Kokinshu: A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern (C & T Asian Languages Series.)

by Ki no Tsurayuki (Compiler), Laurel Rasplica Rodd (Translator)

This is the first complete translation of the tenth-century work Kokinshu, one of the three most important anthologies of the Japanese classical tradition. This edition presents the entire work, including clearly annotated translations not only of the 1,111 poems, but also of the original Japanese and Chinese prefaces. Royally commissioned in order to return Japanese poetry to the public arena after a renewed interest in Chinese literature, the Kokinshu's compilers linked the poems by topic, theme, imagery, and chronological and narrative progression to form an integrated anthology; thus, the Kokinshu is meant to be read as a single unit. Indexed. "Rodd's translation of the Kokinshu, with its grace and elegance unimpaired, enables the Western reader to appreciate a collection that was long the central pillar of Japanese literature." --Donald Keene

Genres: Poetry, Japan, Japanese Literature, Classics, Literature, Anthologies, Asia

442 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 905

About the author

Ki no Tsurayuki (紀貫之, 872 – June 30, 945) was a Japanese author, poet and courtier of the Heian period. He is best known as the principal compiler of the Kokin Wakashū and as a possible author of the Tosa Diary, although this was published anonymously.

Tsurayuki was a son of Ki no Mochiyuki. In the 890s he became a poet of waka, short poems composed in Japanese. In 905, under the order of Emperor Daigo, he was one of four poets selected to compile the Kokin Wakashū, the first imperially-sponsored anthology (chokusen-shū) of waka poetry.

After holding a few offices in Kyoto, he was appointed the provincial governor of Tosa province and stayed there from 930 until 935. Later he was presumably appointed the provincial governor of Suo province, since it was recorded that he held a waka party (Utaai) at his home in Suo.

He is well known for his waka and is counted as one of the Thirty-six Poetry Immortals selected by Fujiwara no Kintō. He was also known as one of the editors of the Kokin Wakashū. Tsurayuki wrote one of two prefaces to Kokin Wakashū; the other is in Chinese. His preface was the first critical essay on waka. He wrote of its history from its mythological origin to his contemporary waka, which he grouped into genres, referred to some major poets and gave a bit of harsh criticism to his predecessors like Ariwara no Narihira.

His waka is included in one of the important Japanese poetry anthologies, the Hyakunin Isshu, which was compiled in the 13th century by Fujiwara no Teika, long after Tsurayuki's death.

Besides the Kokin Wakashū and its preface, Tsurayuki's major literary work was the Tosa Nikki(土佐日記?) (Tosa Diary), which was written using kana. The text details a trip in 935 returning to Kyoto from Tosa province, where Tsurayuki had been the provincial governor.

Tsurayuki's name is referred to in the Tale of Genjias a waka master. In this story, Emperor Uda ordered him and a number of female poets to write waka on his panels as accessories.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Tana · Rating 4 out of 5]

elegant quiet
a form in which the plaintive
voices of the past
take the shape of the seasons
of love and the self alone

[Hymerka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Якби не ці пісні,
Яким би чином
Дізнались ми про справжні почуття
Тих, хто давно
Цей грішний світ покинув?

Мібу-но Тадаміне

Товстенький, ошатний, любовно оформлений томик від, на жаль, вже не існуючого видавництва "Факт". Книга зроблена напрочуд добротно: спершу подається японський оригінал з транскрипцією, потім переклад з усіма необхідними коментарями, ґрунтовною передмовою, алфавітними показчиками і списком використаної літератури. Вражаюча робота. Але найголовніше — це, звичайно, самі пісні з далекої Японії, та із ще більш далекого 10-го століття. Як дивно думати, що всі ці поети давно померли, певно, вже й кісточки їхні зітліли, але разом з тим, ось вони тут, всі їхні радощі і страхи, кохання і скорбота, подорожі і службові підвищення. Все, як у нас. Як колись, як зараз, як ніколи, як завжди.

Спочатку дорікаємо сваволі,
Сумуємо
У грішнім світі цім,
Та згодом
Підкоряємося долі.

Оно-но Такамура

[Edgar Trevizo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Más de 1,100 poemas forman esta que es la primera antología japonesa realizada por mandato imperial. Es una gran edición, profusamente anotada y con prefacios y epílogos notables. Bello libro.

