DOCSLIB.ORG

Heian Japan, Costume 102 Pennsic 39 Prepared By: Sayyidaefendi Jahan Ara Bint Al-Yehya Amat Al-Hafeeza August, 2010 Presented By: Fujinami No Kaede-Hime

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Heian Japan, Costume 102 Pennsic 39 Prepared By: Sayyidaefendi Jahan Ara Bint Al-Yehya Amat Al-Hafeeza August, 2010 Presented By: Fujinami No Kaede-Hime Heian Japan, Costume 102 Pennsic 39 Prepared by: Sayyidaefendi Jahan ara bint al-Yehya amat al-Hafeeza August, 2010 Presented by: Fujinami no Kaede-hime GLOSSARY (To learn the costume, one must know what names to research.) Mono no aware: beauty is precious because it is brief. A phrase coined in the 19th century Hakama. Long pleated, very loose trouser worn by men and women became the edification of the ideal that was the Haribakama. Another term for the Hakama worn by women. basis for aesthetics of the Heian Era in Japan Heian-Kyo. - (Tranquility and Peace) Capital city during the Heian city; modern day Kyoto (794-1192). Hitoe. Type of underwear, sometimes referred to as the chemise, worn beneath the Uchigi and Japan first began to develop its own over the kosode and Hakama or Naga-bakama. It is the first visible layer. personalized identity specifically in regard to the Itsutsu-ginu. (robes) The robes worn over the Hitoe and under the Karaginu and Mo. Also cultural arts and dress during the Heian imperial referred to as Uchigi. court in the ninth to eleventh centuries. Prior to Juni-hitoe. Literally “twelve layers”, this is the term for the formal court attire of Heian women, this period of time, the Japanese culture consisting of a kosode, a hitoe, a naga-bakama, and many layers of uchigi, often finished with a observed Chinese customs and cultures. karaginu and mo. In 1074, the sumptuary laws changed, limiting the number of uchigi to 5. For the women, Colors for robes came to be Karaginu. Chinese styled jacket worn over the Uwagi and Mo for formal occasions. It was a combined into discreetly named combinations very ornate layer, decorated either with brocade, embroidery, or painted images and is worn by known as irome no kasane. This sensitive high ranked nobility. layering of colors developed into a full and Karaginu mo. More accurate term for a court lady’s formal robes, commonly referred to as juni- subtle bloom over the course of 300 years. hitoe. Very little in the emerging style was Chinese. As Kosode. (short sleeve) Term used for the traditional robe style of Heian Japan. It is also the an actual mode of dress, kasane fashion passed term for the undergarment of both women and men’s clothing. away with courtly society, but its influence on Ko-uchigi. (little cloak A dressing robe that could be put on over the uchigi to slightly dress up kimono style has had echoes down even to the outfit. present day. Kumihimo. (gathered threads) For the men, the colors of garments could Mo Train or apron-skirt worn over the juni-hitoe for formal occassions. It was considered very represent their court rank, family status, and formal and was required of women of the court while on official duty position in day to day life. naga-bakama.(divided skirt) Formal version of Hakama worn by court women Color names and layered colors are woven Uchigi. The outside uchigi was called Uwagi and the ones worn under it were called Kasane- through out Heian culture not only in the clothing Uchigi. The highest ranked court ladies could wear patterned silk; the ordinary court ladies wore but also in poetry and literature—serving to pull unpatterned waves similar to modern habutae. They were also called the Itsutsuginu or kinu. together nature, season, person and incident Uwagi. (over robe) This robe topped the layers of Uchigi. The higher the rank, the into a poetic whole. longer the Uwagi. All of the Heian Japanese clothing until you get to high noble 1 nae-eboshi (the hat) wear is comprised of two kosode as base layers. The very bottom white layer (underwear of the time) and the Hitoe or Hitare. Men of 2 Hitatare (typical men’s outer the common clase wore clothing like the images on this page. Their kosode) Hitare (Kosode) is very practical with ties to keep the front collar closed. It is tucked into the Hakama to keep it from catching on 3 hitatare no munahimo things. In later period the Hitare became more and more popular (the tie on the chest, often flat- within the aristocracy. braid similar to kumihimo) The Hakama