Nishiyama Soin (西山宗因)
Soin NISHIYAMA (1605-May 5, 1682) was a Haiku (Japanese seventeen-syllable poem) poet as well as a Renga (Japanese collaborative poetry) poet lived in the early Edo Period. His real name was Toyokazu NISHIYAMA. His father was Jirozaemon NISHIYAMA, a vassal of Kiyomasa KATO. His common name was Jirosaku. He used Ichiyu as the pen name of a Haiku poet, while Soin as that of a Renga poet. He was born in Kumamoto of Higo Province. He was the founder of the Danrin-ha (the Danrin school).
He had served Masakata KATO since he was around 15. Influenced by Masakata, he came to know Renga, and went to Kyoto to study it. Although he studied Renga intensively under Shotaku SATOMURA, he was demoted to ronin (masterless samurai) after his master forfeited rank of Samurai and properties in 1632. After being promoted to the master of a Renga hall at Osakatenmangu Shrine in 1647, he had many disciples nationwide. In the meantime, he was also active in the field of Haikairenga (humorous or vulgar Renga), who was regarded as the leading person of Danrin-ha Haikairenga (the Danrin school style Haikairenga) in around Empo era (1673-1681).
Haikairenga became popular in Kansai region at first and then gradually spread nationwide to lay the groundwork for Basho Haikairenga (Basho MATSUO style Haikairenga),
However, Soin composed only Renga again instead of Haikairenga in his later years.
The Danrin-ha, which disliked old-fashioned style of the Teimon-ha (the Teimon school) focusing on wordplay, enjoyed distinguishing characteristics of eccentric ideas and comparisons, as well as light and easy phrasing, by simplifying the rules,
However, it declined following the emergence of Basho style Haikairenga.
Soin style
Tobitei (style including leaps between verses)
The style was also called "Oranda-ryu" (Dutch style).
Prominent pieces
Sarebakoso kokoni danrin no ki ari ume no hana (Here is the school of Danrin to flourish)
Nite-soro Koyasan kara detaru imo (What I boiled is a potato dug out in Mt. Koya)
Oranda no moji ka yokoto amatsukari (Geese flying in the sky look like Dutch letters)
Koreya kono Edomurasaki no wakanasubi (Now I have got Edo purple-colored, young and flesh eggplants)
Samidare ya tenga ichimai uchikumori (With early-summer rain, clouds blanket the sky)
Tonan hitotsu tegami no hashini yuki no koto (Surprisingly, a snowflake has landed on the edge of the letter)
Nagamutote hananimo itashi kubinohone (Since I have been looking at flowers for a long time, I feel pain in my neck)
Evaluation of Soin by Basho
Basho described in Kyoraisho, 'Without Soin as a forerunner, our Haikairenga would have still maintained the style of Teitoku MATSUNAGA.'
Soin is the founder of Haikairenga.'