Fujiwara no Moroie (藤原師家)
FUJIWARA no Moroie (1027 - September 29, 1058) was a middle-ranking court noble in the later Heian period. He came from Minase line of the Northern House of the Fujiwara clan, and he was the son of FUJIWARA no Tsunesuke who reached the court title of Dainagon (chief councilor of state). Moroie himself reached Jushii (Junior Fourth Rank) and the position of Benkan (an official of Grand Council of State).
After getting the investiture of Goi Kurodo (Fifth Court Rank and Chamberlain) and then of Shonagon (lesser councilor of state), he was appointed to Ushoben (Minor Controller of the Right) in 1048. After assuming Sashoben (Minor Controller of the Left), he additionally held Settsu no kuni no kokushi (the governor of Settsu Province) in 1055. He got the investiture of Uchuben (Middle Controller of the Right) in May 1058, and of Jushiinoge (Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade) in July or August, but he passed away on September 29 the same year. He passed away at the age of 32.
Story
When at the position of Ushoben, Moroie passed by the house in which his former girlfriend lived, and her family called him to drop in, so he returned his ox-drawn carriage and entered her house. And, finding her looks unexpectedly beautiful, Moroie regretted abandoning her and excused himself, but she just chanted sutras and made no reply. While she chanted sutras, she came to a passage in Vol. 7 of "Hoke-kyo Sutra" (the Lotus Sutra), which says that (after one's death) one can soon go to heaven, and when she repeated the passage, she fainted. Though her families and Moroie took care of her, she died before long. Grieving for her death, Moroie secluded himself in a mountain village, so he was rumored to become a recluse.
But after that, he began to work at the court again, so he was called 'a returner official.'