are pulled up and tied most likely so that they both don‟t catch on things but also to keep out of the dust, dirt and mud. 4 kukuri-bakama (hakama that are tied up near knees) Leggings similar to those you see in Northern Eurpoe are used for the military and nobel classes, in the more common classes you saw fabric 5 Muchi (the stick) wrapped with ties at the top and/or bottom. I generally suggest that newcomers to a Heian Japanese persona try to make some common wear first both so that you have more 6 Kyahan (leg ‘spats’) instant gratification and because it is always good to have something you get wear to Pennsic! Courtier‟s clothing, that of the noble class for men, much like the women, quickly becomes more intricate and complicated. While they do not wear nearly the number of layers as the women, there are rules regarding court and military rank for colour and style. We recommend you take a look at Master Edward of Effingham‟s (Anthony Bryant) website http://www.sengokudaimyo.com/. for more information on the detailed ranks. 1 kanmuri crown This is the “Ikan” the typcal court dress during Heian period for Courtiers and Nobels. a koji Of the two, Figure 1 (below, left) is of a light green colour b kogai and was that of special permission granted by the Emperor c hitai at the time. It is a more elegant design and considered „formal d ei court wear.‟ Figure 2 (below, right) is everyday wear for court noble. (the „crown‟ is one of the more This Ikan is comprised of the following basic layers: ho the common head adornments) outer robe and sashinuki a divided long skirt or trousers as well as hitoe and kosode (your underlayers) 2 Ho (the main garment, To complete the outfit, a Heian nobleman is almost always overlayer) in possession of some papers of importance, blank notes and a fan. 3 sashinuki or nu-bakama (the courtier‟s hakama pulled up and tied closed at the ankles) 4 Hitoe (underlayer, often stiffened/starched or made with unfinished silk) 5 tato paper 6 hi-ogi fan Figure 1 Figure 2 1 sage-gami (the hair is pulled Women‟s clothing for the common class also retained much of the back simplicity of the Nara period (710-794). Unlike the noble class, with a tie) women of the common class still needed to be mobile and thus the layers were minimal. They wore a natural kosode beneath the overobe, hakama shibiradatsu. (hosoobi) 2 Kosode tucked into the or A sash was worn (the Kosode was sometimes about the waist to keep the kosode closed. short, but generally came Juni-hitoe, a Court Lady’s Costume below the knees) The Noble Class – Karaginu-mo is the more accurate term for a court lady‟s formal juni-hitoe 3 shibiradatsu-mono robes, commonly referred to as . The characteristic of the juni-hitoe kasane no irome (from the Nara period, pre “ ” lies in the stacking of the colors ( ) made 794, this skirt was still seen visible at the bottom of the costume, at the collar, and at the within the common class in armholes by the progressive shift of each layer (Sugino, 2002) Juni-hitoe translates as “12 layers” but the name is misleading. Heian Japan) Juni-hitoe refers to the internal layers dressed between the hitoe (chemise) and the ko-uchigi or uwagi (both being outer dress robes). Before the sumptuary law of 1074 limited the number of these many colored layers, noble women wore as many as 40 uchigi under the outer robes depending on the season and the traditional scheme for the day per kasane no irome. (Harvey 2001, Dalby, 2001). After 1074, the number of uchigi was limited to only 5 (Harvey, 2001). This is because many layers of silk, especially when it is lined and quilted is extremely heavy and difficult to move around in. Court women spent as much time moving around on their knees as they did walking because of the court custom of never being higher than the emperor (Morris, 1994, pg. 137). While the basic construction of the juni-hitoe is simple, each layer is a modified kosode with longer sleeves, and well below the feet in length, our recommendation is that before you try to construct one, you do some research on the colour schemes of the heian era. Colour is everything in one‟s clothing in Heian Japan. This is a very brief overview of what Costume in Heian Japan can be. For further information or a copy of our Working Bibliography, Class notes from more indepth classes we‟ve taught, mini-Thesis on the 7 Juni-Hitoe or just about anything else, you can visit our website. 5 http://www.freki.com/Galen/jahan_ara/Heian/main.html 1 Kaede-hime and Jahan Ara are always willing to answer questions, teach classes, or help out in any way with your Heian (or Japanese) persona and clothing. If we don‟t know it, or have access to it, we will 3 do our best to put you in touch with someone who does. 4 Contact us! 2 Kaede-hime (RoseAnna Downing-Vicklund) [email protected] Sayyidaefendi (THLady) Jahan Ara amat al-Hafeeza [email protected] Selected Resources 6 Bryant, A.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 1423778527171.Pdf
