The Heian Literature Book Report
I've started re-reading my books and thought I'd write a few thoughts about each while it's fresh in my mind. I'll sort in alphabetical order by their (Romaji) Japanese name. (You can read a bit more about my Heian Obsession here).
Hamamatsu Chunagon Monogatari
("A Tale of 11th Century Japan...")
Possibly by Lady Sarashina (AKA The daughter of Sugawara Takasue), or it is anonymous, translated by Thomas H. Rohlich
Currently Reading!
First impressions, though, it is very imaginatively written, but with my modern sensibilities it is hard to grasp that Chunagon was really considered a catch back then. He seems more like a flawed hero - wishy-washy, whiny, and rather selfish at times, even though he purports to want to do the right and correct thing. He seems to cause nothing but grief to the women he "reluctantly" gets involved with. For someone who claims he does not do casual affairs, he seems to fall hard and fast into obsession just from his limited initial observation of the women characters. So far, the heartache count is 5 women. Still, he does try to do the "right thing" after-the-fact, so I guess that counts for something!
On a side note, I am in the camp that believes this really was written by Sarahina. Stylistically, it matches, it's estimated dates are during her lifetime, in her own nikki she mentions getting so distracted from life and her duties by tales (which could mean reading and writing), and if contemporaries up to the 1200s (when there is a surviving colophon on a copy of Hamamatsu crediting her) were happy to credit her with authorship, I think they were close enough to the time of creation for that rumor mill to be true. The argument that a possible allusion to a poem that anti-dates the author's time is a really weak argument in my opinion.
Hojoki
(Tale of a 10-foot Square Hut)
by Kamo no Chomei, translated version Meredith McKinney
Chomei (c. 1155-1216) was a member of the aristocratic society until personal setbacks caused him to take the tonsure and become a monk. In this short memoir (paired with Tsurezuregusa in McKinney's book, see below) he provides some of his personal musings, but this short work really shines when he describes his tiny hut, 10-foot square and its contents. The simple life he lives would be the envy of any tiny house enthusiast today (and indeed this tiny house enthusiast was envious). One is only saddened that Chomei tempers his happiness at the end as though he believes he does not deserve it (it is not conducive to Buddhist training to have worldly attachments).
McKinney's book provides excellent background notes.
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Kagero Nikki
(The Gossamer Years)
by the Mother of Michitsuna, translated by Edward Seidensticker
This is one of my favorites. Covering the years 954-974, the Mother of Michitsuna (as she is known to history) lays it all out about what she really thinks of her marriage. From the outside, I can see how some things were misconstrued on both sides, but I will agree with the author that her husband, Fujiwara no Kaneie, still comes out looking like a cad. For example, he shows himself to be especially petulant when, after he has ignored her repeatedly, passed by her house as if he would visit, but does not visit (he is visiting another woman), he then flips out on her (feeling sorry for himself) when she takes a prolonged retreat in the mountains because of it. How could she be so cruel?! It's also an interesting look at the goings-on of noble households, the festival schedules, the religious retreats, and the social obligations/superstitions.
Seidensticker provides a good background and is very transparent about when he took a few liberties with the manuscript because of textual corruptions or lacunae. Of historical significance, Kaneie is the father of the great Michinaga; and this book was likely read by Murasaki before she began writing her own tales. One can see a few parallels.
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Murasaki Shikibu Nikki
(Diary of Lady Murasaki)
by Murasaki Shikibu, translated by Richard Bowring
Rereading this excellent translation reconfirms to me that Murasaki Shikibu is the grand master of Heian literature. She is so insightful on human thoughts and conditions, and can be equally sharp-tongued and generous to her contemporaries. She mentions burning old correspondence and such...sigh! If only she had not and it survived. This slim account is so rich in detail and thoughtfulness that I wish it were a thousand pages just like her Genji Tales. The diary mostly covers the birth of a new prince (1008) whose grandpa happens to be Michinaga, the most powerful man in the land. This would be some pretty dry stuff were it not for her erudite personal observations, including critiques of some of the nobles and ladies she works with. My favorite vignette is early in the nikki, when she describes having nostalgic feelings elicited by her sleeping compatriate, Lady Saisho, and gets in her face and declares, "You look like a Fairy Tale Princess!" Lady Saisho, startled, is not amused and tells Murasaki she is horrible.
Richard Bowring's notes are clear and concise. I very much appreciate that the notations are on the same page that they occur, instead of grouped at the back of the book like the majority of the Heian translations. There are also some very cool maps of the houses mentioned in the nikki.
Of interesting note, (and I'm not sure why I hadn't noticed it before) Bowring mentions a few translations that are actually abridged versions...I have to look into that more because if my copies are abridged, I need to remedy that situation!
