"ANTHOLOGY OF JAPANESE LITERATURE"
From the Earliest Era to the Mid-nineteenth Century
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CONTENTS 1. Title Page 2. Preface 3. Contents of the Book 4. Introduction of the Auther 5. Impression after reading |
 COMPILED AND EDITED BY DONALD KEENE |
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1. Title Page
ANTHOLOGY OF JAPANESE LITERATURE
From the Earliest Era to the Mid-nineteenth Century
COMPILED AND EDITED BY DONALD KEENE
TUTTLE PUBLISHING
Boston ･ Rutland ･ Vermont ･ Tokyo
2. Preface
It can only be with diffidence that this first anthology of Japanese literature in English is offered to the reading public. I cannot recall ever having read a review of an anthology of European literature which did not point out glaring omissions and inexplicable inclusions−this in spite of the comparatively long tradition of such anthologies. How much less likely it is, then, that the present volume will escape such criticism!
A word must therefore be said as to what principles guided the compilation of this book. It is, first of all, an anthology of Japanese works which translate into interesting and enjoyable English. No matter how important a work may be in the original, if it defies artistic translation I could not include it. Secondly, the selection is as representative of all periods of Japanese literature as is consonant with the above caveat. Thirdly, the anthology is as representative as possible of the different genres of Japanese literature−poetry, novels, plays, diaries, etc.−although, again, it must be borne in mind that in Japan, as in every other country, these various genres have not progressed uniformly. There is, for example, much great dramatic literature from the Muromachi Period but very little quotable poetry.
The length of a selection is not necessarily an indication of the relative importance of the work from which it is taken. It is easier to make extracts from certain types of writing than from others.
One rather unusual feature of the anthology is the inclusion of a limited number of works written by Japanese in the classical Chinese language. Just as Englishmen at one time wrote poetry and prose in Latin, so Japanese wrote in Chinese, with the difference, of course, that while they were writing there was still a country called China where the classical language was constantly being developed.
As I have noted, the translations in this book are meant to be literary and not literal. For example, names of persons, titles, and places not essential to a story have sometimes been omitted in the interest of easy reading for Westerners not able to absorb large quantities of Japanese proper names. Puns, allusions, repetitions, and incommunicable stylistic fripperies have also been discarded whenever possible. Extracts have been made with the intent always of presenting the given work in as favorable a light as possible, even though it might at times be fairer if the book were presented as rather uneven.
There are many objections to the practices cited above, and I am aware of them. But I think it highly important that this first anthology of Japanese literature have as wide an appeal as possible. For those interested in more literal versions of Japanese works, there are at least two scholarly books of recent years designed to meet their needs: "Translations from Early Japanese Literature" by E. O. Reischauer and I. K. Yamagiwa and "The Love Suicide at Amijima" by D. H. Shively. Both of these books give translations of complete texts; all allusions, wordplays, etc., are explained; and words which have been supplied by the translator are enclosed in brackets.
In presenting the anthology I have, for the sake of convenience, divided the literature into political periods: Ancient, Heian, Kamakura, Muromachi, and Tokugawa. However, this division is to be considered as little more than a convenience; it is obvious that a change of regime did not instantly produce a new literature, and it is sometimes indeed difficult to decide to which period a given work belongs. But, just as "eighteenth-century literature" has a meaning for us in spite of the qualifications we may make about its appropriateness as a general term, so "Tokugawa literature" makes enough sense for such a division to be made.
It will be noted that a majority of the translations in this book have never before been printed. Some of them have been made especially at my request, and at some urgency when the translators were engaged on other projects. I wish therefore to take this opportunity of thanking them all for their collaboration.
As far as my own translations are concerned, I should like to thank first Professor Noma Koshin of Kyoto University, under whom I have studied for two years; D. J. Enright and Carolyn Bullitt for help with the poetry; Hamada Keisuke and Matsuda Osamu for their useful suggestions on translations; and Edward Seidenstickcr for having read over my translations, pointing out the infelicities.
Acknowledgments are also due to: The Asiatic Society of Japan for the "Kojiki" and other works published in their Transactions; Professor Doi Koichi and The Kenkyusha Publishing Company for "The Diary of Lady Murasaki" and "The Sarashina Diary"; Nippon Gakujutsu Shinkokai for the "Man'yoshu"; Kenneth Rexroth for "100 Poems from the Japanese"; A. L. Sadler for "The Tale of the Heike"; Dr. Sakanishi Shio for "The Bird-Catcher of Hades" and poetry by lshikawa Takuboku and Yosano Akiko; G. B. Sansom for "Essays in Idleness"; Thomas Satchell for "Hizakurige"; Yukuo Uyehara and Marjorie Sinclair for "A Collection from a Grass Path"(University of Hawaii Press) ; Arthur Waley and George Allen and Unwin, Ltd., for "The Tale of Genii," "The Pillow Book," "The Lady who Loved Insects," "Atsumori," "The Damask Drum," and "The Uta"; Columbia College Oriental Studies Program, Columbia University, for "Kukai and His Master" and "Seami on the Art of the No"; and Meredith Weatherby and Bruce Rogers for "Birds of Sorrow."
