Sugawara no Michizane. Sugawara Michizane standing next to a tree beneath a full moon, writing poetry. Sugawara no Michizane (August 1, 845, March 26, 903) was a scholar, poet, and politician of the Heian Period of Japan. He is regarded as an excellent poet, particularly in Kanshi poetry, and is today revered in Shinto as the god of learning, Tenman-Tenjin. Michizane had an exceptional talent in poetry both for kanshi (poetry in Chinese) and waka (poetry in Japanese). His primary interest was kanshi, because in those days the immersion in the Chinese culture was regarded as a proof of refinement and scholarship. Since ancient times the Japanese have contemplated the combination of snow, flowers, moon, and the beauties of nature. And not only have they contemplated such scenes, they've also made them favoured themes for paintings and poetry. The symbolic meaning of the moon is closely tied to the act of rejuvenation. Taiso Yoshitoshi, 1880s. |