Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 26
Translation and comments by Ad Blankestijn
Translation and comments by Ad Blankestijn
you maple leaves
on Mt Ogura's peak,
if you have a heart
then wait for one more
Imperial Excursion
on Mt Ogura's peak,
if you have a heart
then wait for one more
Imperial Excursion
Ogura-yama
mine no momoji-ha
kokoro araba
ima hitotabi no
miyuki matanamu
小倉山
峰のもみじ葉
心あらば
今ひとたびの
みゆきまたなむ
峰のもみじ葉
心あらば
今ひとたびの
みゆきまたなむ
Fujiwara no Tadahira 藤原忠平 (880–949)
Kyoto's Arashiyama/Sagano area) is famous as the place where Fujiwara no Teika had his villa and where he is supposed to have compiled the Hyakunin Isshu anthology. Verdant Sagano was a kind of resort area (like Uji in Poem 8), with fresh air and clear rapids, a world away from the noisy and dusty city. Many Heian aristocrats had villas here.
The present poem starts the association of Sagano with autumn and momiji, maple leaves, turning away from Tatsuta in Nara which until then had been the classical poetic association for autumn colors.
As the emperor still has not made his outing to see the maple leaves, the poet playfully asks the leaves to keep their colors for a while. A headnote accompanying the poem in the Shuishu, puts the sentiment of the poem in the mouth of the Cloistered Emperor Uda, who was so impressed by the maple leaves on and near Mt Ogura, that he wanted his son, Emperor Daigo, to see them as well. Tadahira then composed the poem to convey the Cloistered Emperor's will. The occasion was quite famous as it also figures in the Tales of Yamato (episode 99) and in the Great Mirror (Okagami).
Note that the basic situation of Tadahira's poem is similar to that of Poem 24 by Michizane. "Miyuki," "An Imperial Excursion," is also a chapter title in the Genji Monogatari, although there the emperor visits the Oharano Shrine further west of Kyoto rather than Arashiyama. .
By the way, with this poem we enter the mid-Heian period, called "the Period of the Fujiwara Regency (Sekkan-ki)," which lasted from the early 10th c. until the mid-11th c., and it is fitting that it was written by one of the most powerful Fujiwara regents of all time.
[Arashiyama, Kyoto]
Kyoto's Arashiyama/Sagano area) is famous as the place where Fujiwara no Teika had his villa and where he is supposed to have compiled the Hyakunin Isshu anthology. Verdant Sagano was a kind of resort area (like Uji in Poem 8), with fresh air and clear rapids, a world away from the noisy and dusty city. Many Heian aristocrats had villas here.
The present poem starts the association of Sagano with autumn and momiji, maple leaves, turning away from Tatsuta in Nara which until then had been the classical poetic association for autumn colors.
As the emperor still has not made his outing to see the maple leaves, the poet playfully asks the leaves to keep their colors for a while. A headnote accompanying the poem in the Shuishu, puts the sentiment of the poem in the mouth of the Cloistered Emperor Uda, who was so impressed by the maple leaves on and near Mt Ogura, that he wanted his son, Emperor Daigo, to see them as well. Tadahira then composed the poem to convey the Cloistered Emperor's will. The occasion was quite famous as it also figures in the Tales of Yamato (episode 99) and in the Great Mirror (Okagami).
Note that the basic situation of Tadahira's poem is similar to that of Poem 24 by Michizane. "Miyuki," "An Imperial Excursion," is also a chapter title in the Genji Monogatari, although there the emperor visits the Oharano Shrine further west of Kyoto rather than Arashiyama. .
By the way, with this poem we enter the mid-Heian period, called "the Period of the Fujiwara Regency (Sekkan-ki)," which lasted from the early 10th c. until the mid-11th c., and it is fitting that it was written by one of the most powerful Fujiwara regents of all time.
