Aibi Akahara

Aibi Akahara [桌彭・愛嫁, 8 July 1787 - 11 January 1828) was a Kantonese writer, poet and nijūgata model. She is known for being one of the 'Six Beauties of Kanton'.
== Biography ==
Akahara was born in the city of Ōhiroshi as the daughter of the chief abbot of the daihora Shūzen Temple, Shingo Nonaka-Shūzen. Her elder brother, Shinochi Nonaka-Shūzen, was the 22nd abbot of the temple, and a noted explorer of Central Asia, while another brother, Yonyū Nonaka-Shūzen, was a politician who served in the House of Commons. Her mother's name is unknown; she was the daughter of a sai from Senzan Prefecture. 
During her youth, Akahara became well-known throughout high society for her beauty and intelligence, eventually being acquainted with Anji Nagimi, the famous painter and woodblock printer. She soon became a favourite muse of his and modeled for a number of his paintings from 1803 until 1806. Eventually the two grew too close for the comfort of Akahara's family, who forebade her from involving herself in the world of modeling, which was viewed as sordid, and their relationship came to an abrupt end soon after her eighteenth birthday. During the short three-year period in which she worked, Akahara became famous across the country as a jūsha, or beauty, although it is doubtful that she was ever aware of this.
In 1809, Akahara entered into an arranged marriage with Toshihon Akahara, an aristocrat who was the brother of her sister-in-law. She went to southern Kanton with her husband in order for him to attend university there. She returned to the Kubura region after one year, leaving her husband behind (he went on to work at a bank in Ayama Prefecture). The couple lived apart for most of their lives.
Throughout her life Akahara sponsored various humanitarian efforts caused by famine or natural disasters, contributing to the reconstruction of multiple temples and the foundation of Aozu Hospital, one of Kanton's first modern medical centres.
Akahara was also a noted poet, having studied under a number of mentors including Toshi Ukamachi. She wrote numerous poems and short stories, most of which focused on faith and spirituality; she published her first volume of poems, Zukeri Hana (Falling Petals) in 1818, followed by a stage play Kinai (Twist of Fate) in 1820. A second volume of poetry followed in 1923, and her autobiography was released posthumously in 1930.
On 11 January 1928, Akahara contracted blood poisoning and passed away at the age of 44.
Category:People