Hyakunin Isshu No.54 of Yoga Promenade
The poet is Gidou-sanshi-no Haha. The name means she was the mother of “Gisou-sanshi.” Gidou-sanshi is kind of position name of a son of hers, Fujiwara-no Korechika.
Her name is Takashina-no Kishi. Names of most women in Hyakunin-isshu list are not recorded, but in her case, we know her name. This may be because Fujiwara-no Teishi, one of her daughters, became an empress. Kishi's husband was Fujiwara-no Michitaka, the eldest son of Fujiwara-no Kaneie, the husband of Udaisho Michitsuna-no Haha, the poet No.51. When Kaneie who was at the top of Fujiwara family died, Michitaka succeeded the position. However, he died soon at the age of 43. Michitaka had designated Korechika as the heir, but he lost the political battle against Michinaga, a younger brother of Michitaka. He was given a position under Daijin, above Dainagon. Korechika called himself “Gidou-sanshi” which was originally a position in Chinese court. That is the reason why she is called the mother of “Gidou-sanshi.”
It is said that the poem was created when Michitaka said that he would love her forever. In the poem, she says that “Keeping this promise is too hard. It is good for me to die today (at the peak of my life).”
She came from a relatively low-ranking family, so she could not believe Michitaka would love her in the future. Well, Michitaka had a few other wives, but she had three male, four female children including Korechika and Teishi who became an empress. It seems that Michitaka kept his promise for some extent.
Hyakunin Isshu No.54 of Yoga Promenade
The poet is Gidou-sanshi-no Haha. The name means she was the mother of “Gisou-sanshi.” Gidou-sanshi is kind of position name of a son of hers, Fujiwara-no Korechika.
Her name is Takashina-no Kishi. Names of most women in Hyakunin-isshu list are not recorded, but in her case, we know her name. This may be because Fujiwara-no Teishi, one of her daughters, became an empress. Kishi's husband was Fujiwara-no Michitaka, the eldest son of Fujiwara-no Kaneie, the husband of Udaisho Michitsuna-no Haha, the poet No.51. When Kaneie who was at the top of Fujiwara family died, Michitaka succeeded the position. However, he died soon at the age of 43. Michitaka had designated Korechika as the heir, but he lost the political battle against Michinaga, a younger brother of Michitaka. He was given a position under Daijin, above Dainagon. Korechika called himself “Gidou-sanshi” which was originally a position in Chinese court. That is the reason why she is called the mother of “Gidou-sanshi.”
It is said that the poem was created when Michitaka said that he would love her forever. In the poem, she says that “Keeping this promise is too hard. It is good for me to die today (at the peak of my life).”
She came from a relatively low-ranking family, so she could not believe Michitaka would love her in the future. Well, Michitaka had a few other wives, but she had three male, four female children including Korechika and Teishi who became an empress. It seems that Michitaka kept his promise for some extent.