EALC 275: Masterpieces of East Asian Literature Lecture #4 Early Chinese and Japanese Poetry Sept.9, 2013Book of Songs: Shi Jing詩經, I • Book of Odes, Classic of Poetry: the oldest anthology in the Chinese tradition • folk songs & songs of the Zhou aristocracy, anonymous • Poems from ca. 1000-600 B.C. (compare Homer’s dates ca. 8th century B.C.) • Reflects Zhou civilizationBook of Songs: Shi Jing詩經, II • The legend: Confucius chose 300 poems from an original corpus of 3000 (we now have 305) • One of Confucian Classics • One of the basic texts in the curriculum of the scholar-official classThe master said: • Course packet, p. 6, 17.9, The Analects “…An apt quotation from the Odes may serve to stimulate the imagination, to show one’s breeding, to smooth over difficulties in a group and to give expression to complaints. Inside the family there is the serving of one’s father; outside, there is the serving of one’s lord; there is also the acquiring of a wide knowledge of the names of birds and beasts, plants and trees”The Great Preface(ca. 100 A.D.) • What is poetry? • pp. 81 “The poem is that to which what is intently on the mind goes. In the mind, it is ‘being intent’; coming out in language, it is a poem.” • Poetry is a natural expression of what is in the heart • pp. 81 “The affections are stirred within and take on form in words. If words alone are inadequate, we speak it out in sighs. If sighing is inadequate, we sing it. If singing is inadequate, unconsciously our hands dance it and our feet tap it.” • Poetry is accompanied by music and dance, externalization of inner emotionWhat is poetry for? pp. 81 “Feelings emerge in sounds; when those sounds have patterning, they are called ‘tones.’ The tones of a well-mannered age are at rest and happy; its government is balanced. The tones of an age of turmoil are bitter and full of anger: its government is perverse. The tones of a ruined state are filled with lament and brooding: its people are in difficulty.” It can reflect historical circumstances pp.82 “By it the former kings managed the relations between husbands and wives, perfected the respect due to parents and superiors, gave depth to human relations, beautifully taught and transformed the people, and changed local customs” • A medium of moral instructionBook of Songs: Content • Feng (airs) : Folk Songs • Ya (elegantia): describe the domain of the Zhou and the life of the Zhou nobility • Song (hymns): ritual and religious songs, among which are some of the oldest works in the anthologyPoetic principles Fu(exposition): straightforward narration Bi (comparison): simile and metaphor Xing(affective image): image from nature at the beginning of a stanza that “evokes” a certain emotion or conveys particular moral or political meaning.Poetic form 關關睢鳩 在河之洲 窈窕淑女 君子好逑 參差荇菜 左右流之 窈窕淑女 寤寐求之 • Usually lines of 4 characters • Rhymes at the last character • Lots of onomatopoeia • Image dominated • Repeating stanzasBook of Songs, Poem #1 關關睢鳩 在河之洲 窈窕淑女 君子好逑 參差荇菜 左右流之 窈窕淑女 寤寐求之 “Fair, fair,” cry the ospreys On the island in the river. Lovely is the noble lady Fit bride for our lord. In patches grows the water mallow; To left and right one must seek it. Shy was this noble lady; Day and night he sought her.Folk song: 17, p.86 Plop fall the plums; but there are still seven. let those gentlemen that would court me Come while it is lucky! Plop fall the plums; there are still three. Let any gentleman that would court me Come before it is too late! Plop fall the plums; in shallow baskets we lay them. Any gentleman who could court me Had better speak while there is time. Subject: --a woman’s observation on the decay of beauty/youth with a touch of anxiety Incremental Repetition: --conveys a sense of urgency Progression across stanzasFolk song: 131, p.89 We yoke the teams of four, Those steeds so strong, That our lord rides behind, That lesser men protect. The four steeds so grand, The ivory bow-ends, the fish-skin quiver. Yes, we must be always on our guard; The Hsien-yun are very swift. Long ago, when we started, The willows spread their shade. Now that we turn back The snowflakes fly. The march before us is long, We are thirsty and hungry, Our hearts are stricken with sorrow, But no one listens to our plaint!Themes in the Book of Songs • Love: trysts, courting, matrimonial bliss, or abandonment • Season changes: agricultural activities, harvest • Hardship of life • Soldiers on the road or at war yearning for home • Political criticismsManyôshû万葉集 • Earliest anthology of poetry in Japan: --“Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves” --majority of the poems are from Late Yamato and Nara period --compiled sometime in ca. 759 A.D (Nara period)Chronology- early Japan Jimmu 660-585 B.C. Early Yamato 300 B.C.-552 A.D. Late Yamato 552-710 A.D. Nara 710-794 A.D. Heian 794-1185 A.D.Late Yamato period(552-710) • Introduction of Chinese culture by way of Korea -- Buddhism (6th century) -- Writing system, Classical Chinese -- Philosophies, literature, art, etc. -- Political system: headed by an emperor, supported by bureaucracy, Confucian ideals in governanceNara period (710-794) • Nara -- The first imperial capital -- Modeled after Tang (618-907) capital, Chang’an • Buddhism flourished • Efforts to legitimize the monarchy/regime via literature • Hitomaro: Poet laureate to Empress Jito (reigned 686-697)Reminder: Geography of East AsiaSea Passage from China and Korea In the Nara Period new ideas (Classical Chinese/Buddhism) traveled to Japan through an inland sea to the port of Naniwa (modern-day Osaka)Capital at Nara The urban layout of Nara was based on Tang dynasty Chang’anManyôshû: Poetic form • Tanka 短歌: short poems with a syllable count 5-7-5-7-7 • Chôka 長歌: long poems, ending with one or more envoys in Tanka form 5/7, 5/7, 5/7… 5/7/7Writing in Manyôshû • Man’yogana: use of Chinese characters to transcribe Japanese sounds and/or meaningManyôshû: Hitomaro • Contains both anonymous folk poems and poems by named poets • Hitomaro: most