Sugiwara no Michizane was the
Japanese god of
poetry and
scholarship. He wrote classical
Chinese poetry, was the closest associate to
emperor Uda and the tutor of Uda's son. Michizane's rate of progress up the political
ladder was astounding, and the supreme
academic degree of
Doctor of
Literature award was bestowed on him at only thiry years of age. Bad stuff happened, and Michizane was exiled to
Kyushu where he died two years later. His 23 children were saddened, I'm sure.
A famous Shinto festival is held in Kitano in Michizane/Tenjin's honor during the eighth month of each year. The essence of his heroism is in the nature of his ultimate failure.