Notes
- Ogura-yama: Mt Ogura is located in Kyoto's Sagano. It lies opposite Arashiyama, from which it is separated by the Oi River. It is in fact a small, round hill rather than a soaring mountain peak. This is the only poem in the collection associated with Mt Ogura. The compiler of the Hyakunin Isshu, Fujiwara no Teika, lived here in the Ogura Sanso (Villa), of which however the exact location in this area is not known.
- mine no momiji: the red maple leaves are here personified and directly addressed by the poet.
- ima hitotabi: one more
- miyuki: the imperial excursion of Emperor Daigo.
- -namu: indicates a wish: "I want you to wait for the imperial excursion."
[Kyoto seen from Arashiyama (Okochi Sanso)]
The poet
The powerful statesman and politician Fujiwara no Tadahiro was also known as Teishinko, "Lord Teishin," or "the Ko-Ichijo Chancellor." Tadahira is credited with writing the Engishiki and was one of the principle editors responsible for the development of the Japanese legal code known as Sandai-kyaku-shiki ("Rules and Regulations of the Three Generations"). Tadahira served as regent under Emperor Suzaku who ruled from 930 to 946.Tadahira was the son of Mototsune; his brothers were Fujiwara no Tokihira and Fujiwara no Nakahira. Tadahira took over as head of the Hokke (Northern) branch of the Fujiwara clan in 909 when his elder brother Tokihira died. He was the father of Morosuke, who in turn was the grandfather of the famous Michinaga. Tadahira's diary is extant, as are 13 of his poems in various imperial anthologies.
[The river gorge at Arashiyama seen from Kameyama Park]
Visiting
(1) Kameyama Park. Arashiyama has been a popular scenic spot since the Heian period, famous for its cherry blossoms in spring and maple trees in autumn. The harmony of the green mountains, the river flowing through a gorge, and the graceful Togetsu Bridge, makes this a wonderful place to visit.
The Katsura River, which weaves its way through the Atago Mountains to the northwest of Kyoto, is named "Hozu River" from Kameoka, and "Oi River" in the Arashiyama area (before becoming Katsura River again). Kameyama Park is a hilly area occupying the southeastern part of Mt. Ogura, with Tenryuji Temple and its beautiful subtemple Hogon-in to the east and Okochi Sanso Villa to the north, and is impressive for its gorgeous nature, with red pines as the main trees, cherry trees and maple trees, and azaleas and other plants growing in clusters underneath. On the west side, there is an observatory, at an elevation of 40 meters above the river, which affords an excellent panoramic view of the Hozu River in the gorge between Arashiyama and Mt Ogura. On the other side of the Hozu River, Senkoji Temple's Daihikaku Pavilion, associated with Suminokura Ryoi (see below), can be seen on a rocky outcrop.
In Kameyama Park are located 49 kahi, stones with inscriptions of waka from the Hyakunin Isshu. When you can read some Japanese, it is nice to make a leisurely walk around this "Garden of Literature."
In the park you'll als find a statue of Suminokura Ryoi (1554 - 1614), a wealthy merchant from Kyoto. In the 1590s Hideyoshi granted him a license for overseas trade with what is now Vietnam. This endeavor brought in huge profits for Suminokura - until the Tokugawas closed the country in 1635. Suminokura Ryoi used his fortune to open various rivers around Kyoto for commercial navigation (and new profits), the most important ones being the present Hozu River (people taking the popular Hozugawa-kudari course from Kameoka to Arashiyama still profit from his efforts!) and the Takasegawa Canal he had dug along the Kamo River (which was too erratic in its water levels to use for regular transport services) from central Kyoto south to the Yodo River.
The Katsura River, which weaves its way through the Atago Mountains to the northwest of Kyoto, is named "Hozu River" from Kameoka, and "Oi River" in the Arashiyama area (before becoming Katsura River again). Kameyama Park is a hilly area occupying the southeastern part of Mt. Ogura, with Tenryuji Temple and its beautiful subtemple Hogon-in to the east and Okochi Sanso Villa to the north, and is impressive for its gorgeous nature, with red pines as the main trees, cherry trees and maple trees, and azaleas and other plants growing in clusters underneath. On the west side, there is an observatory, at an elevation of 40 meters above the river, which affords an excellent panoramic view of the Hozu River in the gorge between Arashiyama and Mt Ogura. On the other side of the Hozu River, Senkoji Temple's Daihikaku Pavilion, associated with Suminokura Ryoi (see below), can be seen on a rocky outcrop.
