Nishiyama Sōin (西山 宗因, born Nishiyama Toyoichi (西山 豊一) March 28, 1605 in Higo Province, Japan – May 5, 1682 in Kyoto) was a haikai-no-renga poet of the early Tokugawa period.
Influence and importance edit
Sōin founded the Danrin school of haikai poetry, which aimed to move away from the serious 'bookishness' popular in Japanese poetry at the time and become more in touch with the common people, infusing a spirit of greater freedom into their poetry. Their poems explored the floating world of popular urban amusements in a fully colloquial style.[2]
Sōin's haikai (comical renga) became the transition between the light and clever haikai of Matsunaga Teitoku and the more serious and aesthetic renku of Matsuo Bashō.[3]
Disciples edit
Among the most important members of his school were Ichū, a versatile figure who also painted and wrote waka, and Saikaku.[4]
See also edit
References edit
External links edit
Works by or about Nishiyama Sōin at Wikisource
Media related to Nishiyama Sōin at Wikimedia Commons- A Brief Selection of Poems by Nishiyama Soin
