Rokkasen 六歌仙

The Six Immortal Poets. A pictorial theme depicting six outstanding poets of the 9th century. Designated by Ki no Tsurayuki 紀貫之 (ca.868-945) in the preface of Kokinshū 古今集, the first imperial anthology compiled in 905. The six distinguished poets are: Ariwara no Narihira 在原業平 (see *Ise monogatari-e 伊勢物語絵), Henjō Sōjō 遍照僧正 (Bishop Henjō), Kisen hōshi 喜撰法師 (Monk Kisen), Ōtomo no Kuronushi 大伴黒主, Bun'ya no Yasuhide 文屋康秀, and Ono no Komachi 小野小町 (see *nanakomachi 七小町). The term kasen (immortals of waka 和歌 or Japanese poems), which was derived from the Chinese term shixian (Jp: shisen 詩仙, immortals of poems) is thought to have been adopted by the mid-10th century and applied to the six poets thereafter.