    Bahamut - [email protected] Based on the “Touhou Project” series of games by Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN. http://www16.big.or.jp/~zun/ The Touhou Project and its related properties are ©Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN. The Team Shanghai Alice logo is ©Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN. Illustrations © their respective owners. Used without permission. Tale of Phantasmal Land text & gameplay ©2011 Bahamut. This document is provided “as is”. Your possession of this document, either in an altered or unaltered state signifies that you agree to absolve, excuse, or otherwise not hold responsible Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN and/or Bahamut, and/or any other individuals or entities whose works appear herein for any and/or all liabilities, damages, etc. associated with the possession of this document. This document is not associated with, or endorsed by Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN. This is a not-for-profit personal interest work, and is not intended, nor should it be construed, as a challenge to Team Shanghai Alice / ZUN’s ownership of its Touhou Project copyrights and other related properties. License to distribute this work is freely given provided that it remains in an unaltered state and is not used for any commercial purposes whatsoever. All Rights Reserved. Introduction Choosing a Race (Cont.’d) What Is This Game All About? . 1 Magician . .20 Too Long; Didn’t Read Version . 1 Moon Rabbit . .20 Here’s the Situation . 1 Oni . .21 But Wait! There’s More! . 1 Tengu . .21 Crow Tengu . .22 About This Game . 2 White Wolf Tengu . .22 About the Touhou Project . 2 Vampire . .23 About Role-Playing Games .
    [Show full text]
  • Estudo E Desenvolvimento Do Jogo Karuchā Ships Invaders
    UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RIO GRANDE DO NORTE CENTRO DE CIÊNCIAS EXATAS E DA TERRA DEPARTAMENTO DE INFORMÁTICA E MATEMÁTICA APLICADA PROGRAMA DE PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO EM SISTEMAS E COMPUTAÇÃO MESTRADO ACADÊMICO EM SISTEMAS E COMPUTAÇÃO Aprendizagem da Língua Japonesa Apoiada por Ferramentas Computacionais: Estudo e Desenvolvimento do Jogo Karuchā Ships Invaders Juvane Nunes Marciano Natal-RN Fevereiro de 2014 Juvane Nunes Marciano Aprendizagem da Língua Japonesa Apoiada por Ferramentas Computacionais: Estudo e Desenvolvimento do Jogo Karuchā Ships Invaders Dissertação de Mestrado apresentado ao Programa de Pós-Graduação em Sistemas e Computação do Departamento de Informática e Matemática Aplicada da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte como requisito final para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Sistemas e Computação. Linha de pesquisa: Engenharia de Software Orientador Prof. Dr. Leonardo Cunha de Miranda PPGSC – PROGRAMA DE PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO EM SISTEMAS E COMPUTAÇÃO DIMAP – DEPARTAMENTO DE INFORMÁTICA E MATEMÁTICA APLICADA CCET – CENTRO DE CIÊNCIAS EXATAS E DA TERRA UFRN – UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DO RIO GRANDE DO NORTE Natal-RN Fevereiro de 2014 UFRN / Biblioteca Central Zila Mamede Catalogação da Publicação na Fonte Marciano, Juvane Nunes. Aprendizagem da língua japonesa apoiada por ferramentas computacionais: estudo e desenvolvimento do jogo Karuchā Ships Invaders. / Juvane Nunes Marciano. – Natal, RN, 2014. 140 f.: il. Orientador: Prof. Dr. Leonardo Cunha de Miranda. Dissertação (Mestrado) – Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Centro de Ciências Exatas e da Terra. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Sistemas e Computação. 1. Informática na educação – Dissertação. 2. Interação humano- computador - Dissertação. 3. Jogo educacional - Dissertação. 4. Kanas – Dissertação. 5. Hiragana – Dissertação. 6. Roma-ji – Dissertação.
