Records of Poetry Contests

Records of poetry contests are compilations of poems recited in the poetry competitions popular between members of the Heian period aristocracy, with the poems arranged thematically. There are 10-scroll and 20-scroll sets of these poetry contest records, and this scroll is the 13th scroll of a 20-scroll set. This set consists of a total of 147 poetry contest rounds, up through the round played by Fujiwara Tadamichi in 1126. It is thought that this 20-scroll set of poetry contest records was edited and compiled by Tadamichi and others. This scroll records ten bouts, beginning with the contest held on the 14th day of the 2nd month of 975 by Horikawa Chunagon, also known as Fujiwara Kanemichi. The scroll goes on to record a contest held on two days by Ichijo Dainagon, also known as Fujiwara Tamemitsu, on the 10th day of the 3rd month of 975 and on another unknown day, with six bouts recorded for each day. It has been suggested that this scroll was transcribed in the early Kamakura period.