Biographies CLI: Virtuous Women

Daughter of Kinunui-no-Kanetsugu

¶Gentle grace and docile obedience (Note: being modest and compliant) are the way of women. The customs of antiquity were simple; the principle that the husband leads and the wife follows is already seen in the song of the reed plain at the dawn of time, and this was the beginning of moral instruction. The virtue of the women of the inner palace has likewise been set down in their own biographies. And from families of the robed and capped down to the common people, there have often been those who served their parents with filial devotion, kept their fidelity after their husbands' deaths, governed their households with strictness, and faced danger with resolution. The innate moral sense of human beings can plainly be seen. In later ages, around the middle period, when learning and culture flourished, talented women appeared one after another, and there was no lack in the world of those who displayed brilliant literary gifts. But women of chaste conduct and particular distinction were seldom heard of. This too was surely because the influence of the inner palace was not cultivated and instruction within the household was wanting. The Book of Changes says, "If she concentrates on preparing the food within the home, she is upright and fortunate." That a woman should be praised for her talents and accomplishments is perhaps rather a sign of the decline of virtue. Even the fact that the wife of Minamoto-no-Yoritomo seized the authority of the realm, though a woman, shows how the world had changed. And the wife of Kusunoki Masashige and the mother of Uryū Tamotsu were decisive and wise, and far surpassed ordinary people. These cannot be compared with such trivial matters as skill or clumsiness in poetry and prose. Here we set out their deeds in order, first the filial women and then the faithful wives, presenting models of motherhood and commending talent and accomplishment, and we compose the Biographies of Virtuous Women.

Fukuyorime

¶Kinunui-no-Kanetsugu's daughter was originally a native of the Right Capital and lived in Shiki district of Kawachi province. When she was twelve her father died. She wept tears of blood and moved all who saw her. When the mourning period ended, her mother tried to marry her to someone, but the girl secretly left the house and lived beside her father's grave, grieving morning and evening. From then on her mother spoke no more of marriage, and the daughter lived with her mother alone. On the anniversary of her father's death she ate vegetarian food and recited the sutras. Within the precinct there was a river, the Egagawa, which people found hard to cross in winter. The daughter and her mother bought up scrap timber together and built a temporary bridge for the convenience of travelers. They kept this up for fifteen years without a break. When her mother died at the age of eighty, the daughter's weeping did not cease. In the eighth year of Jōwa (841), by imperial command she was granted three ranks, was exempted for life from the field tax on her household, and had a mark of commendation erected at her gate (Note: monryo, the gate of the house). (Note: following the Montoku Jitsuroku.)

Daughter of Tachibana-no-Hayanari

¶Fukuyorime is said to have been the daughter of a commoner's house in Satsuma. Her parents were old and had no son, and both lay sick in bed. The daughter worked for wages to support her parents and for more than twenty years tended them with hot broths and medicines. Though raised among common people, she had a fair understanding of propriety. She revered her father and mother and never grew negligent. In the Ninju era (851-854) she was granted three ranks of court rank, and a mark of commendation (Note: seihyō, the erecting of a sign of honor) was set up at her gate. (Note: following the Montoku Jitsuroku.)

Yashanyo

¶The daughter of Tachibana-no-Hayanari had filial devotion of the utmost degree. When Hayanari was convicted of a crime and sent into exile, his daughter followed him on foot, weeping with grief. The escorting officials scolded her and tried to drive her away. She then rested by day and walked by night, and in the end was never parted from him. When Hayanari died, she gathered his body and buried it, and built a hut beside the grave and kept watch there, never leaving. She cut off her own hair and became a nun, taking the name Myōchū. Her devotion to the Buddhist path was deep even amid her suffering; she never slackened morning or evening, and all who saw her wept. Later she also carried her father's remains on her back and returned home. Everyone found this extraordinary and praised her as a filial daughter. (Note: following the Montoku Jitsuroku.)

Mimyō

¶Yasha-nyo was a daughter of Minamoto-no-Yoshitomo, Sama-no-kami, Director of the Left Bureau of Horses. On one occasion, while on his way to the capital, Yoshitomo lodged at the house of Ōi, the head of the post station of Aohaka in Mino province, and there he showed favor to Ōi's daughter Enju and had one daughter by her. This was Yasha. When Yoshitomo was routed and fled, his elder half-brother's son Yoritomo, his own son by another mother, came to Aohaka, and the household welcomed him gladly and treated him with great kindness. But when Yoritomo was captured, Yasha said through her tears, "I too am a child of the Kami-dono (Note: referring to Yoshitomo). Rather than be shamed again someday, I would sooner suffer the same punishment as my brother." And she tried to run out. The people calmed her and stopped her. Afterwards she secretly threw herself into the water and died. She was twelve years old at the time. (Note: following the Heiji Monogatari.)

Wife of Kamitsukeno-no-Katana

¶The dancer Mimyō was originally the child of a good family, but she was living temporarily in Kamakura. Once, when Minamoto-no-Yoriie held a banquet at the house of Hiki-no-Yoshikazu, Yoshikazu had Mimyō perform song and dance. Her movements were exquisite, and all who watched marveled. Yoshikazu said to Yoriie, "This dancer is originally from the capital, and she seems to have a grievance she wishes to bring before the shogunate. Please ask her yourself." When Yoriie asked her circumstances, Mimyō shed tears and said, "In the Kenkyū era (1190-1199) my father, Uhyōe-no-jō Tamenari, was convicted on a slanderous accusation and exiled to Ezo. My mother also died of grief. I was seven then and had no relatives to rely on. As I grew older my longing for my father became ever more urgent, but I had no way to hear any news of him. So I wished to perform this humble art at the shogunate and to ask for your mercy." Yoriie pitied her, and everyone seated there sniffled. Yoriie's mother, Masako, was deeply moved by her filial devotion and at once sent a messenger to Mutsu to search for her father. When the messenger arrived, her father had already died in the place of his exile. On hearing this, Mimyō wept bitterly and nearly fainted; at last she shaved her head and became a nun, changing her name to Jiren. Masako took particular pity on her, gave her a dwelling, and cared for her generously. (Note: following the Azuma Kagami.)

Wife of Tadō

¶The wife of Kamitsukeno-no-Katana. In the ninth year of Emperor Jomei (637), Katana was appointed general and attacked the Ezo, but the campaign went badly and his soldiers scattered. Katana fled alone into a fortress, but was surrounded by the enemy. With no plan to try, he sought to escape under cover of night. His wife said indignantly, "Ah, do you think that if you flee you will escape? You will only expose your shame. I have heard that your ancestors pacified lands overseas and that their martial prestige was known throughout the world. If now, faced with danger, you seek a moment's escape, all your ancestors' achievements will be undone. Is that not something to be ashamed of yourself?" She then urged wine upon him. When Katana fell asleep drunk, his wife herself girded on her husband's sword and had several maidservants and concubines twang their bowstrings. Katana woke, rose, took up his arms, and advanced. The rebels thought that a large force of his men was still there, lifted the siege, and left. The scattered soldiers gradually gathered again, and in the end they struck the Ezo and defeated them utterly. (Note: following the Nihongi.)

