The Tales of Ise
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese collection of tanka poems and associated narratives, dating from the Heian period
. The current version collects 125 sections, with each combining poems and prose, giving a total of 209 poems in most versions.
The exact date of composition and authorship can only be speculated; the identity of the nameless, idealised central character is likewise ambiguous, but suggested to be Ariwara no Narihira
(825-880).. Thirty of the poems from The Tales of Ise appear in the Kokin Wakashū (905), with similar headnotes, all attributed to Narihira. The combination of these poems, and the similarity of some events in the tales to Narihira's life, have led to the additional suggestion that Narihira actually composed the work; however, the inclusion of material and events dating after 880 suggests otherwise.
The narrative makes little attempt to link the sections, but introduces or provides a scene for the composition of the poem. A rough chronology of the central character's life is established through the sections, from the 'young man who came of age' in section 1, through numerous adventures and loves, to the man who fell gravely ill and 'knew in his heart that he was to die', in section 125. This neither produces a traditional biography, nor even a traditional plot, as seen from a Western perspective.
At least four theories for the title of the work have been proposed by commentators from the Kamakura period
onwards: the work was written by Lady Ise and named after her; the title followed from section 69, as the central character visits the Priestess at Ise Shrine
; in the Nihon Shoki
, the character for I reads as woman, and Se reads as man, leading to the text embodying the theme of union; the author deliberately distorted events, places, people, and times, embodying the phrase Ise ya Hyuga or 'topsy-turvy'.
Thematically, The Tales of Ise embodies the courtly miyabi
aesthetic, prevalent among the surviving works produced by and for the culture elite of the Heian period, such as the more well-known The Tale of Genji
. The poems themselves explore nature, the court society, culture, and love and relationships. A highlight can be shown from the interlude in section 9, as the central character rests beside the yatsuhashi or eight bridges in the famous iris marshes of Mikawa province. The poem he composes combines these themes: the sense of loss at leaving the capital, viewed as the only place of society and culture; longing for lost loves; and the beauty of the natural environment.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese collection of tanka poems and associated narratives, dating from the Heian period
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto. It is the period in Japanese history when Buddhism, Taoism and other Chinese influences were at their height...
. The current version collects 125 sections, with each combining poems and prose, giving a total of 209 poems in most versions.
The exact date of composition and authorship can only be speculated; the identity of the nameless, idealised central character is likewise ambiguous, but suggested to be Ariwara no Narihira
Ariwara no Narihira
was a Japanese waka poet and aristocrat. He was one of six waka poets referred in the preface in kana to Kokin Wakashū by Ki no Tsurayuki, and has been named as the hero of The Tales of Ise, whose hero was an anonym in itself but most of whose love affairs could be attributed to Narihira.He was the...
(825-880).. Thirty of the poems from The Tales of Ise appear in the Kokin Wakashū (905), with similar headnotes, all attributed to Narihira. The combination of these poems, and the similarity of some events in the tales to Narihira's life, have led to the additional suggestion that Narihira actually composed the work; however, the inclusion of material and events dating after 880 suggests otherwise.
Origin and structure
The Tales of Ise may have developed from specific poetry sets, but with accretions of later narratives, intending to ground the poems in a specific historical time and place, and develop an overall theme. Kashu, private or individual poetry collections, provide a journal of selected works, with headnotes covering the circumstances of the composition; it is possible Narihira may have created such a collection, which was subsequently adapted to portray an idealised vision of the poet. Volume 16 of the Man'yōshū also has a large selection of poems preceded by narratives in classical Chinese, bearing a similarity to the narrative style of the Tales of Ise.The narrative makes little attempt to link the sections, but introduces or provides a scene for the composition of the poem. A rough chronology of the central character's life is established through the sections, from the 'young man who came of age' in section 1, through numerous adventures and loves, to the man who fell gravely ill and 'knew in his heart that he was to die', in section 125. This neither produces a traditional biography, nor even a traditional plot, as seen from a Western perspective.
At least four theories for the title of the work have been proposed by commentators from the Kamakura period
Kamakura period
The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura Shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo....
onwards: the work was written by Lady Ise and named after her; the title followed from section 69, as the central character visits the Priestess at Ise Shrine
Ise Shrine
is a Shinto shrine dedicated to goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami, located in the city of Ise in Mie prefecture, Japan. Officially known simply as , Ise Jingū is in fact a shrine complex composed of a large number of Shinto shrines centered on two main shrines, and ....
; in the Nihon Shoki
Nihon Shoki
The , sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan, is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history. It is more elaborate and detailed than the Kojiki, the oldest, and has proven to be an important tool for historians and archaeologists as it includes the most complete extant historical...
, the character for I reads as woman, and Se reads as man, leading to the text embodying the theme of union; the author deliberately distorted events, places, people, and times, embodying the phrase Ise ya Hyuga or 'topsy-turvy'.
Thematically, The Tales of Ise embodies the courtly miyabi
Miyabi
Miyabi is one of the traditional Japanese aesthetic ideals, though not as prevalent as Iki or Wabi-sabi. In modern Japanese, the word is usually translated as "elegance," "refinement," or "courtliness" and sometimes refers to a "heart-breaker"....
aesthetic, prevalent among the surviving works produced by and for the culture elite of the Heian period, such as the more well-known The Tale of Genji
The Tale of Genji
is a classic work of Japanese literature attributed to the Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century, around the peak of the Heian period. It is sometimes called the world's first novel, the first modern novel, the first psychological novel or the first novel still to be...
. The poems themselves explore nature, the court society, culture, and love and relationships. A highlight can be shown from the interlude in section 9, as the central character rests beside the yatsuhashi or eight bridges in the famous iris marshes of Mikawa province. The poem he composes combines these themes: the sense of loss at leaving the capital, viewed as the only place of society and culture; longing for lost loves; and the beauty of the natural environment.
- から衣 きつゝなれにし つましあれば はるばるきぬる たびをしぞ思
- Karagoromo / kitsutsu narenishi / tsuma shi areba / harubaru kinuru / tabi o shi zo omou
- I have a beloved wife / familiar as the skirt / of a well-worn robe / and so this distant journeying / fills my heart with grief
See also
- Japanese poetryJapanese poetryJapanese poets first encountered Chinese poetry during the Tang Dynasty. It took them several hundred years to digest the foreign impact, make it a part of their culture and merge it with their literary tradition in their mother tongue, and begin to develop the diversity of their native poetry. For...
- The Tale of GenjiThe Tale of Genjiis a classic work of Japanese literature attributed to the Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century, around the peak of the Heian period. It is sometimes called the world's first novel, the first modern novel, the first psychological novel or the first novel still to be...
- The Tale of the Bamboo CutterThe Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, also known as , is a 10th century Japanese folktale. It is considered the oldest extant Japanese narrative and an early example of proto-science fiction....
- Tsutsu-IzutsuIzutsu' is a classic Noh play written by Zeami, the dominant figure in the early history of Noh theatre.Izutsu is based on an old story, Tsutsu-Izutsu , from the Ise monogatari, a 10th century collection of stories, many of which are based on stories about the romantic encounters of a "certain man",...
- Rinpa school
External links
- A transcription of the Tales of Ise from the University of Virginia Library Electronic Text Center.
- A lacquered writing box by Ogata Korin illustrating the eight bridges section of the tales; the box is a National Treasure of Japan, held in the Tokyo National Museum.
- Scenes from the Tales of Ise on Edo period screens from The Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation.
- An illustrated wood-block printed version of the Tales of Ise held in the New York Public Library.