Yamanaka Seiitsu (山中静逸)
Seiitsu YAMANAKA (1822 - 1885) is a calligrapher and a statesman who flourished in the Meiji period.
His name was Shoju and Matsuru later and go (second name) was Shinteno. He was born in Higashiura, Tanao Village, Owari Province (present Hekinan City, Aichi Prefecture).
Brief biography
He was born to a wealthy family in Owari Province. His father, Shichizaemon, learned in Kyoto and explored the geography of various places in Japan by walking, and then educated young people in Higashiura.
Seiitsu became a pupil of Shochiku SHINOZAKI in Osaka in his youth, but he succeeded to the family business to educate young people after his father died. His younger brother who was busily engaged in national affairs in Kyoto, however, died suddenly so that he handed over patrimony and became a pupil of Setsudo SAITO in Ise Province.
He moved to Kyoto three years later, where he came in contact with loyal supporters of the Emperor including Seigan YANAGAWA, Mikisaburo RAI and Unpin UMEDA to risk his life on dealing with the national affairs. He met Tessai TOMIOKA in those days and became a lifelong friend.
He lost a lot of fellow members in Ansei no Taigoku (suppression of extremists by the Shogunate), and when he was about to be arrested, he fled to Shugakuin Village to take refuge.
He experienced various important posts through serving Tomomi IWAKURA after Meiji Restoration, and assumed the governor of Mono Prefecture (changed to Ishinomaki Prefecture soon) in 1869.
He retired at the age of 52, in 1873. After moving to Shimogamo, Kyoto Prefecture, he built 'Tai Arashiyama Bo' on the Oi-gawa River in Arashiyama and lived in comfort doing nothing but enjoying literature. He held a personal exhibition of calligraphy and published "Joshi" in 1879.
He died from an illness in1885. Age at death is 64. He was given Shogoi (Senior Fifth Rank) by Meiji Government and also Jushii (Junior Fourth Rank) in 1913, and the monument of Shinteno was erected in Shinmei-sha Shrine of Higashiura (3-chome, Higashiura-cho, Hekinan City). Biography was also published at the same time.
Book
"Joshi" in 1879