Prince Sonen

JAPAN; Kamakura to Nanbokucho period (1185–1392)

Prince Sonen, who had an original name of Morihiko and was also known as Sonen Nyudo Shinno, was the son of Emperor Fushimi (reigned 1287–1298). He was conferred the title Imperial Prince in 1310, but renounced as a Tendai monk at Shorenin Temple in Kyoto the following year.
Prince Sonen first studied calligraphy under Yukitada Sesonji, a court noble and calligrapher. Later, he learned the styles of Ono no Michikaze and Fujiwara no Yukinari. The calligraphic style he inherited was robust and displayed traces of Master Kukai’s flair. It was widely used for several years in the imperial court and Shogunate of the Edo period (1615–1868), as well as the public.
Surviving works by Prince Sonen include Name List for Rainy Season Retreat at Daikakuji Temple, which is currently kept at the Imperial Household Agency in Tokyo, in addition to Shorenin Temple Records and Anthology of Poems, among others. With 122 extant fascicles, the Shorenin Temple Records is a comprehensive compilation of the records of Shorenin Temple, written by Prince Sonen in 1311. The work includes the temple’s cultivation methods, rituals, and lineage. It is listed as an Important Cultural Property.