Shotetsu (正徹)

Shotetsu (1381-June 9, 1459) was a poet-monk of the Rinzai Sect who lived during the mid-Heian period. His other name was Seigan, and ango (temple name ending with the character "an") was Shogetsuan. His father was Yasukiyo KOMATSU, and his secular name was Masakiyo.

He studied waka poetry under Tamemasa REIZEI and Ryoshun IMAGAWA (Sadayo). In 1414, he became a priest, and his hogo (Buddhist name) was Shotetsu. Because he was a shoki (scribe or secretary) at Tofuku-ji Temple in Kyoto, he was also called Tesshoki. Yoshimasa ASHIKAGA, the eighth Shogun of the Muromachi bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun), avoided him, so he confined himself to his house. That is why Shotetsu's poems were not selected for the 'Shinshoku Kokin Wakashu' (NEW Collection of Ancient and Modern Japanese Poetry Continued). After the death of Yoshimasa, he was reinstated in the poetry circles and composed many poems.

His style of poetry was considered to be heresy by the Nijo School of poetry, but he respected FUJIWARA no Teika and created his own yugen (subtle and profound) style. One of his disciples was Shinkei.

[Original Japanese]