    [Show full text]
  • Dressing for the Times: Fashion in Tang Dynasty China (618-907)
    Dressing for the Times: Fashion in Tang Dynasty China (618-907) BuYun Chen Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY 2013 © 2013 BuYun Chen All rights reserved ABSTRACT Dressing for the Times: Fashion in Tang Dynasty China (618-907) BuYun Chen During the Tang dynasty, an increased capacity for change created a new value system predicated on the accumulation of wealth and the obsolescence of things that is best understood as fashion. Increased wealth among Tang elites was paralleled by a greater investment in clothes, which imbued clothes with new meaning. Intellectuals, who viewed heightened commercial activity and social mobility as symptomatic of an unstable society, found such profound changes in the vestimentary landscape unsettling. For them, a range of troubling developments, including crisis in the central government, deep suspicion of the newly empowered military and professional class, and anxiety about waste and obsolescence were all subsumed under the trope of fashionable dressing. The clamor of these intellectuals about the widespread desire to be “current” reveals the significant space fashion inhabited in the empire – a space that was repeatedly gendered female. This dissertation considers fashion as a system of social practices that is governed by material relations – a system that is also embroiled in the politics of the gendered self and the body. I demonstrate that this notion of fashion is the best way to understand the process through which competition for status and self-identification among elites gradually broke away from the imperial court and its system of official ranks.
    [Show full text]
  • Identification of Asian Garments in Small Museums
    AN ABSTRACTOF THE THESIS OF Alison E. Kondo for the degree ofMaster ofScience in Apparel Interiors, Housing and Merchandising presented on June 7, 2000. Title: Identification ofAsian Garments in Small Museums. Redacted for privacy Abstract approved: Elaine Pedersen The frequent misidentification ofAsian garments in small museum collections indicated the need for a garment identification system specifically for use in differentiating the various forms ofAsian clothing. The decision tree system proposed in this thesis is intended to provide an instrument to distinguish the clothing styles ofJapan, China, Korea, Tibet, and northern Nepal which are found most frequently in museum clothing collections. The first step ofthe decision tree uses the shape ofthe neckline to distinguish the garment's country oforigin. The second step ofthe decision tree uses the sleeve shape to determine factors such as the gender and marital status ofthe wearer, and the formality level ofthe garment. The decision tree instrument was tested with a sample population of 10 undergraduates representing volunteer docents and 4 graduate students representing curators ofa small museum. The subjects were asked to determine the country oforigin, the original wearer's gender and marital status, and the garment's formality and function, as appropriate. The test was successful in identifying the country oforigin ofall 12 Asian garments and had less successful results for the remaining variables. Copyright by Alison E. Kondo June 7, 2000 All rights Reserved Identification ofAsian Garments in Small Museums by Alison E. Kondo A THESIS submitted to Oregon State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master ofScience Presented June 7, 2000 Commencement June 2001 Master of Science thesis ofAlison E.
