Taira no Tsunemasa (平経正)
TAIRA no Tsunemasa (birth year unknown to March 27, 1184) was a busho (Japanese military commander) and a kajin (waka poet) in the end of Heian period. He was the eldest son of TAIRA no Tsunemori; TAIRA no Tsunetoshi and TAIRA no Atsumori were his younger brothers. He was a nephew of TAIRA no Kiyomori. He was promoted to Shoshiinoge (Senior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade), and served as Tajima no kuni no kami (governor of Tajima Province), Kotaigogu no suke (assistant master of the empress dowager's household), Sama no gon no kami (Provisional Captain of Samaryo, Left Division of Bureau of Horses).
He was known as the brilliant person of his family, and also earned reputation as an expert of kajin (waka poet) and a biwa (Japanese lute) player. He had close relations with intellectual people such as FUJIWARA no Toshinari and Ninna-ji Temple the fifth generation monzeki (temple rank) Cloisered Imperial Prince Kakusho. Since Tsunemasa spent his time at Ninna-ji Temple when he was young, he was in favor of Kakusho; he was recognized for his music talents and granted "Aoyama," an excellent biwa, by Kakusho.
When the Taira clan was exiled from the capital in 1183, he rushed to Ninna-ji Temple and returned "Aoyama" which he was granted and offered waka; such episode was famous in 'Tsunemasa no Miyakoochi' (Tsunemasa's Flight from the Capital) of "Heike Monogatari" (The tale of the Heike) and 'An episode of Tsunemasa's visit to Ninna-ji Temple' article of "Genpei Seisuiki" (The Rise and Decline of the Minamoto and Taira clans), etc.
In 1184, he was avenged by Shigefusa KAWAGOE's own forces in the Battle of Ichinotani. His children were not officially recognized, but the Ikushima clan referred to themselves as his descendants. "Tsunemasa" (経政) a program of Noh, was Shura-mono (Plays featuring the ghosts of warriors) which features Tsunemasa as a theme.