He was considered mediocre, and his rival, FUJIWARA no Sanesuke, abusively described him as a 'total illiterate (a person who does not know anything)' in Shoyuki (the diary of FUJIWARA no Sanesuke).
競争相手の藤原実資に「一文不通の人(何も知らない奴)」(小右記)と痛罵されるほど凡庸であった。