    [Show full text]
  • UCLA Electronic Theses and Dissertations
    UCLA UCLA Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title Producing Place, Tradition and the Gods: Mt. Togakushi, Thirteenth through Mid-Nineteenth Centuries Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/90w6w5wz Author Carter, Caleb Swift Publication Date 2014 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Los Angeles Producing Place, Tradition and the Gods: Mt. Togakushi, Thirteenth through Mid-Nineteenth Centuries A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Asian Languages and Cultures by Caleb Swift Carter 2014 ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Producing Place, Tradition and the Gods: Mt. Togakushi, Thirteenth through Mid-Nineteenth Centuries by Caleb Swift Carter Doctor of Philosophy in Asian Languages and Cultures University of California, Los Angeles, 2014 Professor William M. Bodiford, Chair This dissertation considers two intersecting aspects of premodern Japanese religions: the development of mountain-based religious systems and the formation of numinous sites. The first aspect focuses in particular on the historical emergence of a mountain religious school in Japan known as Shugendō. While previous scholarship often categorizes Shugendō as a form of folk religion, this designation tends to situate the school in overly broad terms that neglect its historical and regional stages of formation. In contrast, this project examines Shugendō through the investigation of a single site. Through a close reading of textual, epigraphical, and visual sources from Mt. Togakushi (in present-day Nagano Ken), I trace the development of Shugendō and other religious trends from roughly the thirteenth through mid-nineteenth centuries. This study further differs from previous research insofar as it analyzes Shugendō as a concrete system of practices, doctrines, members, institutions, and identities.
    [Show full text]
  • Shinobi Notebook #3
    Shinobi Notebook #3 http://passaic-bujinkan-buyu.setech-co.com Ninja Training The Togakure Ryu Ninpo, established approximately eight hundred years ago, is now in its 34th generation. The Ryu (style) exists today under the Bujinkan Association dedicated to teaching effective methods of self protection and promoting the self development and awareness of its members. Due to the stabilized nature of contemporary Japanese government and judicial systems, the Togakure ninja ryu no longer involves itself directly in combat or espionage work. Previous to the unification of Japan during the 16th century; however, it was necessary for Togakure ninja to operate out of south central Iga Province. At the height of the historical ninja period, the clan’s ninja operatives were trained in eighteen fundamental areas of expertise, beginning with this “physic purity” and progressing through a vast range of physical and mental skills. The eighteen levels of training were as follows: 1. Seishin Teki Kyoyo: Spiritual Refinement. 2. Taijutsu: Unarmed combat. Skills of daken-taijutsu or striking, kicking and blocking; jutaijutsu or grappling, choking and escaping the holds of others, and taihenjutsu or silent movement, rolling, leaping and tumbling assisted the Togakure ninja in life threatening, defensive situations. 3. Ninja Ken: Ninja Sword. Two distinct sword skills were required, “Fast draw” techniques centered around drawing the sword and cutting as a simultaneous defensive or attacking action. “Fencing” skills used the drawn sword in technique clashes with armed attackers. 4. Bo-Jutsu: Stick and staff fighting. 5. Shuriken-Jutsu: Throwing blades. Throwing blades were carried in concealed pockets and used as harassing weapons.
    [Show full text]
  • Representations of Pleasure and Worship in Sankei Mandara Talia J
    Mapping Sacred Spaces: Representations of Pleasure and Worship in Sankei mandara Talia J. Andrei Submitted in partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Columbia University 2016 © 2016 Talia J.Andrei All rights reserved Abstract Mapping Sacred Spaces: Representations of Pleasure and Worship in Sankei Mandara Talia J. Andrei This dissertation examines the historical and artistic circumstances behind the emergence in late medieval Japan of a short-lived genre of painting referred to as sankei mandara (pilgrimage mandalas). The paintings are large-scale topographical depictions of sacred sites and served as promotional material for temples and shrines in need of financial support to encourage pilgrimage, offering travelers worldly and spiritual benefits while inspiring them to donate liberally. Itinerant monks and nuns used the mandara in recitation performances (etoki) to lead audiences on virtual pilgrimages, decoding the pictorial clues and touting the benefits of the site shown. Addressing themselves to the newly risen commoner class following the collapse of the aristocratic order, sankei mandara depict commoners in the role of patron and pilgrim, the first instance of them being portrayed this way, alongside warriors and aristocrats as they make their way to the sites, enjoying the local delights, and worship on the sacred grounds. Together with the novel subject material, a new artistic language was created— schematic, colorful and bold. We begin by locating sankei mandara’s artistic roots and influences and then proceed to investigate the individual mandara devoted to three sacred sites: Mt. Fuji, Kiyomizudera and Ise Shrine (a sacred mountain, temple and shrine, respectively).