Wife of Tajihi-no-Shima, Iehara-no-Otona

¶The wife of Tadō: her family name has not come down to us. In the fifty-fifth year of Emperor Nintoku (367, by the traditional reckoning), the Ezo rebelled. The emperor ordered Tadō to attack them, and he fought at Iji Harbor, but his troops were defeated and Tadō was killed in battle. A follower took his tamaki (Note: an ornament worn around the wrist) and brought it back and gave it to his wife. She was overcome with grief, and, clasping the tamaki, hanged herself and died. People of the time pitied her. (Note: following the Nihongi.)

Wife of Ōtomo-no-Miyuki, Ki-no-Otona

¶Ieharano-Otona and Ki-no-Otona. Ieharano-Otona was the wife of Tajihi-no-Shima, Sadaijin, Minister of the Left. Ki-no-Otona was the wife of Ōtomo-no-Miyuki, posthumous Udaijin, Minister of the Right. Both possessed the virtues of a wife. In the fifth year of Wadō (712) an edict was issued: "Ieharano-Otona and Ki-no-Otona both, while their husbands lived, encouraged one another in the way of serving the state, and after their husbands' deaths have firmly kept their resolve to guard the same graves. We think of their fidelity and are deeply moved. To each of them we grant a fief (Note: fuko, households assigned as income) of fifty households." (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi.)

Shihi-no-Shinsa

¶Shihi-no-Shinsa was the wife of Hataya-su, a commoner of Uchi district in Ōyamato province. After Hataya-su died, she kept her fidelity for many years. Together with the children borne by his concubine she raised eight children without distinction among them. She served her parents-in-law with all the propriety of a wife and was known for her filial devotion. She was praised by the people of her village. In the seventh year of Wadō (714) her filial devotion and righteousness were commended, and she was exempted for life from taxes and labor service. (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi.)

Takahashi-no-Haji-no-Uneme

¶Takahashi-no-Haji-no-Uneme was a native of Kamiagata district in Tsushima province. After her husband died she vowed not to change her resolve. Her father too soon died. She built a hut beside his grave and ate vegetarian food every day. Her filial devotion and depth of duty saddened and moved even those who passed by on the road. In the second year of Jingo-keiun (768), her gate was commended and she was exempted for life from taxes. (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi.)

Nukatabe-no-Sotemé

¶Nukatabe-no-Soteme was a native of Mino district in Iwami province. She lived long as a widow and was known for the loftiness of her fidelity. She was also in the habit of sharing her wealth with others. In the second year of Jingo-keiun (768) she was exempted for life from the field tax. (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi.)

Osada-no-Chiyome

¶Osada-no-Chiyome was a native of Ina district in Shinano province. Gifted in youth with intelligence and beauty, her family was wealthy for generations. She lost her husband at twenty-five and, keeping her fidelity, remained a widow for more than fifty years. In the second year of Jingo-keiun (768), her constancy was praised and she was granted two ranks of court rank. (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi.)

Matamanushime

¶Matamanushime (Note: the Ruijū Kokushi writes the "Ma" character differently) was a native of Iki district in Iki province. She lost her husband at fifteen and vowed herself not to remarry. She made offerings at her husband's grave for more than thirty years, just as she had in his lifetime. In the fourth year of Hōki (773) she was granted two ranks of court rank and was also exempted for life from the field tax. (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi.)

Wife of Fujiwara-no-Toyonari, Momoyoshi

¶Fujiwara-no-Toyonari's wife, Fujiwara-no-Momoyoshi, was a daughter of Maro, Hyōbu-kyō, Minister of War. After Toyonari died she kept her fidelity for many years, served in the inner palace in a domestic office, and was praised for her constancy and solidity. In the Tenpyō-shōhō era (749-757) she was granted Junior Fifth Rank Lower. In the ninth year of Hōki (778) she was advanced to Junior Second Rank. She died in the first year of Enryaku (782), at the age of sixty-three. (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi.)

Naniwabe-no-Arame

¶Naniwabe-no-Arame was a native of Chikuzen, and her ancestry is not known in detail. She visited the graves of her parents and grieved morning and evening. At sixteen she married Munakata-no-Akitari, Munakata-no-Dairyō, Senior District Governor of Munakata. When Akitari died, suitors came from far and near, but she swore to keep her fidelity at the risk of her life. The province and district reported the circumstances, and by edict she was exempted from the field tax. (Note: following the Nihon Kōki San.)

Daughter of Tomo-no-Tominari

¶The daughter of Tomo-no-Tominari was a native of Yamanashi district in Kai province. At fifteen she married Saigusa-no-Hiramaro, a man of her own village. After her husband's death she did not change her resolve; she always ate vegetarian food and tended his memorial tablet as she had served him in life. In the Jōwa era (834-848) the provincial governor reported her case. By imperial command she was exempted for life from the field tax and her gate was commended. (Note: following the Shoku Nihon Kōki.)

Osakabe-no-Tojime

¶Osakabe-no-Tojime was a native of Tama district in Musashi province. She married Hironushi, a man of her own clan. When Hironushi died, she observed the mourning with full propriety and served him as though he were still alive. She built a hut beside his grave and wept in grief morning and evening, and her heart did not change however many years passed. In the Jōwa era (834-848) the provincial governor reported this, and by imperial command she was granted court rank and exempted for life from the field tax. (Note: following the Shoku Nihon Kōki.)

Wife of Hatabe-no-Mutsukimitsu

¶The wife of Hatabe-no-Mutsukimitsu was a native of Shimotsuke and a daughter of Hatabe-no-Fusanari. She was modest and sincere by nature. After her husband's death she raised the children he left and would not remarry. Her fidelity grew ever firmer, and she constantly performed meritorious deeds to aid her husband's repose in the next world. The people of the province praised her loudly. In the Saikō era (854-857) her gate was commended, she was exempted from taxes and labor service, and she was granted two ranks of court rank. (Note: following the Montoku Jitsuroku.)

Wanibe-no-Hirotoji

¶Wanibe-no-Hirotoji was a native of Kaga. At fourteen she married Hata-no-Makatsu, a man of Yamashiro. When her husband died, she built a hut beside his grave and lived there for more than thirty years; her grief and longing did not change, and whenever the conversation turned to him she wept. In the Saikō era (854-857) she was praised and granted two ranks of court rank. (Note: following the Montoku Jitsuroku.)

Hayabe-no-Ujinarime

¶Hayabe-no-Ujinarime was a native of Muko district in Settsu province. At sixteen she married Fun'ya-no-Mukomaro, a man of the Right Capital. After twenty-seven years Mukomaro died. Ujinarime observed the mourning with full propriety and served the dead as she had served him in life. She did not take more than one meal a day, and in the end she never remarried. In the Jōgan era (859-877), by edict she was granted two ranks of court rank, her household was exempted from the field tax, she was freed for life from taxes and labor service, and her gate was commended in praise of her chastity. (Note: following the Sandai Jitsuroku.)