Mr. Seidensticker, Mr. Watson, and I were in receipt of grants from the Ford Foundation during the period when the book was being prepared, and wish to express our thanks to the Foundation, which is not, however, responsible for the contents of the book.
Thanks are also due the Japan Society, Inc. for their cooperation in the production of the book.
Muhinju-an, Kyoto
3. Contents of the Book
19 Introduction
ANCIENT PERIOD [TO 794 A.D.]
33 Man'yoshu
54 The Luck of the Sea and the Luck of the Mountains
59 Kaifuso
HEIAN PERIOD [794-1185]
63 KUKAI: Kukai and His Master
67 The Tales of lse
76 Kokinshu
82 KI NO TSURAYUKI: The Tosa Diary
92 Poetry from the Six Collections
97 THE MOTHER OF MICHITSUNA: Kagero Nikki
106 MURASAKI SHIKIBU: Yugao (from "The Tale of Genji")
137 SEI SHONAGON: The Pillow Book
145 MURASAKI SHIKIBU: Diary
156 THE DAUGHTER OF TAKASUE: The Sarashina Diary
162 Poetry in Chinese
167 Ryojin Hisho
170 The Lady Who Loved Insects
KAMAKURA PERIOD [1185-1333]
179 The Tale of the Heike
192 Shinkokinshu
197 KAMO NO CHOMEI: An Account of My Hut
213 Tales from the Uji Collection
224 The Captain of Naruto
MUROMACHI PERIOD [1333-l600]
231 YOSHIDA KENKO: Essays in Idleness
242 The Exile of Godaigo
258 SEAMI MOTOKIYO: The Art of the No
263 PLAN of the No Stage
264 KAN'AMI KIYOTSUGU: Sotoba Komachi
271 SEAMI MOTOKIYO: Birds of Sorrow
286 SEAMI MOTOKIYO: Atsumori
294 SEAMI MOTOKIYO: The Damask Drum
301 The Bird-Catcher in Hades
305 Busu
312 Poems in Chinese by Buddhist Monks
314 Three Poets at Minase
322 The Three Priests
TOKUGAWA PERIOD [1600-l868]
335 IHARA SAIKAKU: What the Seasons Brought to the Almanac-Maker
354 IHARA SAIKAKU: The Umbrella Oracle
357 lHARA SAIKAKU: The Eternal Storehouse of Japan
363 MATSUO BASHO: The Narrow Road of Oku
374 MATSUO BASHO: Prose Poem on the Unreal Dwelling
377 MUKAI KYORAI : Conversations with Kyorai
384 Hailku by Basho and His School
386 Chikamatsu on the Art of the Puppet Stage
391 CHIKAMATSU MONZAEMON: The Love Suicides at Sonezaki
410 EJIMA KISEKI: A Wayward Wife
416 JIPPENSHA IKKU : Hizakurige
423 TAKIZAWA BAKIN: Shino and Hamaji
429 Haiku of the Middle and Late Tokugawa Period
432 Waka of the Tokugawa period
436 Poetry and Prose in Chinese
Short Bibliography
4. Introduction of the Auther
Donald Keene, one of the foremost Western authorities on Japanese literature, is widely regarded as America's pre-eminent cultural ambassador to Japan. Presently University Professor Emeritus and Shincho Professor Emeritus of Japanese Literature at Columbia University, he has written and translated over fifty books. The winner of numerous literary awards and prizes, including the Order of the Rising Sun, and the Kikuchi Kan, Yamagata Banto, Japan Foundation, Tokyo Metropolitan, Fukuoka, and Yasushi prizes, Professor Keene was the first non-Japanese to receive the Yomiuri Literary Prize for the best work of literary criticism in Japanese (in 1985 for Hyakudai no kakaku) and was awarded the Nihon Bungaku Taisho (Grand Prize of Japanese Literature) for the same work. In 1986, he was elected to the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters, and in 1990 was elected as a foreign member of the Japan Academy.
5. Impression after reading
Donald Keene has introduced Japanese literature over 5 periods. It covers poetry, novels, plays, diaries, etc. I have read some of them in Japanese but this is my first experience to read Japanese literature systematically and especially in English. Fortunatly there are many reference books. So I'd like to read this book slowly.
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[Last Updated 2/29/2004]