Sugawara+no+Michizane

(Lyssette did all of this- Jessica) Sugawara-no-Michizane is a cultural figure of the Heian period (794 A.D -1185 A.D). He was born around 845 A.D. into a prominent Japanese family. After much schooling he moved up higher in the social class rank. He was a scholar of Chinese, poetry, and politics. After a while, he achieved a prestigious postion in the Ministry of Popular, a high feat for a scholar, while simultaneously taking on the administrative duties at the school his father had founded. In 886 c.e. he was appointed as governor of Sankuri Province it was a way to further his career advancement. While he served as a governor, he wrote beautiful, touching poetry.

Gaining all this power made him both liked and disliked especially when it came from the Fujiwara family who pratically ran the country at the time. Many did not like the influence Michizane had over Emperor at the time, Uda. When the emperor retired someone spread a rumor about him saying he was going to supplant the new emperor. The emperor being gulible, believed this and had Michizane sent to exile in 901 c.e. Michizane died in 903 c.e. 3 years after being exiled.

Following his death sometime afterwards, a number of unfourtunate events struck the capital in Kyoto. Some things that happened were lighting struck the Imperial Palace, the Emperor’s sons died mysteriously at the same time a plague was going around and drought stalked the land. Citzens came to believe that it was Michizane's spirit who was causing all this chaos. They believed that he wanted revenge because of the Emperor's wrongful decision to sent him into exile.

To hopefully end this turn of events, the citzens tried to appease his angry spirit. Shrines were built in his honor and his titles like "the greatest Japanese poet who had written in the Chinese language" were restored to him. Later he was elevated to deity status as the god of calligraphy and learning known as Tenjin. Due to the fact that most of Michizane poems were inspired by plum trees, many were planted by his shrines. Now hundred of plum trees are scattered around Dazifu.