Moribe-no-Hidetoji

¶Moribe-no-Hidetoji was a native of Ikeda district in Shinano province. After her husband's death she lived as a widow and did not change her resolve. She made Buddhist images and copied sutras, and never failed to worship morning and evening. For the rest of her life she abstained from meat, and she did not even take up weaving. Her grief was so earnest that her weeping never ceased. In the Jōgan era (859-877), by edict she was granted two ranks of court rank and her gate was commended. (Note: following the Sandai Jitsuroku.)

Wife of Abe-no-Noritō

¶The wife of Abe-no-Noritō: her family name is not known in detail. In the Kōhei era (1058-1065), when Minamoto-no-Yoriyoshi attacked the Abe clan, Noritō's wife, seeing her own side defeated, told Noritō, "You surely cannot escape. I have no intention of surviving alone. Please let me die with you first." And holding her child, she threw herself into a deep pool and died. (Note: following the Mutsu Waki and the Jikkinshō. The Konjaku Monogatari makes her the wife of Sadatō, which is an error.)

Wife of Kamata Masaie, of the Osada Clan

¶The wife of Kamata Masaie, of the Osada clan. Kamata Masaie's wife was a daughter of Osada Tadamune, Utsumi-no-Shōji, Steward of Utsumi. In the first year of Heiji (1159), Minamoto-no-Yoshitomo was defeated in battle and tried to flee to the Kantō. On the way he reached Noma in Owari province and sought shelter at Tadamune's house. Tadamune killed Yoshitomo and Masaie. When his wife heard of this calamity, she went to the place where Masaie had died, grieved and wept, and at last threw herself down upon the sword that had stabbed Masaie and died. (Note: following the Heiji Monogatari.)

Kesa, Wife of Minamoto-no-Wataru

¶Kesa, the wife of Minamoto-no-Wataru, was called Azuma as a child. The name of her father is not known. At first she lived with her mother at Koromogawa in Mutsu. The family had long been very wealthy and was known as the Koromogawa house, and for this reason Azuma was called Kesa. Her appearance was elegant and beautiful, and she served as a zōshi (Note: a lowly attendant among the court ladies) to Jōsaimon-in. Before she had come of age she married Minamoto-no-Wataru, Saemon-no-jō, Lieutenant of the Left Gate Guards, and the couple lived in harmony. Endō Moritō was a nephew of the lady of Koromogawa. Once, when he went out on a supervisory duty, he saw this woman on the road and was captivated. His mind was in turmoil, and he followed after her, and only then learned that she was Wataru's wife. Waking or sleeping he could not forget her; he went to the house at Koromogawa and pressed her mother with threats. Frightened, the lady of Koromogawa nevertheless devised a stratagem and said falsely, "If you will spare me, I will let you see her tonight." Moritō made a firm promise and left. The lady of Koromogawa called Kesa, handed her a small knife, and said in tears, "Kill me this instant." Kesa was greatly startled and said, "Have you lost your senses?" The lady told her the whole matter and said, "If I do not do as he says, he will surely kill me. Rather than die at his hands, I would sooner die at yours." Kesa wept in grief, but thinking that it was a child's proper duty to take a parent's place, she said, "Mother, please be at ease. I will manage it well, so do not trouble yourself further." When evening fell, Moritō came. Kesa welcomed him in and pretended to be pleased. When she was about to go home, Moritō bared his blade and threatened her, saying, "If you will not obey, I will kill both you and Wataru." Kesa said, falsely, "I never truly meant to refuse. I was only testing how serious you were. In Wataru's house there is much that is against my wishes, and many times I have thought of leaving and returning home, but I could not go against my mother's instructions and so have put it off until today. If your feelings are sincere, kill Wataru at once." Moritō was overjoyed. Kesa promised, "Tonight I will have Wataru wash my hair, make him drunk, and put him to bed. Slip secretly into the bedchamber, make sure of the one whose hair has just been washed, and kill that person." Moritō agreed. Kesa went home and said to Wataru, "I went home lately because of my mother's illness, but now she is well. Let us enjoy some wine together." Wataru grew drunk, and when Kesa had put him to bed she wetted her own hair, dressed in men's clothes, and, separated from him by a curtain, lay down in Wataru's place. In the middle of the night Moritō cut off a head and left. When he looked, it was Kesa. Moritō was overcome with grief and remorse, carried the head to Wataru's house, told him the truth, and begged for death. Wataru said, "Since things have come to this, there is no use in killing you. Better that you become a monk and pray for her repose." And he had Moritō's head shaved. Moritō too became a monk. This was Mongaku. The lady of Koromogawa wept aloud and nearly fainted, but she found a letter Kesa had left in a box. Its words were piteous in the extreme. Moritō buried Kesa's body and raised a tomb. (Note: following the Genpei Jōsuiki and the Heike Monogatari.) In the world it is called the Koizuka, the Lovers' Mound, of Toba.

Wife of Minamoto-no-Yoshitaka, of the Minamoto Clan

¶The wife of Minamoto-no-Yoshitaka, of the Minamoto clan, was a daughter of Yoritomo, Seii Taishōgun, Barbarian-Subduing Generalissimo. When Yoshitaka was in Kamakura as a hostage, Yoritomo gave his daughter to him in marriage. When Yoshitaka's father Yoshinaka rebelled and was put to death, Yoritomo sought to kill Yoshitaka. The wife learned of the plan and urged Yoshitaka to flee. Yoritomo sent soldiers, who pursued and cut him down. The wife was so overcome with grief that she stopped eating. Her mother, of the Hōjō clan, was troubled by this and rebuked Yoritomo severely. Yoritomo had no choice but to lay the blame on the pursuing soldiers and have them beheaded, hoping to comfort his daughter's heart. He further tried to marry her to his sister's son, Fujiwara-no-Takayasu, but she refused and would not comply, and in the end died in grief. (Note: following the Azuma Kagami.)

Kozaishō

¶Kozaishō was a daughter of Fujiwara-no-Norikata, Gyōbu-kyō, Minister of Justice. Her appearance was radiant and beautiful; at first she served Jōsaimon-in, and later became a secondary wife of Taira-no-Michimori, Echizen-no-kami, Governor of Echizen. When the Taira fled west from the capital, Kozaishō went with them. In the Juei era (1182-1185), at the battle of Ichi-no-Tani, the Taira were defeated. The Taira clan scrambled to flee by sea, many were killed or captured by the eastern armies, and it was not known whether Michimori was alive or dead. Soon someone came from a ship and said, "His Lordship of Third Rank (Michimori) has also fallen in battle." Hearing this, Kozaishō wept bitterly and at last threw herself into the sea and died. (Note: following the Heike Monogatari and the Genpei Jōsuiki.)

