Minamoto no Masamichi (源雅通)
MINAMOTO no Masamichi (year of birth unknown - August 10, 1017) was a government officer (especially one of low to medium rank) and kajin (waka (a traditional Japanese poem of thirty-one syllables) poet) of the mid-Heian period. He was from the Uda-Genji (Minamoto clan) Imperial Prince Atsumine line. He was the grandson of MINAMOTO no Masanobu, who had the title of Sadaijin (Minister of Left). He was the child of MINAMOTO no Tokimichi, who had the title of benkan (officials of the dajokan). His mother was the daughter of MINAMOTO no Takatoki, who had the title of Tajima Kokushu (Governor of Tajima Province). His children were MINAMOTO no Masataka (Jugoinoge (Junior Fifth Rank)), Nenshin (念真) (To-ji Temple Ajari (a master and high priest in esoteric Buddhism)), Gyogen (Eryaku-ji Temple Ajari), Gason (雅尊) (Enryaku-ji Ajari), and Nenson (Onjo-ji Temple Ajari). He was called 'Tanba no chujo' (Middle Captain of Tanba Province).
After his father underwent shukke (became a Buddhist monk) in 987, he was adopted by his grandfather, Masanobu. He was raised by FUJIWARA no Bokushi (also pronounced as FUJIWARA no Atsuko and the wife of Masanobu) after the death of Masanobu ("Eiga Monogatari"(A Tale of Flowering Fortunes), Volume 12). He was given the patronage of the Michinaga couple for being related to his aunt, MINAMOTO no Rinshi (wife of FUJIWARA no Michinaga). He was assigned to Konoefu in 998, and consecutively assigned to positions of Ukone no Gon no chujo (Provisional Middle Captain of the Right Division of Inner Palace Guards), Goi no kurodo (Kurodo (Chamberlain) with the fifth rank), a chief officer serving the Imperial Prince Atsuhira (Goichijo Emperor))family, Mokuryo (Bureau of Carpentry), a chief officer managing the mikuriya (manors of Imperial family and powerful shrines) of Emperor Reizei, Tanba Kokushu (Governor of Tanba Province), and Chugu-shiki no suke (Assistant Master of the Consort's Household) of FUJIWARA no Kenshi since then. He passed away on August 10, 1017 due to an epidemic that was spreading at that time, and his last court position was Konoe no chujo (middle captain of the palace guards) with the rank of Jushiinoge (Junior Fourth Rank, Lower Grade).
It was said that his character was honest and did not flatter people, but had bad karma for liking Shoyo games held in Spring and Fall, did hunting, favored Eiga (Flowering Fortune), but followed doctrine and read the Hoke-kyo Sutra (the Lotus Sutra) daily so he would be able to go to heaven ("Honcho Hokke Genki" (Accounts of auspicious signs of the Lotus Sutra in our country)). He was a kajin and had one of his poem collected in "Goshui Wakashu" (Later Collection of Gleanings of Japanese Poetry) and "Izumi Shikibu Shu" (The Poetry Book of Izumi Shikibu), and two poems in "ISE no Taifu shu" (private collection of Taifu of Ise Province).