Shimazu Hisamitsu
Bakumatsu–Meiji period (19th century)
Donated by the Homma family
Shimazu Hisamitsu (1817-1887) was a politician of the late Edo and Meiji periods. After the death of his half-brother Shimazu Nariakira, the 11th lord of Satsuma Domain, Hisamitsu’s son Tadayoshi became the 12th and last daimyō of the domain. As his guardian, Hisamitsu served as regent for his son and took control of the domain’s administration.
This poem is based on “The Temple to the Warrior Count,” a poem composed by Tang Dynasty poet Du Fu. It is about the mausoleum of Zhuge Liang (also known as Kongming), one of the most famous military commanders and strategists of the Three Kingdoms period.
[Translation] The mausoleum of Zhuge Liang still stands today, but the colourful paint has peeled off its walls, and plants have grown wild on these deserted mountains. Never again did he return to Nanyang where he once lived a quiet, secluded life, after stepping down as Liu Bei’s regent.