Shizuka

¶Shizuka was a shirabyōshi dancer living in the capital, and was kept as a concubine of Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune. When Tosabō Shōshun came to the capital, Yoshitsune suspected that he was plotting against him, summoned him, and questioned him. In time the suspicion was cleared. That night Yoshitsune said to Shizuka, "For some reason I feel uneasy. I have a feeling that Shōshun may come." Shizuka said, "Now that you mention it, crowds have gathered in the streets, and people are hurrying to and fro in alarm. You cannot fail to be on your guard." So she secretly sent out two boys to see what was happening, but they did not return for a long time. She then sent one maidservant, who came back after a while and reported, "The two boys have already been killed outside the gate." Dozens of saddled horses stood ready to bolt. At the third watch of the night (Note: sankō, midnight) Shōshun arrived. Yoshitsune said, "It is nothing to be concerned about," and took up his sword and tried to rise. Shizuka said, "It is precisely a small enemy force one must not despise." And she handed him his armor, helmet, and bow and arrows. Yoshitsune shot at them and drove them off. (Note: following the Genpei Jōsuiki and the Heike Monogatari.) When Yoshitsune left the capital and hid on Mount Yoshino, the warrior monks of the mountain tried to attack him. Yoshitsune gave Shizuka gold, silver, and treasures, parted from her, and had zōshiki (Note: lowly servants) escort her. But those servants seized the treasures, abandoned Shizuka, and left. The warrior monks of the mountain captured Shizuka and sent her to the capital. Hōjō Tokimasa reported the circumstances in a letter. Yoritomo summoned Shizuka to Kamakura and asked about Yoshitsune's whereabouts. Shizuka insisted to the end that she did not know, but because she was still with child she was kept there. Yoritomo's wife Masako, hearing that Shizuka excelled at song and dance, wished to summon her and see her. Shizuka pleaded illness and did not comply, appealing piteously, "I am by origin a person of low station, and my life is nothing to be spared. But I have already been the concubine of the Lord of Yo (Note: referring to Yoshitsune), and how could I now disgrace myself before so many people?" Masako pressed her again and again. At length Yoritomo went with Masako to worship at the Tsurugaoka Hachiman shrine, and summoned Shizuka and commanded her to dance. Shizuka firmly declined and said, "Today I cannot bear the grief of separation. How could I want to sing and dance?" Yoritomo insisted twice and three times, and in the end she danced. Kudō Sukestsune beat the drum, and Hatakeyama Shigetada beat the cymbals. Shizuka first composed and chanted a waka: it spoke of longing for the traces left by the man who had gone into Mount Yoshino, treading through the white snow on its peaks. Then she danced a song of parting, and chanted another poem, in which, comparing herself to the spinning of thread on the shizu loom, she wished that the past could somehow be made present again. Her voice and her dancing were exquisite, and all who watched were moved. Yoritomo was displeased and said, "What is the meaning of this woman? Today she should be offering song and dance before the god and celebrating long life for the Kantō, and instead she yearns for a traitor. What does she mean by singing a song of parting?" Masako said, "When you were an exile long ago, you secretly exchanged a lifelong pledge with me. My father feared the situation of that time and tried to prevent it, but in the dark, braving the rain, I ran to you. When you raised your force at Ishibashiyama, I was left alone on Izusan, not knowing whether you lived or died, and thought of you day and night. If Shizuka now forgot the kindness of the Lord of Yo and did not long for him, that would be no constancy of a faithful woman. It is only natural that what moves within the heart should appear outwardly. Please forgive her." Yoritomo then held out one of his own robes beyond the blinds as a reward. Kudō Sukestsune, Kajiwara Kagemochi, and others went to a drinking party at Shizuka's lodging. Shizuka's mother, Iso-no-Zenji, also kept them company with wine. Kagemochi, in his cups, made indirect advances to Shizuka. Shizuka said in tears, "The Lord of Yo is a brother of the Lord of Kamakura, and I am his concubine. You are already that lord's retainer. If the Lord of Yo were still alive, how could any of you be permitted to see me?" Kagemochi was ashamed. Before long Shizuka gave birth to a boy, but Yoritomo ordered Adachi Kiyotsune to cast him away at Yuigahama. Shizuka cried out in tears and would not comply. Kiyotsune snatched the child and killed him, and sent Shizuka back to the capital. Masako took pity on her and sent her many gifts. (Note: following the Azuma Kagami.)

Wife of Sasuke Sadatoshi

¶The wife of Sasuke Sadatoshi. Sasuke Sadatoshi's wife: it is not known of what family she was a daughter. Sadatoshi served the Hōjō clan, and at the time of the Genkō disturbance (1331-1334) followed the army to attack Mount Kongō. When the disturbance was put down, Sadatoshi was captured. His longing for his wife did not cease, and he entrusted the sword he wore to a monk and had it delivered to her. When he was later executed, the monk took his robe and the sword to the wife and showed them to her. Seeing them, she could not bear her grief. She then composed a waka and wrote it down: in it she asked who had meant these keepsakes to be left behind, and said that a life that could not endure was not one she could bear to keep. And at last she took up the blade and killed herself. (Note: following the Taiheiki.)

Wake-no-Hiromushi

¶Wake-no-Hiromushi was a native of Fujino district in Bizen province and an elder sister of Kiyomaro. (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi and the Nihon Kōki.) She first married Fujii-no-Tonushi, of Junior Fifth Rank Lower. (Note: following the Nihon Kōki and the Usa Takusenshū.) Hiromushi was by nature chaste and compliant, and her fidelity was never impaired in the slightest. (Note: following the Nihon Kōki.) She was loved and trusted by Empress Kōken and was granted Senior Sixth Rank Lower. (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi.) When the empress took the Buddhist tonsure, Hiromushi also shaved her head and became her disciple, taking the name Hōkin. She was granted the rank of Shinju Daibuni. When Fujiwara-no-Nakamaro was put to death, several hundred people were to be executed on account of their association with him. Hōkin remonstrated with the empress and had the death sentences reduced to exile. After the rebellion, famine and plague spread, and many children born among the common people could not be raised and were often abandoned. Hōkin sent people to take them in and rear them. (Note: following the Nihon Kōki.) In all she took in eighty-three children, all of whom she called her adopted children, and for this reason she was granted the family name Katsuragi-no-Obito. (Note: following the Usa Takusenshū.) In the second year of Jingo-keiun (768) she was granted Junior Fourth Rank and was also given fief households, a rank stipend, and rank fields. (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi and the Nihon Kōki.) When her younger brother Kiyomaro defied the will of Yuge-no-Dōkyō and was sent into exile, Hōkin too was returned to lay life by edict, took back her former name Hiromushi, and was exiled to Bingo. (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi, the Usa Takusenshū, and the Nihon Kiryaku. Comment: the Takusenshū writes Hiromushi as Samushi.) When Emperor Kōnin ascended the throne, her name and surname were restored, she was recalled, and she was granted Junior Fourth Rank Lower, (Note: following the Shoku Nihongi.) and became Naizō, Keeper of the Treasury, in charge of receipts and disbursements. The emperor once sighed and said, "Among the attendants, reputations are all muddled and mixed together, but only Hōkin never speaks of others' faults." She advanced in rank by degrees to Senior Fourth Rank Lower. (Note: following the Nihon Kōki and the Usa Takusenshū.) When she built a residence in the new capital, she was given rice, (Note: following the Ruijū Kokushi.) and was granted Senior Fourth Rank Upper and became Naishi-no-suke, Assistant Handmaid. She died in the eighteenth year of Enryaku (799). (Note: the Usa Takusenshū gives the seventeenth year, 798.) She was seventy years old. In the second year of Tenchō (825) she was posthumously granted Senior Third Rank. (Note: following the Nihon Kōki.) Hōkin's affection for her brother was of the utmost depth, and brother and sister never divided their property. The people of the time praised this. On her deathbed she left word for Kiyomaro: "After my death I need no offerings of any kind. Simply have two or three monks perform raisan (Note: a rite of worshiping the Buddha and repenting of sins), and let this be a model for my descendants for all time." (Note: following the Nihon Kōki and the Usa Takusenshū.)

