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Top > Publications > NDL Newsletter > Back Numbers 2009 > No. 170, December 2009

National Diet Library Newsletter

No. 170, Dec. 2009

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Selections from NDL Collection

Tenjin-ki

706_figure1 706_figure2


3 volumes, transcribed in the early 17th century, 3 books, 33.8×25.0 cm.
Owned by the National Diet Library
* The picture is painted from the 6th leaf to the 7th leaf of the first volume

Sugawara Michizane (845-903), worshipped today as Tenjin-sama, the god of learning, was a leading figure in the early Heian era as a scholar and a politician. He showed academic and literary talent from his childhood and gained exceptional promotions, eventually appointed Udaijin, one of the two main ministers. However, as a result of slander by his political opponent, Fujiwara Tokihira, suddenly Michizane was demoted to Dazai-gonnosotsu, a post at a provincial government branch in the Kyushu district. He died there in poverty and disappointment.

After his death, Michizane began to be worshipped as a god to calm his vengeful spirit which was believed to be responsible for a series of eerie happenings in the capital city. Tenjin–ki, which tells about his life and the origin of Tenjin worship, is an illustrated manuscript ascribed to the early 17th century. Some illustrations run over several consecutive leaves.

In this picture, Michizane at 14 years old was composing a Chinese style poem, "氷封水面聞無浪 雪点林頭見有花[*]," while he lifted up a bamboo blind to look at the ice on the surface of the pond and the snow on the trees. The picture is painted from the 6th leaf to the 7th leaf of the first volume.

*氷封水面聞無浪 雪点林頭見有花
With the solid ice on the surface of the water, no sound of waves is heard. The snow on the top of the trees in the forest looks like flowers.

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