Jien (1155 – 28 October 1225) was a Japanese poet, historian, and Buddhist monk…
Above: Two poems by Jien, 13th C. - Hanging scroll, ink on paper (Nara National Museum, Japan)
“Jien was well known not only as a priest but also as a poet, and many of his poems were included in the Imperial edition of anthology of poems. A collection of his poems, Shūgyoku-shū, was compiled, too. These two poems introduced in this article were made at a poetry party after a Hōon-e service. Hōon-e was a Buddhist service for Buddha’s relics and was held annually in December at Enryaku-ji temple on Mt. Hiei. Usually, this poetry party was held after the service when each participant composed two poems with motifs from the Hoke-kyō (Lotus sutra) and from Winter. Priest Jien’s poems are about the Juryō-bon chapter in the Hoke-kyō sutra and about yearning for the old days in the snow.
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