Wife of Minamoto-no-Yoritomo, of the Hōjō Clan

¶The wife of Minamoto-no-Yoritomo, of the Hōjō clan. Her name was Masako, and she was the eldest daughter of Tokimasa, Tōtōmi-no-kami, Governor of Tōtōmi. She lost her mother early and was raised by a stepmother. In the early Eiryaku era (1160), Yoritomo was implicated in the affair of his father Yoshitomo and was exiled to Izu. He formed a liaison with a daughter of Itō Sukechika and had a son by her. Sukechika feared being held to account. Sukechika's second wife already hated that daughter, and repeatedly tried to separate the two, and finally went so far as to try to kill Yoritomo. Yoritomo fled to Hōjō and relied on Tokimasa. Hearing that Tokimasa had many daughters, Yoritomo sought to court one by sending a love letter, and secretly inquired whether they were beautiful or plain. Someone said, "The eldest is a child of his first wife and is of fine character. The youngest is the child of his second wife, and her looks do not match hers." Because it had been the slander of a stepmother that had earlier brought Sukechika's anger upon him, Yoritomo decided to court the daughter of the second wife so as to escape the calamity of being separated. He therefore had Adachi Morinaga send a letter to the second daughter. Morinaga, thinking that the match would not last and being on poor terms with Tokimasa, destroyed the letter, rewrote it, and had it delivered to the eldest daughter. This was Masako. Before this, the second daughter had dreamed that she climbed a steep ridge, held the sun and moon in her sleeves, and carried in her hand a branch of mandarin orange heavy with fruit. Waking, she thought this strange and asked Masako about it. Masako was well versed in old tales and recalled the story of Hibasu-hime-no-mikoto, who conceived Emperor Keikō on seeing a mandarin orange (Note: according to the Nihongi, the emperor sent Tajimamori to the Land of Eternity to seek the mandarin orange, but the emperor died, and Tajimamori returned with the orange only the following year. This differs somewhat from the account in this book, but since it has long been told this way, the traditional account is followed here), and in her heart she wished to take the dream and make the omen her own. So she said falsely, "This is a bad dream. Moreover, I have heard it said, 'A good dream you must not tell anyone for three years; a bad dream you must not tell anyone for seven days, or calamity will follow.' You have now told it lightly, and that is not something to be careless about." The second daughter was greatly afraid and begged Masako to ward it off. Masako said, "A dream has a way of being transferred: you sell it to another person." The second daughter said, "Who would buy something that cannot be seen or held?" and showed signs of grief and worry. Masako gazed at her for a while and said, "I will buy it for you." The second daughter said, "Even if my sister does not spare herself, I fear it will do you harm." Masako said, "The buyer is not at fault, and the seller escapes the calamity. This is what is called the way of transference." And she gave a Chinese mirror and a set of robes as payment. The Chinese mirror was a family treasure handed down through the generations. Tokimasa loved Masako most of all, and so he had given it to her. The second daughter was delighted beyond all hope. That night Masako dreamed that a white dove came carrying a golden box in its beak. When she opened it, it was a letter from Yoritomo. The next morning that very letter arrived, and in the end the two secretly became intimate. (Note: following the Soga Monogatari.) Masako was twenty-one at the time. When Tokimasa finished his service as palace guard in the capital and was returning home, he traveled with the deputy governor Taira-no-Kanetaka. Kanetaka was a distant relative of Kiyomori, and Tokimasa had promised to give his eldest daughter to Kanetaka in marriage. But when he heard that Masako was involved with Yoritomo, he was greatly astonished. Before long, however, he reconsidered: "This young man of the Minamoto is of extraordinary caliber and worth relying on. Moreover, a great-grandfather's aunt (Note: the source reads 姑, which may mean a paternal aunt or a mother-in-law) of his married Minamoto-no-Yoshū (Note: referring to the father of Yoshiie) and bore him Yoshiie and others. That the line has flourished to this day, who can say this was not an auspicious sign?" Yet fearing a lawsuit for breaking his promise, he pretended outwardly to know nothing, and in the end married his eldest daughter to Kanetaka. Masako fled to the mountains that very night and secretly informed Yoritomo. Yoritomo went there and lived with her. Kanetaka searched but could not find her, and Tokimasa did not reproach her either. (Note: following the Soga Monogatari and the Genpei Jōsuiki.) When Yoritomo raised his force, he had Masako taken to Sōtōsan, where she was sheltered and hidden. Some time later Yoriie, Sanetomo, and two daughters were born.

