Fujiwara no Aoi-hime

Arms: Azure, two hollyhocks conjoined, argent.

Awards: Companion of the Maunche (Arts - East), King's Order of Excellence from Lucan V (Persona and Authenticity - East), Award of Arms

Location: Shire of Eisental, East Kingdom

Persona Information: Before coming to the East Kingdom, I lived in Heian-kyo, the capital of Japan, in the late tenth century. I, like my contemporaries Sei Shonagon and Lady Murasaki, was an attendant (nyobu) to her Imperial Majesty, the Empress of Japan. She is also my sister. Well...half-sister. You see, I am the daughter of an important political figure, Lord Fujiwara, by one of his lower concubines. My sister is his daughter by a high-born lady. Note: this does *not* make me part of the "Imperial Family". Because of my lowly birth, I cannot be expected to marry well. Nonetheless, I was brought up in polite society and learned the gentle arts so important to our society such as poetry and calligraphy. When my sister came to the Imperial palace, I went with her as one of her attendants. Soon afterward she made me her wardrobe mistress (Mikushige-dono). Not only did I get to choose her clothing, but sometimes she provided me with her cast-offs -- the ones that were not too high-ranking for me, of course! I am very lucky.
A few years ago, I got into my ox cart with the intention of going to the Imperial residence but instead I alighted at the Coronation of Brion and Anna in the Barony of Carolingia in the East Kingdom (you just can't get good ox cart drivers in these, the Latter Days of the Law...). Master Ohashi Katsutoshi graciously took this wretch under his wing and I have been serving him ever since. It is, however, very difficult to persuade a Kamakura bushi to dress his station...
I also belong to House Matsuyama and serve Matsuyama no Mokurai-bozu and Fujiwara no Akiame-hime as Mikushige-dono. In A.S. XXXIV, His Majesty, King Lucan, awarded me His Order of Excellence and granted me permission to wear an uwagi of the forbidden colour (red).

SCA Interests: Heian-period Japan (794-1185), court dress, natural dyeing, shibori, nishiki (brocade) weaving, silk production, kumihimo, armouring, etiquette, pining away and contemplating the ephermerality of things, silly little accessories that make your persona real

Other Interests: See Caisin nic Annaidh

Modern Name: Kass McGann

Email: historian@reconstructinghistory.com

Web page: www.reconstructinghistory.com/japanese/