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Sanuki no Suke Nikki
(The Emperor Horikawa Diary)
by Fujiwara no Nagako, translated by Jennifer Brewster
Fujiwara no Nagako (born c. 1079), known as Sanuki no Suke while serving at court, was an Assistant Attendant to the Emperors Horikawa and Toba. This nikki was written by the author as a way to comfort herself through her grief and is really quite moving as she describes Horikawa's final days and her fond memories of him. It is amusing to read how impish an emperor could be even a thousand years ago. For example, Horikawa, learning that a distasteful person is to serve his meal, sticks his tongue out, lifts his skirts and runs off. Nagako is asked back to court to serve Horikawa's successor, Toba, who is just a boy at the time. She has a hard time with this as she is still consumed with grief.
Side Bar: There seems to be some tantalizing internal evidence that there is a missing middle section of the book. That would be an amazing find.
The introduction is quite informative, including a discussion on the nikki as a genre, and background information on Horikawa, Nagako, her family, and the major players mentioned in the nikki. There is some foreshadowing of the tumult to come at the end of the Heian period. The notes in the translation are also informative, however I found myself frequently frustrated with the notes as they never seemed to answer the questions I had while reading and seemed rather generic at times.
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Sarashina Nikki
(As I Crossed a Bridge of Dreams)
by Lady Sarashina (real name unknown, AKA The daughter of Sugawara Takasue), translated by Ivan Morris
Lady Sarashina's (b. 1008) nikki describes her childhood, travelling from a distant province, personal losses, pilgrimages, and her love for "tales" (monogatari), which she blames for her being too distracted to make anything important of her life (such as pursue Buddhist practices or excel in court life). She enters court service late in life for a Heian lady, and she also marries late in life. She writes of the Tale of Genji, and how she sought to own a copy, which is fun to read (and importantly, her notes help estimate when this monumental work was completed). She is a very sensitive and gentle soul which is evident in her writing. She also puts great stock in dreams and their meanings and includes several in her book.
Morris provides some good background information in this translation. I found it especially interesting how the manuscript was rescued from obscurity by a scholar who realized that an early 17th century book binder did a horrible job of repairing the book. The pages had been sewn back together out of order. The book was nearly unintelligible after this and in subsequent copies, until it was finally put back in correct order. Morris otherwise seems a bit unfair in his assessment of Sarashina's life and modus operandi, frequently comparing her to Sei Shonagon whom he seems to greatly admire for her sass. I think Sarashina was just an introvert and Morris doesn't seem to understand there's nothing wrong with that (yes, I suppose this introvert took a bit of offense ;)
Also, I think he's wrong about the gender of the person referred to in section 27 (corresponding notes 193 & 194). The lack of pronouns in Heian writing make it impossible to know, but in its full context it makes more sense that this passage is a thinly veiled longing for Minamoto no Sukemichi, as Japanese scholars have suggested, and not "a woman she knew" as Morris suggests.
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Tsurezuregusa
(Essays in Idlesness)
by Yoshida Kenko, translated by Meredith McKinney
This piece is paired with Hojoki in McKinney's translation (see above). Though Kenko (c. 1283-1352) did not live in Heian times, he was endlessly looking back to them as is evident in this collection of anecdotes and short essays (which are reminiscent of Sei Shonagon's Pillow Book, which he both references and seems to emulate). The topics can be random, but are notable for showing very human reactions to things and some of the prevailing beliefs and customs of the time, some of which can be very amusing. There are also many Buddhist anecdotes. Though Kenko was a monk, he associated with the aristocracy and admired this aesthetic, which is reflected in his writing.
McKinney's book provides excellent background notes.
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Tsutsumi Chunagon Monogatari
(The Riverside Counselor's Stories)
Multiple authors, mostly anonymous, translated by Robert L. Backus
This collection of stories, mostly anonymous, is a little disjointed, but there are a couple charming ones here. I might be biased, but my favorite is The Lady Who Loved Insects (here titled The Lady Who Admired Vermin, which sounds so negative!). Possibly I relate a bit. This lady is not worried about her appearance, shunning all of the proscribed contemporary grooming aesthetics, and finds fascination in insects, most unbecoming! She especially enjoys caterpillars, and enlists the local boys to gather them for her. Pity that it ends with a hint of more to come (but obviously none ever will).
Courtship at Different Levels is also amusing, but, as Backus points out, sort of falls apart at the end.
Reading these, one gets a taste of Heian sensibilities, which is valuable in itself even if the stories are not wrapped up as neatly as one would like (which can actually be said of much of Heian literature). There are 10 stories featured, with lots of notes and introductions to each tale.
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