¶Masako was jealous by nature, and Yoritomo too feared and held back before her. When Yoriie was small, he followed Yoritomo to hunt at Fujino and shot a deer. Yoritomo was delighted and sent Kajiwara Kagetaka to report it to Masako. Masako was not pleased and said, "Though the child is still small, he is the heir of a warrior house. For killing a single beast on an open plain, why need you send a messenger?" Kagetaka retired in shame. When Yoritomo died and Yoriie succeeded to the headship, Masako shaved her head and became a nun. Before long Tokimasa came to be respected as a maternal relative, and together with Ōe-no-Hiromoto, Miyoshi-no-Yasunobu, and others he administered military government and held the power of decision, but Tokimasa came to dictate matters alone. As Yoriie grew up, his conduct became wild; he grew close to men of low standing and kept the old senior retainers at a distance. Yoritomo had always treated the generals with courtesy and never called them by name alone. For example, he called Nagakiyo and Yoshitoki by "Kagami" and "Ema" (with honorifics), whereas Yoriie called them by bare name on every occasion. Masako admonished him at every opportunity, but he did not mend. Five years after succeeding to the headship he fell ill and, his mind clouded, lost all restraint. Masako forced Yoriie to give up the headship. The post of jitō and general overseer for the twenty-eight provinces of the Kantō was to pass to his son Ichiman, and the post of jitō for the thirty-eight provinces of the west to his younger brother Sanetomo. Ichiman's maternal grandfather, Hiki-no-Yoshikazu, resented the reduction of his own share, plotted to kill Sanetomo and Tokimasa, and secretly proposed it to Yoriie. Yoriie agreed. Masako overheard the talk from behind a curtain and quickly informed Tokimasa. Tokimasa destroyed Yoshikazu's clan, killed Ichiman as well, set up Sanetomo, and confined Yoriie at Shuzenji. When Yoriie recovered from his illness, he sent Masako a letter and asked to have letters delivered to his close retainers, but this was not permitted, and even the exchange of letters was forbidden. (Note: following the Azuma Kagami.) In the sixth year of Kenpō (1218), Masako made a pilgrimage to Kumano, went on to the capital, and was granted Junior Third Rank. (Note: following the Azuma Kagami and the Gukanshō.) Having come to the capital with Yoritomo long before, she now sought to visit the sacred places again. Emperor Gotoba wished to receive her in audience, but Masako declined, saying, "I am only an old nun from a remote countryside and am not versed in the etiquette of an audience," and returned without being received. (Note: following the Azuma Kagami.) A few months later she was advanced to Junior Second Rank. (Note: following the Azuma Kagami and the Gukanshō.) When Sanetomo was killed by Yoriie's son Kugyō, Kamakura was left without a leading general. Ano-no-Kanja Tokimoto, a nephew of Yoritomo, was also a nephew of Masako. Seizing the opportunity, he gathered troops in Suruga and planned to obtain an imperial rescript and rule the Kantō. Masako ordered Yoshitoki to attack and destroy him, and then consulted with Yoshitoki and sent a messenger to the capital with a petition. She asked for either Prince Reizei or Prince Rokujō to be made shogun, but this was not granted, and in the end Yoritsune, a son of Fujiwara-no-Naoie, Sadaijin, Minister of the Left, was invited and installed as shogun. Yoritsune was only two years old, and Masako alone decided all affairs of government. (Note: following the Azuma Kagami.) She ordered Sugawara-no-Tamenaga to translate the Jōgan Seiyō (Zhenguan Zhengyao) into Japanese in mixed kana script and took it as her model for government. (Note: following the Gaun Nichiboko-roku and the Kidan Chiyō.) She died in the first year of Karoku (1225). She was sixty-nine. (Note: the Azuma Kagami lacks an entry for this.)

¶Masako was strict and decisive by nature and had a spirit that matched that of men. In the Kenryaku and Jōkyū eras (1211-1222), military disturbances followed one another at home and abroad, but she weighed the many opinions and was able to quell the troubles. Even after Yoritomo's bloodline was extinguished, the meritorious retainers and veteran generals did not dare to harbor disloyal thoughts. The people of the realm praised her as the Nun Shogun. Yoshitoki and then Yasutoki took over the conduct of government and commanded the troops and horses. That the Hōjō clan gained power was surely because Masako laid its foundation. (Note: taking the general sense of the Azuma Kagami and the Gukanshō, following the Kōbu Eiko Monogatari.)

Mother of Hōjō Tokiyori, of the Adachi Clan

¶Hōjō Tokiyori's mother, of the Adachi clan, was a daughter of Kagemori, Akita-jō-no-suke, Assistant Governor of Akita Castle, and was called Matsushita Zenni. (Note: following the Azuma Kagami, the Kantō Hyōjōden, and the Hōjō Keizu.) Once, when she was preparing a meal for Tokiyori, her elder brother Yoshikage came to help, and found that the nun was cutting small pieces of paper with her own hands and patching tears in a sliding paper door. Yoshikage suggested having someone else do it, but the nun paid no attention. Yoshikage said, "It would save trouble to re-paper the whole thing rather than patch it." The nun said, "It is not that I do not know that. When something has a small tear, it is only proper to mend it. I only want the children to understand this attitude." People said that Tokiyori's steady thrift and the gentleness of his government were the result of his mother's teaching. (Note: following the Tsurezuregusa.)

Wife of Kusunoki Masashige

¶The wife of Kusunoki Masashige: it is not known of what family she was a daughter. When Masashige defended against Ashikaga Takauji at Hyōgo, his son Masatsura, though only eleven, accompanied the army. When the army reached the post station of Sakurai, Masashige ordered Masatsura to return to Kawachi. He admonished him, saying, "I have heard that when a lion gives birth, on the third day it throws its cub down into a deep valley to test whether it can leap back up. Now you are over ten years old and should be able to remember my words well. This battle of mine will be decided in life or death, and I will not meet you again. After I fall in battle, the realm will surely belong to Takauji. Gather the remaining troops and hold fast on Mount Kongō. Live or die with it, and never surrender and shame the family name. That is the greatest filial duty you can show." Then he gave him the chrysanthemum-patterned sword granted by the emperor (Note: "chrysanthemum-patterned sword" follows the Tenshō text) and took leave of him in tears. Masashige fell in battle at Minatogawa, and Takauji sent his head to Kawachi. Masatsura was deeply grieved, went before the family Buddhist altar, drew the sword he had received from Masashige, and tried to take his own life. His mother ran to him, held him back, and said, "The late Hōgan-dono (Note: referring to Masashige) sent you home not to make offerings for him, nor to die with him. It was so that you would gather the family and retainers, raise troops, remove the rebels, and seek to restore the house. You received your father's last words in person and told them to me. Those words are still in your ears, yet it is as though you had forgotten them. I fear that you will go against your father's teaching and ruin the undertaking." Masatsura was ashamed and gave up the attempt, and from then on, even at play, he always acted out fighting, and kept only the thought of striking down the rebels and avenging the wrong. All this was due to the power of his mother's instruction. (Note: following the Taiheiki.)

Mother of Uryū Tamotsu

¶The mother of Uryū Tamotsu: her name and surname have not come down to us. In the Engen era (1336-1340), Nitta Yoshisada held Kanegasaki Castle. Tamotsu, together with his younger brothers Gikan, Genrin, Shigeru, and Teru, held Somayama Castle, and, with Wakiya Yoshiharu as their lord and Satomi Tokinari as commander, set out to relieve Kanegasaki Castle. The enemy general Kō-no-Moroyasu sent troops to meet them at Tsuruga-no-tsu and defeated them. Tamotsu and Gikan's nephew Shichirō died in battle together with Tokinari. Genrin, Shigeru, and Teru gathered the remnants of their troops and returned to Somayama Castle. But in the castle many soldiers had died, and the sound of loud weeping filled the town. Only Tamotsu's mother was calm and showed no sign of sorrow; she came forward to Yoshiharu and said, "My sons did not give their full strength and let Lord Satomi be killed. I privately fear that this has greatly wounded your heart. It is some atonement at least that two of my sons died together with their lord. The sons of my house in the first place meant to accomplish a great task for you. If the rebels are put down, then even if I lose a hundred or a thousand sons and nephews, I shall never regret it. Three sons still remain to me. We may hope to raise troops again. This is why I turn grief into joy." Then she stood up and poured wine for Yoshiharu. The officers and men were moved, and all resolved in their hearts to rouse themselves.