    [Show full text]
  • Shigisan Engi Shigisan Engi Overview
    Shigisan engi Shigisan engi Overview I. The Shigisan engi or Legends of the Temple on Mount Shigi consists of three handscrolls. Scroll 1 is commonly called “The Flying Granary,” Scroll 2 “The Exorcism of the Engi Emperor,” and Scroll 3 “The Story of the Nun.” These scrolls are a pictorial presentation of three legends handed down among the common people. These legends appear under the title “Shinano no kuni no hijiri no koto” (The Sage of Shinano Province) in both the Uji sh¯ui monogatari (Tales from Uji) and the Umezawa version of the Kohon setsuwash¯u (Collection of Ancient Legends). Since these two versions of the legends are quite similar, one is assumed to be based on the other. The Kohon setsuwash¯u ver- sion is written largely in kana, the phonetic script, with few Chinese characters and is very close to the text of the Shigisan engi handscrolls. Thus, it seems likely that there is a deep connection between the Shigisan engi and the Kohon setsuwash¯u; one was probably the basis for the other. “The Flying Granary,” Scroll 1 of the Shigisan engi, lacks the textual portion, which has probably been lost. As that suggests, the Shigisan engi have not come down to us in their original form. The Shigisan Ch¯ogosonshiji Temple owns the Shigisan engi, and the lid of the box in which the scrolls were stored lists two other documents, the Taishigun no maki (Army of Prince Sh¯otoku-taishi) and notes to that scroll, in addition to the titles of the three scrolls.
    [Show full text]
  • Artful Adventures JAPAN an Interactive Guide for Families 56
    Artful Adventures JAPAN An interactive guide for families 56 Your Japanese Adventure Awaits You! f See inside for details JAPAN Japan is a country located on the other side of the world from the United States. It is a group of islands, called an archipelago. Japan is a very old country and the Japanese people have been making beautiful artwork for thousands of years. Today we are going to look at ancient objects from Japan as well as more recent works of Japanese art. Go down the stairs to the lower level of the Museum. At the bottom of the steps, turn left and walk through the Chinese gallery to the Japanese gallery. Find a clay pot with swirling patterns on it (see picture to the left). This pot was made between 2,500 and 1,000 b.c., during the Late Jōmon period—it is between 3,000 and 4,500 years old! The people who lived in Japan at this time were hunter-gatherers, which means that they hunted wild animals and gathered roots and plants for food. The Jomon people started forming small communities, and began to make objects that were both beautiful and useful— like this pot which is decorated with an interesting pattern and was used for storage. Take a close look at the designs on this pot. Can you think of some words to describe these designs? Japanese, Middle to Late Jōmon period, ca. 3500–ca. 1000 B.C.: jar. Earthenware, h. 26.0 cm. 1. ............................................................................................................. Museum purchase, Fowler McCormick, Class of 1921, Fund (2002-297).
