When the courtiers were commanded to hold an autumn leaves match, during the reign of the Murakami emperor.
思ひやるくらぶの山の紅葉ばにおとらぬ物はこころなりけり
| omoiyaru kurabu no yama no momijiba ni otoranu mono wa kokoro narikeri | Pondering, To compare Mount Kurabu’s Scarlet leaves— Only not lesser is My heart… |
Motosuke-shū 1[i]
[i] This poem is not included the extant texts of the match, but from its headnote must have been composed for it and been subsequently lost among with the others.
Round Two
Left
しらつゆのこのはをわきておくやまのふかきもみぢはいろもうつらじ
| shiratsuyu no ko no ha o wakite okuyama no fukaki momiji wa iro mo utsuraji | Silver dewfall Marks out the leaves upon the trees; In the mountains’ heart, Deep scarlet the autumn leaves Hues, too, will never fade away. |
3[i]
Right (Win)
くれなゐのやしほのいろはもみぢばに秋くははれるとしにざりける
| kurenai no yashio no iro wa momijiba ni aki kuwawareru toshi ni zarikeru | With vermillion Dippings eight, hue is laid Upon the scarlet leaves with Autumn added To the year! |
4[ii]
[i] This poem is included in Gyokuyōshū (V: 794/795) with the headnote, ‘For the scarlet leaves match during the reign of the Tenryaku emperor’.
[ii] This poem is included in Gyokuyōshū (V: 795/796) with the headnote, ‘For the scarlet leaves match during the reign of the Tenryaku emperor’. It is also included in Mandaishū (V: 1223) with the headnote, ‘A poem from the autumn leaves match held at the palace in the intercalary Ninth Month, Tenryaku 9’ and in Kiyotada-shū (38), with the headnote ‘From an autumn leaves match at the palace, in a year when there were two ninth months’.
Topic: Scarlet Leaves
Poets
A poetry match held by His Majesty, matching scarlet leaves in the intercalary Ninth Month, Tenryaku 9.[i]
Round One
Left
わがをりてくらぶのやまのもみぢばにひとしきいろはあらじとぞおもふ
| wa ga orite kurabu no yama no momijiba ni hitoshiki iro wa araji to zo omou | I pick, and Compare on Mount Kurabu Scarlet leaves— Matching their hues is Nothing at all, I feel! |
1
Right (Win)
うすくこくくらぶのやまのもみぢばはつゆもわかねどいろぞまされる
| usuku koku kurabu no yama no momijiba wa tsuyu mo wakanedo iro zo masareru | Both pale and dark To compare are Mount Kurabu’s Scarlet leaves— Not even the dew tells them apart, yet Still superb are their hues! |
2
[i] This corresponds to November 955.
| Shinpen kokka taikan no. | 23 |
| Heian-chō uta’awase taisei no. | 44 |
| Title | 内裏歌合 天暦九年 |
| Romanised Title | Dairi uta’awase – Tenryaku ku-nen |
| Translated Title | Palace Poetry Match – Tenryaku 9 |
| Alternative Title(s) | Dairi momiji awase 内裏紅葉合 (‘Palace Autumn Leaves Match’) |
| Date | Intercalary 9 Tenryaku 9 [11.955] |
| Extant Poems | 4 |
| Identifiable Participants | N |
| Judgements | N |
| Topics | Autumn leaves (momiji 紅葉) |