Wife of Yamana Ujikiyo, of the Fujiwara Clan

¶The wife of Yamana Ujikiyo, of the Fujiwara clan, was a daughter of Yasunaga, Sakonoe-no-chūjō, Middle Captain of the Left Palace Guards. (Note: following the Yamana Keizu.) When Ujikiyo raised troops, Lady Fujiwara was at Sakai in Izumi province. Before long, defeated soldiers arrived and reported, "Your lord has fallen in battle." Lady Fujiwara asked what had become of her two sons. The soldier answered, "The younger lord Jirō has fled." Lady Fujiwara sighed and said, "Have my two sons no sense of shame? I cannot bear to live in disgrace." And she tried to kill herself. Those beside her stopped her and urged her to take Buddhist vows, but she would not listen. They therefore put her in a palanquin by force and carried her to Tsuchimaru Castle. Lady Fujiwara thrust a blade into herself inside the palanquin but did not die. Her attendants were alarmed and urged medicine on her, but she would not take it. (Note: following the Meitoku-ki.) Her two sons, Tokikiyo and Mitsuuji, came secretly and asked to see her. Lady Fujiwara turned her face away and said, "One without courage is not a warrior, and one who is not filial is not a son. You are sons of a warrior house; you went to war following your father when you were past twenty, and now that your father is dead, his sons run away. With what face have you come to see me? Hiroūji (Note: Ujikiyo's stepson) was only a stepson, and yet he was able to die with his father. Why did you two not die?" And she pulled her robe over her head and never spoke again. The two sons, greatly ashamed, left. (Note: taken by comparing the Yamana Keizu and the Meitoku-ki.) Earlier, Ujikiyo had sent Lady Fujiwara a letter of farewell. At last she took out that letter, wrote a waka on the back of it, and died. Her three maidservants also all threw themselves into the water and died. (Note: following the Meitoku-ki.)

Ono-no-Komachi

¶Ono-no-Komachi: the details of her origin and career are not known. It is also said that she was a granddaughter of Takamura, Sangi, Counselor. Her father was named Yoshizane and was Dewa-no-kami, Governor of Dewa. (Note: following the Ono Keizu and the Sakusha Burui. The Shūgaishō writes "gunji, district governor" in place of "kami, governor.") Komachi had matchless beauty and excelled at waka. (Note: she is called one of the Immortals of Poetry in the world, but the details are not known. Accounts appear in the "Biographies of Poets.") Ki-no-Tsurayuki compiled the Kokin Wakashū, took many of her poems, and discussed her in the preface, saying, "Komachi's poetry is in the line of Sotōri-hime. The meaning of her words is deeply moving, yet in the end it lacks strength. It is like a beautiful woman troubled by worry. That is surely how a woman's poetry ought to be." (Note: following the Kokin Wakashū. In the world there is a work called the Tamatsukuri Komachi Sōsuisho, and it is not known who wrote it. Some say it was the monk Kūkai, others that it was Miyoshi-no-Kiyotsura. It records that Komachi in old age begged by the roadside, and the world takes this to be about Ono-no-Komachi. The Jikkinshō and the Chomonjū both include this story and treat Tamatsukuri Komachi and Ono-no-Komachi as the same person. Kamo-no-Chōmei's Mumyōshō likewise treats them as the same person, citing a poem about a skeleton that Ariwara-no-Narihira is said to have heard. The Tsurezuregusa doubts that the work is by Kūkai because Kūkai and Komachi lived in different periods. Considering the matter now, since Ono and Tamatsukuri are different clans, the theory that they were one person is not adopted here.)

Murasaki Shikibu

¶Murasaki Shikibu was a daughter of Fujiwara-no-Tametoki, Shikibu-no-jō, Secretary of Ceremonial. (Note: following the Murasaki Shikibu Nikki and the Sonpi Bunmyaku.) She married Fujiwara-no-Nobutaka, Uemon-no-gon-no-suke, Provisional Assistant Captain of the Right Gate Guards. (Note: following the Sonpi Bunmyaku.) Shikibu was intelligent by nature, and when she was a child she could recite a book at once on hearing someone read it. Tametoki was very fond of her and used to stroke her and say, "What a pity you were not born a boy." As she grew up she excelled at waka, was widely versed in Japanese and Chinese books and records, and was also well acquainted with court precedents. At that time Jōtōmon-in loved literary talent and chose talented women to keep near her. Shikibu was one of them. When Jōtōmon-in wished to read the Bo Juyi Collected Works (Hakushi Monjū), Shikibu taught her two volumes of the "Yuefu" ballads. Jōtōmon-in's father, Michinaga, admired her talent and beauty and sought a private liaison with her, but Shikibu refused and would not comply. (Note: following the Murasaki Shikibu Nikki.) She wrote the Genji Monogatari in fifty-four chapters, setting it in the reigns of the three emperors Daigo, Suzaku, and Murakami and building on fiction a vast and exquisite tale that stood out above all, ancient and modern. Later generations added commentaries, resolved doubtful points, and made it the foundation of the study of poetic language. (Note: following the Kakai-shō.) Emperor Ichijō read it and praised it greatly, saying, "This is someone well versed in the Nihongi." People called her Nihongi-no-Tsubone, the Lady of the Nihongi. (Note: following the Murasaki Shikibu Nikki and the Kakai-shō. Comment: the Kakai-shō says that when Senshi, the Saiin, Priestess of Kamo, wished to borrow books from the Empress, the Empress wanted to show off something rare and had Shikibu compose the Genji Monogatari. The Uji Shūi Monogatari, and Kamo-no-Chōmei's Mumyōshō as cited in the Kachō Yojō, say that it was composed at the order of Michinaga's wife Rinshi. According to another account, Shikibu wrote it at home, the Empress saw it and found her talent rare, and summoned her to serve at her side. It is not known which is correct.) Her character was gentle and compliant, and she never boasted of her own strengths. The essentials of her modest way of conducting herself can be seen in the diary she wrote. Her daughter Kenshi was also skilled at waka and wrote the Sagoromo Monogatari. She married Takashina-no-Nariakira, Dazai-no-daini, Senior Assistant Governor-General of Dazaifu, and became wet nurse to Emperor Go-Ichijō. The Dainii-no-Sanmi, Lady of Third Rank, the Assistant Governor-General's wife, is this person. (Note: following the Kajūji Keizu.)

