In Memory Only: Poem 55

Another poem on the transience of life:

Japanese	Romanization	Translation
滝の音は	Taki no oto wa	Although the sound of
絶えて久しく	Taete hisashiku	the waterfull has ceased,
なりぬれど	Narinuredo	and that long ago,
名こそ流れて	Na koso nagarete	its name, indeed, has carried on
なほお聞えけれ	Nao kikoe kere	and is still heard!

The author, Dainagon Kintō (大納言公任, 966 – 1041), better known as Major Counselor Fujiwara no Kintō, was one of the top poets of the Heian Period, and the grandson of Tadahira (poem 26) and father of Sadayori (poem 64).

Kinto was more than just a good poet, he was something of a genius renaissance man for his era. There is a famous anecdote taken from a historical text of the time called the Ō-kagami (大鏡, “great mirror”). In this anecdote his kinsman, the statesman Fujiwara no Michinaga, had three boats docked for a party, and invited the literati of the time to board one of three boats: one for Japanese poetry (waka, 和歌), one for Chinese poetry (kanshi, 漢詩), and one for wind and string music (kangen, 管弦) according to their skill. Michinaga then realized that Kinto was so multi-talented he could board any of the three boats so he let Kinto decide. Thus, Kinto earned the nickname Sanshū-no-sai (三船の才, “three boat genius”).

As a side note, when he considered the “waka” boat, he recited the following verses:

Japanese	Romanization	Rough Translation
小倉山	Ogura-yama	The cold, stormy
嵐の風の	Arashi no kazé no	wind blowing from
寒ければ	Samukereba	Mount Ogura
紅葉の錦	Momiji no nishiki	scatters nobles in finery
着「き」ぬ人ぞなき	Kinu hito zo naki	like autumn leaves!

This was recorded in the aforementioned Ō-kagami as an example of his cleverness.

Among other accomplishments, Kintō was a respected critic who compiled the Thirty Six Immortals of Poetry list. Kinto compiled imperial anthologies that still represent Japanese Waka poetry of that era. In short, Kinto was the ultimate cultural authority of his time. He is also credited by Lady Murasaki (poem 57, め) or “Lady Purple” for giving her that nickname according to her diary. This was a playful allusion to her Tales of Genji that was circulating at the time and a major nod by Kinto.

Finally, Kinto also served in the Imperial court under the aforementioned Michinaga, and proved to be an able administrator. While he mostly stayed out of the power struggle at the time, he benefitted nonetheless.

But I digress.

According to Mostow, the poem itself was composed after a number of people visited a famous Buddhist temple called Daikakuji, which is in the western part of the capitol of Kyoto. Interestingly, Mostow also points out that this poem is found nowhere else despite the fact that Kinto was a famous poet and had an extensive collection for Fujiwara no Teika to draw from. One suggestion is that Daikakuji is in the same area as Mount Ogura, which is where Teika’s villa resided. The full name of the Hyakunin Isshu anthology is actually the Ogura Hyakunin Isshu by the way.

In any case, this poem is pretty interesting because of the sense of change over time. The waterfall that existed long ago still exists, but in name only. In the same way, life as we know it know will become a dim memory or a misplaced name for future generations. Although Japanese culture has been influenced by Buddhism and its notion of transience since early history, I think this is a point that anyone, anywhere can appreciate.

Also, Kinto’s ability to express this sense of change and impermanence to life seems to me to demonstrate his poetic talent all too well. 🙂

P.S. Featured photo is of the “Materiya” Waterfall in Kagoshima Prefecture, photo by Si-take. at Japanese Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons