Rokkasen　六歌仙

KEY WORD :　art history / paintings

The Six Immortal Poets. A pictorial theme depicting six outstanding poets of the 9c. Designated by Ki no Tsurauki 紀貫之(ca. 868-945) in the preface of KOKINSHUU 古今集, the first imperial anthology compiled in 905. The six distinguished poets are: Ariwara no Narihira 在原業平 (see *Ise monogatari-e 伊勢物語絵), Henjou Soujou 遍照僧正 (Bishop Henjou), Kisen houshi 喜撰法師 (Monk Kisen), Ootomo no Kuronushi 大伴黒主, Bun'ya no Yasuhide 文屋康秀, and Ono no Komachi 小野小町 (see *nanakomachi 七小町). The term kasen (immortals of waka 和歌 or Japanese poems), which was derived from the Chinese term shixian (Jp: shisen 詩仙, Immortals of poems) is thought to have been adopted by the mid-10c and applied to the six poets thereafter.

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