Sei Shōnagon

¶Sei Shōnagon was a daughter of Kiyohara-no-Motosuke, Higo-no-kami, Governor of Higo. She was gifted in talent and learning and was named together with Murasaki Shikibu. In the reign of Emperor Ichijō she served Empress Fujiwara and enjoyed her favor. One day after snow, the Empress asked those around her, "How is the snow on Mount Xianglu (Kōrohō)?" and Shōnagon at once stood up and rolled the blinds high. People of the time admired the quickness of her wit. (Note: following the Makura no Sōshi. The Jikkinshō makes the Empress the emperor.) The Empress especially praised her literary brilliance and meant to recommend her to the court as a naishi, lady-in-waiting, but this was not realized, because of the incident in which Fujiwara-no-Korechika and others were sent into exile. (Note: following the Makura no Sōshi.) In old age she shut herself up at home, and her dwelling was extremely poor. Young men from the government offices saw her poverty and pitied and laughed at her. Shōnagon called out from behind the blinds, "Have you not heard that there are people who buy the bones of a swift horse?" Those who had been laughing were ashamed and left. (Note: following the Kokonjō. Uraki's comment: the Zhanguo Ce and the Dongzhou Lieguo Zhi say that Ki-hei (Note: King Zhao of Yan) returned to the capital of Yan, repaired the ancestral temple, and set his mind on revenge against Qi. So he humbled himself and sought to invite wise men with generous courtesy, and said to his chancellor Guo Wei, "The shame of the former king is what I keep in mind day and night. If there is a wise man who could plan with me against Qi, I would serve that man with my own person. I only ask that you choose such a man for me." Guo Wei said, "In ancient times there was a ruler who spent a thousand pieces of gold and had an attendant seek a thousand-li horse for him. On the road the attendant came upon a dead horse, and the people around were all gathered about it sighing. The attendant asked the reason, and was told, 'This horse, when alive, ran a thousand li a day. Now it has died, and we mourn it.' The attendant then bought its bones for five hundred pieces of gold, put them in a bag, and carried them back on his back. The ruler was greatly angry and said, 'What use are these dead bones? Why did you waste my gold?' The attendant answered, 'The reason I spent five hundred pieces of gold was that these were the bones of a thousand-li horse. People will vie to spread this strange story and will surely say, "Even a dead horse fetched a high price, so how much more a living one." Then horses will soon come.' Indeed, within a year he obtained three thousand-li horses. Now, if the king wishes to invite the wise men of the realm, please use me as the horse's bones. And if there are those better than I, who would not come without asking a price?") She wrote the Makura no Sōshi, which spread through the world.

Akazome Emon

¶Akazome Emon was a daughter of Tokimochi, Ōsumi-no-kami, Governor of Ōsumi. (Note: following the Sakusha Burui. The Fukuro Sōshi and the Chūko Kasen-den both say that Emon's mother was at first the wife of Taira-no-Kanemori, was divorced while pregnant, and afterwards gave birth to a daughter. She remarried Akazome Tokimochi, a kebiishi, police commissioner, taking this daughter with her, and Tokimochi raised her as his own child, so she was called Akazome Emon.) At first she served Rinshi, wife of the regent Michinaga, and was called Emon. Later she married Ōe-no-Masahira. She was quick-witted and excelled at waka, and was named together with Izumi Shikibu. (Note: following the Mumyōshō, the Murasaki Shikibu Nikki, the Chūko Kasen-den, and the Fukuro Sōshi.) When Fujiwara-no-Kintō was about to resign as Chūnagon, Middle Counsellor, he asked the foremost scholars of the age, Ki-no-Tadana and Ōe-no-Mochitoki, to compose his letter of resignation, but neither suited Kintō's wishes. So he asked Masahira anew. Masahira came home and sat with his head bowed, looking worried. Emon found this strange and asked him, and Masahira told her the circumstances and said, "Even with the talent of Tadana and Mochitoki, they could not satisfy his wishes. How could I meet his hopes?" Emon thought for a while and said, "I have an idea. He is by nature fond of keeping up appearances. It would be good to set out his family and career at length, while letting a slight hint of disappointment show through." Masahira followed this advice. Kintō was indeed greatly pleased and used the draft as it stood. Such was her intelligence. (Note: following the Jikkinshō. For the office of Chūnagon, following the Kugyō Bunin, the Kasen-den, and the Honchō Monzui. Comment: this book writes "Dainagon," Major Counsellor, which is an error.) Her daughter was called Ejijū and is also famous for her waka. (Note: following the Jikkinshō and the Sakusha Burui.)

Izumi Shikibu

¶Izumi Shikibu was a daughter of Ōe-no-Masamune, Echizen-no-kami, Governor of Echizen. She excelled at waka. She married Tachibana-no-Michisada, Izumi-no-kami, Governor of Izumi, (Note: following the Chūko Kasen-den.) and bore a daughter, Koshikibu. After Michisada's death she served Jōtōmon-in. (Note: following the Fukuro Sōshi.) There was once a monk named Shōkū who lived on Mount Shosha in Harima province and was revered and trusted by the whole world. Shikibu sent him a waka, in which she said that she was bound to pass from darkness into a road of darkness, and asked him to shine upon her from afar, as the moon at the mountain's edge. People of the world considered it an exquisite poem. (Note: following the Shūi Shū.) Later she remarried Fujiwara-no-Yasumasa. (Note: following the Fukuro Sōshi.)

Koshikibu-no-Naishi

¶Koshikibu-no-Naishi also served Jōtōmon-in. (Note: following the Jikkinshō.) She excelled at waka from childhood. People of the time whispered, "If the naishi has fine verses, it is largely because her mother has had a hand in them." When her mother Shikibu had gone with Yasumasa to Tango, a poetry contest was to be held at court. Fujiwara-no-Sadayori, Chūnagon, Middle Counsellor, teased Koshikibu, saying, "Has the messenger to Tango returned yet? You must be very anxious, Naishi." Koshikibu at once stood up, caught hold of Sadayori's sleeve, and composed on the spot a verse in which she said that the road past Mount Ōe and through the fields of Ikuno was so far that she had not yet even seen a letter from Ama-no-Hashidate. From then on her reputation as a talented woman rose greatly. (Note: following the Kokon Chomonjū, the Jikkinshō, the Fukuro Sōshi, and the Sonpi Bunmyaku.)

Ise-no-Taifu

¶Ise-no-Taifu. At that time there was a person called Ise-no-Taifu. She was a daughter of Ōnakatomi-no-Sukechika, Saishu, Chief Priest of Ise. (Note: following the Kasen-den and the Fukuro Sōshi.) She excelled at waka and was named together with Murasaki Shikibu, Izumi Shikibu, Koshikibu, and others. (Note: following the Jikkinshō.) She too served Jōtōmon-in. When Taifu first entered the palace, the regent Michinaga was in attendance beside her. Just then someone presented cherry blossoms, and Michinaga took a brush and inkstone and handed them to Taifu, bidding her compose a waka. Taifu took up the brush and composed at once a poem in which she said that the double-petaled cherry of the old Nara capital was today shining in fragrance within the ninefold palace. Michinaga was greatly impressed and praised her. Such was her quickness. (Note: following the Fukuro Sōshi.)