Japanese Literature

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Japanese Literature, by Various

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Title: Japanese Literature Including Selections from Genji Monogatari and Classical Poetry and Drama of Japan
Author: Various
Editor: Epiphanius Wilson
Release Date: September 13, 2006 [EBook #19264]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JAPANESE LITERATURE ***

Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Sankar Viswanathan, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

Transcriber's Note:
The accenting of the Japanese names is not consistent throughout the book. The accents are preserved as given in the book.

Japanese Literature
INCLUDING SELECTIONS FROM
GENJI MONOGATARI
AND
CLASSICAL POETRY AND DRAMA
OF JAPAN

WITH CRITICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES BY
EPIPHANIUS WILSON, A.M.

REVISED EDITION
COPYRIGHT, 1900 BY THE COLONIAL PRESS
* * * * *

CONTENTS
GENJI MONOGATARI
Introduction
I.--The Chamber of Kiri
II.--The Broom-like Tree
III.--Beautiful Cicada
IV.--Evening Glory
V.--Young Violet
VI.--Saffron Flower
VII.--Maple Fête
VIII.--Flower-Feast
IX.--Hollyhock
X.--Divine Tree
XI.--Villa of Falling Flowers
XII.--Exile at Suma
XIII.--Exile at Akashi
XIV.--The Beacon
XV.--Overgrown Mugwort
XVI.--Barrier House
XVII.--Competitive Show of Pictures
CLASSICAL POETRY OF JAPAN
Introduction
BALLADS--
The Fisher-Boy Urashima
On Seeing a Dead Body
The Maiden of Unáhi
The Grave of the Maiden of Unáhi
The Maiden of Katsushika
The Beggar's Complaint
A Soldier's Regrets on Leaving Home
LOVE SONGS--
On Beholding the Mountain
Love is Pain
Hitomaro to His Mistress
No Tidings
Homeward
The Maiden and the Dog
Love is All
Husband and Wife
He Comes Not
He and She
The Pearls
A Damsel Crossing a Bridge
Secret Love
The Omen
A Maiden's Lament
Rain and Snow
Mount Mikash
Evening
ELEGIES--
On the Death of the Mikado Tenji
On the Death of the Poet's Mistress
Elegy on the Poet's Wife
On the Death of Prince Hinami
On the Death of the Nun Riguwa?
On the Poet's Son, Furubi
Short Stanza on the Same Occasion
MISCELLANEOUS POEMS--
View from Mount Kago
The Mikado's Bow
Spring and Autumn
Spring
Recollections of My Children
The Brook of Hatsúse
Lines to a Friend
A Very Ancient Ode
The Bridge to Heaven
Ode to the Cuckoo
The Ascent of Mount Tsukúba
Couplet
SHORT STANZAS
THE DRAMA OF JAPAN
Nakamitsu
Abstraction
* * * * *

GENJI MONOGATARI
BY
MURASAKI SHIKIB
[Translated into English by Suyematz Kenchio]

INTRODUCTION
BY THE TRANSLATOR
Genji Monogatari,[1] the original of this translation, is one of the standard works of Japanese literature. It has been regarded for centuries as a national treasure. The title of the work is by no means unknown to those Europeans who take an interest in Japanese matters, for it is mentioned or alluded to in almost every European work relating to our country. It was written by a lady, who, from her writings, is considered one of the most talented women that Japan has ever produced.
She was the daughter of Fujiwara Tametoki, a petty Court noble, remotely connected with the great family of Fujiwara, in the tenth century after Christ, and was generally called Murasaki Shikib. About these names a few remarks are necessary. The word "Shikib" means "ceremonies," and is more properly a name adopted, with the addition of certain suffixes, to designate special Court offices. Thus the term "Shikib-Ki?" is synonymous with "master of the ceremonies," and "Shikib-no-Ji?" with "secretary to the master of the ceremonies." Hence it might at first sight appear rather peculiar if such an appellation should happen to be used as the name of a woman. It was, however, a custom of the period for noble ladies and their attendants to be often called after such offices, generally with the suffix "No-Kata," indicating the female sex, and somewhat corresponding to the word "madam." This probably originated in the same way as the practice in America of calling ladies by their husbands' official titles, such as Mrs. Captain, Mrs. Judge, etc., only that in the case of the Japanese custom the official title came in time to be used without any immediate association with the offices themselves, and often even as a maiden name. From this custom our authoress came to be called "Shikib," a name which did not originally apply to a person. To this another name, Murasaki, was added, in order to distinguish her from other ladies who may also have been called Shikib. "Murasaki" means "violet," whether the flower or the color. Concerning the origin of this appellation there exist two different opinions. Those holding one, derive it from her family name, Fujiwara; for "Fujiwara" literally means "the field of Wistaria," and the color of the Wistaria blossom is violet. Those holding the other, trace it to the fact that out of several persons introduced into the story, Violet (Murasaki in the text) is a most modest and gentle woman, whence it is thought that the admirers of the work transferred the name to the authoress herself. In her youth she was maid of honor to a daughter of the then prime minister, who became eventually the wife of the Emperor Ichiji?, better known by her surname, Ji?t?-Monin, and who is especially famous as having been the patroness of our authoress. Murasaki Shikib married a noble, named Nobtaka, to whom she bore a