Bashō’s Inspiration
Poetry is used to convey one’s feelings in an abstract writing of profound perception. When writing poetry, one’s perception must have inspiration in order to breathe life and produce picturesque imagery upon paper. During late 19th century Japan, a linked-verse form of poetry called haiku, formerly known as hokku, was created. It was utilized to signify an autonomous poetic form originating from medieval comic linked verse. Haikus often describes the occurrences of nature or seasons. A poet by the name of Matsuo Bashō mastered the form of haiku. He wrote a travel narrative called, “Narrow Road of the Interior”, by which haikus were inserted to convey his feelings towards the natural settings. Bashō provokes inspiration for his haikus from the historical foundation of the various landmarks engulfed in its natural setting. By doing this, he enhances the antiquity of the historical sites, while at the same time, appreciating the natural tranquility and beauty.
One of the first landmarks Bashō writes about in his narrative is the shrine located on the Nikkō Mountains. He explains that the mountain’s original name was “Nikōsan” meaning “Two-Storm Mountain”, until “The Great Teacher Kūkai” renamed it “Nikkō”, meaning sunlight, when he established the temple. Bashō combines the historical significance of the shrine with the serenity and refuge the place appears to give through its natural sunlight and landscape. In response, Bashō writes, “Ah, awesome sight!/on summer leaves and spring leaves,/the radiance of the sun!” (Bashō, p.609), in which he ends his visit to the shrine. The inspiration of the this haiku stems from the re-appellation of the mountains by the esteemed monk along with the “radiance of the s...
... middle of paper ...
...s takes a bit of sand to the front of the shrine. This was created by ‘the Second Pilgrim’, which was a name received by the head of the Ji sect in the Buddhist religion, regarding his ‘pursuance of a great vow.’
Bashō not only expresses his adoration for the natural scenery, but the ancient history as well. He acknowledges that the landmarks enhance significance of each natural setting. Anyone could venture out in order to establish appreciation for nature in its wildest forms, however knowing the history behind the various places gives reason for such appreciation. After a while, ancient history reverts back into nature as the world regenerates new life in order to keep balance. A long journey allows for one to reunite with the earth, and bask in the joys of nature and antiquity.
Darkness has fallen
the summer heat has settled
these tired eyes close shut.
The Art Institute of Chicago houses a sculpture that epitomizes Shingon Buddhism in Japan. Born from an influence of Chinese esoteric Buddhism and the Indian God Shiva, the deity Fudo Myo-o, or “The Immovable One”, is one of the most important figures in Japanese Buddhism. The deity first appears in the Heian Period during the ninth century and is made to help followers of Buddhism with any adversity faced. During the Kamakura Period from the 12th-14th centuries the figure of this guardian king developed into a more realistic sculptural form. Fudo Myo-o is unique to the Shingon Buddhism of Japan with qualities that distinguish him from most any other deity, qualities that embody his vicious compassion, wisdom, and wrath.
homes. But the way in which each of the poets express this occurrence, with the use of
Seasons can convey a multitude of meanings. Though the Kokinshū consists of numerous sections, the seasonal sections are the best at conveying the power of human creativity. The seasons in poetry are used to show everything from the passage of time as well as evoke feelings such as loneliness and love. As shown in the spring sections of the Kokinshū, seasons are treated in poetry through their progression from one part of the season to another, seasonal imagery in describing the season, related emotional expressions, and the linking of human emotion to the natural surroundings.
“Until the seventeenth century, Japanese Literature was privileged property. …The diffusion of literacy …(and) the printed word… created for the first time in Japan the conditions necessary for that peculiarly modern phenomenon, celebrity” (Robert Lyons Danly, editor of The Narrow Road of the Interior written by Matsuo Basho; found in the Norton Anthology of World Literature, Second Edition, Volume D). Celebrity is a loose term at times; it connotes fortune, flattery, and fleeting fame. The term, in this modern era especially, possesses an aura of inevitable transience and glamorized superficiality. Ironically, Matsuo Basho, (while writing in a period of his own newfound celebrity as a poet) places an obvious emphasis on the transience of life within his travel journal The Narrow Road of the Interior. This journal is wholly the recounting of expedition and ethos spanning a fifteen hundred mile feat, expressed in the form of a poetic memoir. It has been said that Basho’s emphasis on the Transient is directly related to his and much of his culture’s worldview of Zen Buddhism, which is renowned for its acknowledgement of the Transient as a tool for a more accurate picture of life and a higher achievement of enlightenment. Of course, in the realization that Basho does not appear to be unwaveringly religious, perhaps this reflection is not only correlative to Zen Buddhism, but also to his perspective on his newfound celebrity. Either way, Matsuo Basho is a profound lyricist who eloquently seeks to objectify and relay the concept of transience even in his own name.
As seen in examples of monogatari such as Tales of Ise or nikki with The Tosa Diary, poetry is a very much used tool in the writings. While other examples of the two writing styles use poetry, these two examples best demonstrate the breaks in the writing style changes from a narrative and turns into something that takes on a more personal voice when it clearly goes into its poetic style. These poems are made to compliment the setting, such as in a poem credited to the former governor in The Tosa Diary where there is a description of the waves as they illustrate the governor’s sadness as he leaves Kyoto (83). Another point seen from this poem is that the governor is meant to be very good at constructing his poems and with it comes an example of a good poem as opposed to something that a commoner would have to write. Likewise, in the tenth of the Tales of Ise there are poems describing the love a man has for a woman while he is also comparing the physical setting, such as the mountains. There are comparisons to Mt. Fuji and Mt. Utsu while they represent the waiting for his love or the beautiful vision that the man sees in his dreams with his love respectively (75-6). Such images of the scenery as seen alongside the desires or longing of those who write the poems are examples of how the poems are used to strengthen the narrative prose. Without the poems, the narrative prose in either the monogatari or the nikki would simply be a story and the significance would be lessened as there would not be the personal impact emanating from the characters and their feelings since a reader would only be able to read the description of the events and not get a feel of the thoughts from any of the characters.