    [Show full text]
  • The Selected Poems of Yosa Buson, a Translation Allan Persinger University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
    University of Wisconsin Milwaukee UWM Digital Commons Theses and Dissertations May 2013 Foxfire: the Selected Poems of Yosa Buson, a Translation Allan Persinger University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Follow this and additional works at: https://dc.uwm.edu/etd Part of the American Literature Commons, and the Asian Studies Commons Recommended Citation Persinger, Allan, "Foxfire: the Selected Poems of Yosa Buson, a Translation" (2013). Theses and Dissertations. 748. https://dc.uwm.edu/etd/748 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by UWM Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of UWM Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FOXFIRE: THE SELECTED POEMS OF YOSA BUSON A TRANSLATION By Allan Persinger A Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in English at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee May 2013 ABSTRACT FOXFIRE: THE SELECTED POEMS OF YOSA BUSON A TRANSLATION By Allan Persinger The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2013 Under the Supervision of Professor Kimberly M. Blaeser My dissertation is a creative translation from Japanese into English of the poetry of Yosa Buson, an 18th century (1716 – 1783) poet. Buson is considered to be one of the most important of the Edo Era poets and is still influential in modern Japanese literature. By taking account of Japanese culture, identity and aesthetics the dissertation project bridges the gap between American and Japanese poetics, while at the same time revealing the complexity of thought in Buson's poetry and bringing the target audience closer to the text of a powerful and mov- ing writer.
    [Show full text]
  • My Year of Dirt and Water
    “In a year apart from everyone she loves, Tracy Franz reconciles her feelings of loneliness and displacement into acceptance and trust. Keenly observed and lyrically told, her journal takes us deep into the spirit of Zen, where every place you stand is the monastery.” KAREN MAEZEN MILLER, author of Paradise in Plain Sight: Lessons from a Zen Garden “Crisp, glittering, deep, and probing.” DAI-EN BENNAGE, translator of Zen Seeds “Tracy Franz’s My Year of Dirt and Water is both bold and quietly elegant in form and insight, and spacious enough for many striking paradoxes: the intimacy that arises in the midst of loneliness, finding belonging in exile, discovering real freedom on a journey punctuated by encounters with dark and cruel men, and moving forward into the unknown to finally excavate secrets of the past. It is a long poem, a string of koans and startling encounters, a clear dream of transmissions beyond words. And it is a remarkable love story that moved me to tears.” BONNIE NADZAM, author of Lamb and Lions, co-author of Love in the Anthropocene “A remarkable account of a woman’s sojourn, largely in Japan, while her husband undergoes a year-long training session in a Zen Buddhist monastery. Difficult, disciplined, and interesting as the husband’s training toward becoming a monk may be, it is the author’s tale that has our attention here.” JOHN KEEBLE, author of seven books, including The Shadows of Owls “Franz matches restraint with reflexiveness, crafting a narrative equally filled with the luminous particular and the telling omission.
    [Show full text]
  • Kokawadera Engi Kokawadera Engi Overview
    Kokawadera engi Kokawadera engi Overview the Kokawadera engi emaki. We can assume its content from I. the kanbun account, the Kokawadera engi. The Kokawadera engi emaki (Illustrated Scroll of the II. Legends of the Kokawadera Temple) is a set of colored pic- tures on paper compiled into one scroll and consists of four The synopsis of the Engi is as follows. The Kokawadera text sections and five pictures. The beginning of the scroll Temple was founded in the first year of H¯oki. According to was burned in a fire, and the first pages of the remaining part the tradition of the elders, there was a hunter in this area, are badly scorched as well. Neither the authors nor the time named Otomo¯ no Kujiko. Devoting himself to hunting, Kujiko of production is known but it is considered to be a work of lived in the mountains and shot at game every night from a the early Kamakura period. The style of painting resembles platform he built in a valley. One night he saw a shining light, that of the Shigisan engi emaki. about the size of a large sedge hat. Frightened, Kujiko The Kokawadera Temple is an old temple in Wakayama stepped down from the platform and went near the light, but Prefecture, that, according to legend, a local hunter, Otomo¯ the light was gone. Yet when he went back to the platform, no Kujiko, built it in the first year of H¯oki (770). It is well the light began to shine again. This continued to happen for known as the fourth site of the Saikoku thirty-three temple three or four nights, so he cleaned the area, built a hut with pilgrimage circuit.
    [Show full text]