne. By the accession of Emperor Ichijō, He retired from Kampaku and Kaneie became Sessho
(regent) for Kaneie's grandson Emperor Ichijō. Yoritada was Daijō Daijin since 978, and he is referred to as Rengi-kō (廉義公) (posthumous name as Daijō Daijin).
His poet son Fujiwara no Kintō
compiled the Shūi Wakashū, and also a collection of Chinese verse and prose (~600 selections) and 25 Japanese poems in his Wakan Rōeishū (和漢朗詠集), a widely-admired collection that helped spread the influence of Chinese culture (and especially the poetry of Bai Juyi) in the Japanese Imperial court. Kintō's collection would be imitated by a successor, Fujiwara no Mototoshi's Shinsen Rōeishū (新撰朗詠集). Kintō also wrote an influential critical guide to incorporating Bai Juyi's poetic techniques (and more generally, T'ang dynasty poetry) into Japanese poetry called Shinsen Zuinō (新撰髄脳) ("The Essence of Poetry Newly Selected").
Fujiwara no Saneyori
, also known as Onomiya-dono, was a Japanese statesman, courtier and politician during the Heian period.-Career:He was a minister during the reigns of Emperor Reizei and Emperor En'yu....
, was a kugyo
Kugyo
is the collective term for the very few most powerful men attached to the court of the Emperor of Japan in pre-Meiji eras. The kugyō was broadly divided into two groups: the , comprising the Chancellor of the Realm, the Minister of the Left, and the Minister of the Right; and the , comprising the...
(high-ranked Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese noble) who served as regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
for Emperor En'yū
Emperor En'yu
was the 64th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.En'yū's reign spanned the years from 969 through 984.-Traditional narrative:Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Morihira-shinnō....
and Emperor Kazan
Emperor Kazan
was the 65th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Kazan's reign spanned the years from 984 through 986.-Traditional narrative:...
. His mother was a daughter of Fujiwara no Tokihira
Fujiwara no Tokihira
was a Japanese statesman, courtier and politician during the Heian period.-Career:Tokihira was a minister under Emperor Daigo.* 891 : Tokihira was given a rank which was the equivalent of sangi....
. His elder brother from the same mother Atsutoshi died before father's death. In 977 He became Sadaijin
Sadaijin
, most commonly translated as "Minister of the Left", was a government position in Japan in the late Nara and Heian periods. The position was consolidated in the Taihō Code of 702. The Asuka Kiyomihara Code of 689 marks the initial appearance of the Sadaijin in the context of a central...
, and when his cousin regent Fujiwara no Kanemichi
Fujiwara no Kanemichi
was a Japanese statesman, courtier and politician during the Heian period.-Career:Kanemichi served as a minister during the reign of Emperor En'yū...
was into a critical condition, Kanemichi ceded Kampaku
Sessho and Kampaku
In Japan, was a title given to a regent who was named to assist either a child emperor before his coming of age, or an empress. The was theoretically a sort of chief advisor for the emperor, but was the title of both first secretary and regent who assists an adult emperor. During the Heian era,...
(regent) to Yoritada, because Kanemichi rivaled Kanemichi's brother Kaneie
Fujiwara no Kaneie
was a Japanese statesman, courtier and politician during the Heian period.-Career:Kaneie served as a minister during the reigns of Emperor En'yū, Emperor Kazan and Emperor Go-Ichijō....
. Although his two daughters were consorts of Emperor En'yū and Emperor Kazan, they couldn't have any sons. Yoritada had not so close blood relationship with Emperors. His cousin Kaneie was the grandfather of Crown Prince Yasuhito (Emperor Ichijō
Emperor Ichijo
was the 66th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Ichijō's reign spanned the years from 986 to 1011.-Traditional narrative:Before he ascended to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name was Kanehito-shinnō....
), and he encouraged Emperor Kazan to abdicate a throne. By the accession of Emperor Ichijō, He retired from Kampaku and Kaneie became Sessho
Sessho and Kampaku
In Japan, was a title given to a regent who was named to assist either a child emperor before his coming of age, or an empress. The was theoretically a sort of chief advisor for the emperor, but was the title of both first secretary and regent who assists an adult emperor. During the Heian era,...
(regent) for Kaneie's grandson Emperor Ichijō. Yoritada was Daijō Daijin since 978, and he is referred to as Rengi-kō (廉義公) (posthumous name as Daijō Daijin).
His poet son Fujiwara no Kintō
Fujiwara no Kinto
, also known as Shijō-dainagon, was a Japanese poet, admired by his contemporaries and a court bureaucrat of the Heian period. His father was the regent Fujiwara no Yoritada and his son Fujiwara no Sadayori...
compiled the Shūi Wakashū, and also a collection of Chinese verse and prose (~600 selections) and 25 Japanese poems in his Wakan Rōeishū (和漢朗詠集), a widely-admired collection that helped spread the influence of Chinese culture (and especially the poetry of Bai Juyi) in the Japanese Imperial court. Kintō's collection would be imitated by a successor, Fujiwara no Mototoshi's Shinsen Rōeishū (新撰朗詠集). Kintō also wrote an influential critical guide to incorporating Bai Juyi's poetic techniques (and more generally, T'ang dynasty poetry) into Japanese poetry called Shinsen Zuinō (新撰髄脳) ("The Essence of Poetry Newly Selected").