Also, consider the political context surrounding Basho. He lives in an Imperialist society where material benefits are held on high and there is a huge gap between the social elite and the poor. At this point, Basho feels the world is out of balance. He sought an austere existence, lived in solitude and consecrated his life to poetry. The purpose of his travels was a “poetic devotion to nature.” Also, for Basho, this pilgrimage through nature was a search for inspiration from places made famous by literature and history. This is an interesting parallel to Montaigne... but Basho actually visited the places he read about in books. At the beginning, he makes his point clearly “travel is life.”
Buddhist steles are typically large, stone carvings meant to act as markers in prominent locations, such as temples, crossroads, or other Buddhist sites, in order to promote Buddhism. This stele in particular, entitled Shakyamuni and Prabhutaratna, is carved stone, standing 19.7” high. The work was created in China during the Eastern Wei period, sometime around 500 CE, and features indications of the late 5th-early 6th century such as the two seated buddhas and the dense robes worn by the buddhas. For it’s age, the stele is in respectable condition. All of the figures can be discerned from one another and the only obvious wear is around the edges of the stele, predominately on the left hand side. This wear could be from the object being transported from one place to another throughout its history, or from followers touching the piece while admiring it.
Concrete poetry presents its readers with a unique and often confounding situation. In addition to using language or parts of language in non-traditional ways, concrete poetry also uses elements that are more commonly associated with visual art. However, concrete poetry is not visual art. It is still concerned, primarily, with the use of language, generally to communicate some meaning to the reader in a way that is undeniably linguistic in nature. Concrete poetry is therefore an especially unique genre that draws upon and incorporates many different concepts from a variety of disciplines in order to fill in the gaps left when traditional grammar and syntax are eschewed.
Kakinomoto begins by describing the history of the land and the rulers and then shifts his gaze to the physical ruin emphasizing the effect and return of nature in the place where the palace once stood. “Where now spring grasses Choke the earth in their rife growth, and mists rise up” (31-33). We see a reversal of the meaning of nature, whereas in princess Nukata’s poem she uses nature to symbolize both death and rebirth, Hakinomoto uses it to emphasize the inevitability of loss. This emphasis on nature further showcases the cultural awareness of time and its inevitability. It’s this awareness of loss that seems to affect the poet’s perception of the past and what exactly is lost. The poet laments, speaking the grandness of the palace and the rulers who were located there only to be reminded that even the most beautiful palace and sage rulers eventually fade away. While the Kakinomoto acknowledges this loss, he is still emotionally moved, “Where once the mighty palace stood, And it is sad to see.” (35-36) It’s also important to note that this questioning of values and meaning in relation to the inevitability of time is a very prominent theme that’s surfaced throughout the ages even in today’s modern western literature. Further questions are posed or implied while observing life through the context of loss as in the Man 'yōshū. For example, with the
By using onomatopoeia, description, and dialogue each poet argues their subject or theme. Although each poet does not write about the same subject or theme they each use the literary device effectively to help support their poem. By using each literary device in different context the poets show the many different styles when writing poetry. Each poet uses the literary devices efficiently to help their overall message in each poem.
Although this extremely close connection of the individual with nature, the basic principle of Japanese gardens, has remained the constant throughout its history, the ways in which this principle has come to be expressed has undergone many great changes. Perhaps the most notable occurred in the very distinct periods in Japanese history that popularized unique forms of garden style—Heian (781-1185), and the Kamakura (1186-1393). Resulting from these two golden ages of Japanese history came the stroll garden from the former period and the Zen garden from the latter. As we shall see, the composition of these gardens was remarkably effected by the norms of architecture and the ideals of popular religion in these eras. Therefore, in understanding each garden style in its context, it is essential to also take into account the social, historical, and theological elements as well as the main stylistic differences.
From what I have found out, Yamamoto explains to us that the Haikus are metaphorical for the practices found in the spiritual and expressive nature of the Eastern World. This is also where Tome discovers her individuality along with an insight to the meaning of life. Let us not forget that she also brings up on Tome’s pen name importance and how it signifies the growing and ‘spring-like’ tr...
The Heian period(794-1185), the so-called golden age of Japanese culture, produced some of the finest works of Japanese literature.1 The most well known work from this period, the Genji Monogatari, is considered to be the “oldest novel still recognized today as a major masterpiece.”2 It can also be said that the Genji Monogatari is proof of the ingenuity of the Japanese in assimilating Chinese culture and politics. As a monogatari, a style of narrative with poems interspersed within it, the characters and settings frequently allude to Chinese poems and stories. In addition to displaying the poetic prowess that the Japanese had attained by this time period, the Genji Monogatari also demonstrates how politics and gender ideals were adopted from the Chinese.
describes the emptiness of the scenery; “this mountain and I gaze at each other, it alone remaining.” (Hinton, David. Selected Poems Li Po”). As a seasoned traveler, his poems traveled with him throughout many lands. In addition, word of his talent spre...
There have been many interesting and appealing poems written throughout history. One of the most interesting and appealing poems is Robert Frost’s “Out, Out”. The poem has the ability to make the reader visualize an event in vivid detail without making it into a short story. The poem depicts a very dramatic scene and makes it seem as if the reader is really there. Poems are generally thought to be about love and feelings, but some poems can actually be like a short story; these are called narrative poems, which means that they tell a story. The poem “Out, Out” is a great example of a narrative poem, telling the story of a young boy cutting a tree.