Takebe Ayatari (建部綾足)
Ayatari TAKEBE (1719 to April 28, 1774) was a haiku poet, a novelist, a Japanese classical literature scholar, and a painter in the mid Edo period. He liked the poetry style of Japanese poems, and tried for the revival.
Biography
In 1719, he was born in Edo as the second son of Masamichi (commissioned officer, Kita-mura Village, chief retainer, the Hirosaki Clan, Mutsu Province) and Tamae. His childhood name was Kingo, and his name after celebrating his coming of age was Hisamura. Mother of Masamichi was a daughter of Soko YAMAGA.
In 1729, when he was 11 years old, his father Masamichi died. During his boyhood, he worked hard at literary and military arts, he excelled in the spearmanship. However in 1738, he, then 20 years old, was expelled from the Hirosaki house because of the love affair with his elder sister-in-law. She died 2 years later. He entered into priesthood, became a priest titled Enshu, but nine years later, he returned to secular life.
Pursuing the seventeen-syllable verse, he established his name in the field while wandering to various places. His master was first Yaba SHIDA, who was one of the ten representative pupils under Basho MATSUO. Next, his teachers included Hyakusen SAKAKI of Ise school, Kiin WADA, and Umeji NAKAMORI et al. The haiku pen name was first Kasso, then later Toin, Ryotai and so on.
In 1747, at the age of 29, he set up 'Kyuro-an' in Asakusa of Edo, received apprentices for Haikai (seventeen-syllable verses), but afterward, he traveled much. In 1749, thanks to his pupils' help, and he proceeded up to Kamigata (Kyoto and Osaka area). The next year, he temporarily stayed in Nagasaki, and studied painting from Yuhi KUMASHIRO and Gentoku ISHIZAKI for about half a year. In 1751, he stayed in Osaka, earned a living by painting, and returned to Edo region the next year.
In 1753, at the age of 35, he served Masaatsu OKUDAIRA, the feudal lord of Nakatsu clan, as recommended by his mother. The next year, as commanded by the clan, he stayed in Nagasaki again for about one and a half years, and studied landscape picture under Hikangen and Bamboo Groves in ink under Liyoun. Probably because of his illness of eyes, he preferred a touch of faint brushwork to dense coloring flower and bird picture. As the painter, he used pen names such as Ukyo, Morin, Kenryotai, Kenchoe, and Kanyosai.
In 1757, at the age of 39, he got married with the prostitute Shien (titled Gito). The next year, he left the Nakatsu clan.
In 1762, at the age of 44, he published "Kanyosai Gakuhu" (collection of his pictures).
In 1763, at the age of 45, he promoted the poetry style of Japanese poems and used the pen name "Ayatari". He became a disciple of KAMO no Mabuchi. In 1766, he became a disciple of the Reizei family of tanka poetry. In 1768, he published his first novel "The Tales of Nishiyama". He lived in Kyoto, and lectured on Katauta (style of poetry) and Japanese classical literature. From that period, he deepened his friendship with Kinryu Donin, who was a Buddhist monk from Asakusa.
In 1770, at the age of 52, he built a monument in front of the Nobono Ouzuka Old Tomb of Yamato Takeru, who was regarded as the founder of Katauta (style of poetry). He was awarded the title of "Katauta no Chimori" from Tsunemasa KAZANIN. He lectured on Manyoshu (Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves) and Kokinshu (Collection of Ancient and Modern) in Kyoto.
In 1773, at the age of 55, he got sick while traveling, and in 1774, he died in his temporary mansion in Edo, and his body was buried in Mukaishima Kofuku-ji Temple.
Chisoku-in Sokushin Zeku Kyoshi (a lay Buddhist of Empty Heart in Chisoku-in Temple)
His tombstone is not existing any more.
In 1776, his mother Tamae died.