, also known as the , was a Japanese Tendai monk and waka poet of the late-Heian period. He became chief prelate of the Enryaku-ji temple in Kyoto, and one of his poems was included in the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu. Almost fifty of his poems were included in imperial anthologies, and he produced a private collection of poetry.
Biography Gyōson was born in 1055McMillan 2010 : 143-144 (note 66).Suzuki et al. 2009 : 85.Tokurō Yamamoto. Asahi Nihon Rekishi Jinbutsu Jiten article "Gyōson". Asahi Shinbun-sha. or 1057,Digital Daijisen entry "Gyōson". Shogakukan.Daijirin entry "Gyōson". Sanseidō. the son of .
At age twelve, he entered Mii-dera, eventually becoming , and practiced the Shugendō austerities of the yamabushi for many years and made pilgrimages to various provinces. At age 25, he received the from .
Later, in 1123, he rose to become Superior General of Enryaku-ji — the highest prelate of Tendai Buddhism. He also served as Grand Almoner to emperors Shirakawa and Toba.
He was known as the Abbot of Byōdō-in.
He died on 21 March 1135.
Poetry Forty-eight of his poems were included in imperial anthologies from the Kin'yō Wakashū on.
The following poem by him was included as No. 66 in Fujiwara no Teika's Ogura Hyakunin Isshu: Japanese textRomanized JapaneseMcMillan 2010 : 168.English translationMcMillan 2010 : 68.もろともに あはれと思へ 山桜 花よりほかに 知る人もなしMorotomo ni aware to omoe yama-zakura hana yori hoka ni shiru hito mo nashiMountain cherry, let us console each other. Of all those I know no one understands me the way your blossoms do.
His poetry records his experiences on pilgrimage, and was in later ages celebrated as a spiritual precursor to the works of Saigyō.
He also left a private collection, the .
Other arts In addition to his poetry, he was also known as a skilled biwa performer and calligrapher.
In later literature As a high-ranking monk of noble birth, he appeared in many later setsuwa tales of the genre.
References
Bibliography McMillan, Peter. 2010 (1st ed. 2008). One Hundred Poets, One Poem Each. New York: Columbia University Press. Suzuki Hideo, Yamaguchi Shin'ichi, Yoda Yasushi. 2009 (1st ed. 1997). Genshoku: Ogura Hyakunin Isshu. Tokyo: Bun'eidō.
Further reading
External links List of Gyōson's poems in the International Research Center for Japanese Studies's online waka database. Gyōson on Kotobank.