[Brendan Coster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually very good. Both the translation and the content. I think I prefer McCoulough's presentation of the poems when the words mean two different things (she puts them one on top of the other). Rodd, generally, used the two meanings of the word in the poem itself which, while easier to read and I didn't mind, I just felt like you lose a great deal of the wit subtlety of the original. You are forced to read Rodd's notes beneath the poems and then kind of rearrange the translation in your head to see what she did with it.

Anyways, my issues are mostly be preference. I four star this because, throughout, I appreciate the attempt to relate these 1000 year old poems to us, now.

Content-wise, some of these are so steeped in their culture, place, and time has to be unreachable - those were a bit more interesting to me in general. The number of ancient cultures that are both non-european and ALSO left us source materials and writings is slim.

Then there were those timeless poems - relate-able to anyone. I sent a few to my wife knowing she'd appreciate them (and she's certainly not doing a crash course in classical Japanese lit here...)

I also had to read this one... there's like 21 other collections of poems spanning from this era on, but I many of the poem get copied and re-copied. I figure the one that starts the format and 'genre' will be enough for whatever I'm trying to do here. It's probably good enough that if I saw a copy some at a booksale I'd pick it up for sure. Maybe, when I'm feeling good, I can look back at people who had nothing BUT time and see what real decadence looks like.

[Bere Tarará · Rating 4 out of 5]

Esencial para entender la tradición japonesa. La edición de Rubio contiene una excelente explicación introductores

[Damián Lima · Rating 4 out of 5]

Importante y esencial recopilación de poesía japonesa de la antigüedad. Su título completo es Kokin Wakashū, que significa Colección de poemas japoneses antiguos y modernos. Este último modernos hay que ponerlo en su contexto original, pues la compilación, ordenada por el Emperador de aquel entonces, data del año 920. Todos los poemas de la colección son lo que se conoce como tanka, forma de poesía breve de 31 sílabas, en el formato 5-7-5-7-7 (al extirpar los últimos dos versos se obtendrá el famoso haiku). Los poemas del Kokinshū están agrupados temáticamente en secciones, tales como poemas de estaciones, poemas de felicitación, poemas de separación, poemas de viaje, poemas de amor, etc. La importancia dada en esta antología a los poemas de estaciones, tematizando a través de diversos elementos la presencia del invierno, el otoño, la primavera y el verano, constituirá el inicio de una larga tradición que aún continúa con el haiku.

[Akemi G. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot comment on the translation because I read this in the original Japanese. I just want to leave a few tips.

One, definitely read the preface. Kokinshu’s preface is one of the earliest literary criticism.
Two, many of the poems that seem to only describe nature in the season are actually love poems. These poems were originally a part of their letters. So it can be about a man asking a woman if it’s okay for him to visit tonight (possibly after some intervals, for whatever reason) Or a woman missing her lover. Seek out the hidden meaning. (Hint: Flowers/blossoms often symbolize women) When you know this, the nature poems are a lot more interesting.

I think Japanese traditional literature is more about poetry than prose, and Kokinshu is the orthodox of all later waka.

[Lulu]

c. 914-920 They gathered poems from the previous century (9th) as well as poems they and their contemporaries had written, but their work did not stop with the task of selection. Rather than arrange their materials by date of composition or by author, they chose a thematic arrangement. The twenty books of the Kokinshu illustrate the topics treated in Japanese court poetry: nature and the natural progression of the seasons, love and the progress of the love affair, celebration, mourning, travel and parting, and combinations of these themes. Within the larger topics, much care was taken in the ordering of individual poems: each one is linked to those before and after by a chronological or geographical progression of natural or human affairs, by imagery, or by subtle shifts in theme.

the first anthology of Japanese poetry compiled upon Imperial order. It was the first major literary work written in the kana writing system.

[Manda Lea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Preface is a little heavy. The Spring poems are a bit redundant. The simplicity and complexity of these poems are, otherwise, pretty astounding.

[Sean Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply amazing both in their English meanings and their phonetics in the original Japanese.

[Debora Stefani · Rating 4 out of 5]

i think this book can be reference for students who want to studying about Japanese poems...
Thanks a lot..
i hope i can read full of this book..