In Kameyama Park are located 49 kahi, stones with inscriptions of waka from the Hyakunin Isshu. When you can read some Japanese, it is nice to make a leisurely walk around this "Garden of Literature."
In the park you'll als find a statue of Suminokura Ryoi (1554 - 1614), a wealthy merchant from Kyoto. In the 1590s Hideyoshi granted him a license for overseas trade with what is now Vietnam. This endeavor brought in huge profits for Suminokura - until the Tokugawas closed the country in 1635. Suminokura Ryoi used his fortune to open various rivers around Kyoto for commercial navigation (and new profits), the most important ones being the present Hozu River (people taking the popular Hozugawa-kudari course from Kameoka to Arashiyama still profit from his efforts!) and the Takasegawa Canal he had dug along the Kamo River (which was too erratic in its water levels to use for regular transport services) from central Kyoto south to the Yodo River.
(2) Nison-in. The exact location in Sagano of Teika's villa is not known from independent sources - the idea that it was Nisonin comes from poetry fans in the Edo-period and has no scientific basis. There are also competitors, such as nearby Jojakko-in temple or the quiet nunnery Enrian. Both Nisonin and Jojakko-in seem in fact doubtful as they are located on hills and Heian aristocrats usually built their villas on more easily accessible, level ground - probably Teika had his country house somewhere in the vicinity of where now Rakushisha with its memories of another poet, Basho, stands.
Nison-in
is supposed to have been founded in 841 by the Emperor Saga (who is
also intimately connected with Daikakuji). Belonging to the Tendai
faith, it derives its name "Temple of the Two Images" from the fact that
it has two main images: Shaka, who enlightens humans in this world, and
Amida who takes care of our souls after death.
Because of its purported association with the Hyakunin Isshu, every year in May, the temple hosts a re-enactment of a Heian-era karuta game played by women in period costume. At all times it is an elegant and serene place. A kahi stone with the present poem stands on the hill behind the main hall.
Because of its purported association with the Hyakunin Isshu, every year in May, the temple hosts a re-enactment of a Heian-era karuta game played by women in period costume. At all times it is an elegant and serene place. A kahi stone with the present poem stands on the hill behind the main hall.
References: Pictures of the Heart, The Hyakunin Isshu in Word and Image by Joshua S. Mostow (University of Hawai'i Press, 1996); Traditional Japanese Poetry, An Anthology, by Steven D. Carter (Stanford University Press, 1991); Hyakunin Isshu by Inoue Muneo, etc. (Shinchosha, 1990); Genshoku Hyakunin Isshu by Suzuki Hideo, etc. (Buneido, 1997); Ogura Hyakunin Isshu at Japanese Text Initiative (University of Virginia Library Etext Center); Hyakunin Isshu wo aruku by Shimaoka Shin (Kofusha Shuppan); Hyakunin Isshu, Ocho waka kara chusei waka e by Inoue Muneo (Chikuma Shoin, 2004); Basho's Haiku (2 vols) by Toshiharu Oseko (Maruzen, 1990); The Ise Stories by Joshua S. Mostow and Royall Tyler (University of Hawai'i Press, 2010); Kokin Wakashu, The First Imperial Anthology of Japanese Poetry by Helen Craig McCullough (Stanford University Press, 1985); Kokinshu, A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern by Laurel Rasplica Rodd and Mary Catherine Henkenius (University of Tokyo Press, 1984); Kokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1994); Shinkokin Wakashu (Shogakkan, 1995); Taketori Monogatari-Ise Monogatari-Yamato Monogatari-Heichu Monogatari (Shogakkan, 1994).
The photos in this post are my own work.