1000 Poems from the Manyoshu: The Complete Nippon Gakujutsu Shinkokai Translation by Anonymous (PDF)

Description

Dating from the 8th century and earlier, the Manyoshu is the oldest Japanese poetry anthology; it is also widely considered to be the best. The 1,000 poems (out of a total of more than 4,500) in this famous selection were chosen by a distinguished scholarly committee based on their poetic excellence, their role in revealing the Japanese national spirit and character, and their cultural and historical significance. The acclaimed translations artfully preserve the simplicity and direct quality of the originals, and encompass an enormous range of human emotions and experiences. Text is in English only.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐I was hoping for more monks and wanderers but it is mostly works by the top tier.Highly important record of the poetry of Ancient Japan, just not my cup of tea. Perhaps more research on my part would have helped.The Japanese have a long history of literary quality, this is amazing to have such a record from the past so I give it 5+ stars for historic value.The minus 2 points is my rating as I thought it was broader in it’s range. I wish it was stated somewhere, maybe I missed it, that it was from the point of view of the ruling class.

⭐What a good way to escape the daily routine and also to heal our spirits, realizing that everything will pass, like the seasons and their beautiful features

⭐A beautiful read for those who want to learn more about Japanese culture and artistry.

⭐Indeed, the title of this book is very deceiving, and the previous review didn’t comment the fact that this book isn’t the complete Man’yoshu, but a selection. Of course, you may say the title numbers the poems, and if you are an expert on the subject, you know that the Man’yoshu has over 4.000, but not everybody has the information, and the subtitle (The Complete Nippon Gakujutsu Shinkokai Translation) will very quickly lead you to error.That being said, this edition has its virtues. It is a polished and careful translation, with introduction, maps, biographies and nice indexes. Nevertheless, if you abhor of uncomplete translations (it is my case, and I was mistaken in my purchase – should have checked more carefully) check the net for the only English version there is: Mr. Honda’s The Manyoshu : A New and Complete Translation (by Hokuseido Press).

⭐If you are thinking to buy this book hoping for a book of beautiful Japanese poetry, save your money. Most of the published verses refer to places or things that have no meaning to Westerners (or probably even modern Easterners), but are specific to some unrelatable tale of the times, full of incomprehensible places and people. I bought the book after reading a very beautiful poem from this set. But the overwhelming majority are full of references that are meaningless to a Westerner and which destroy any beauty in the poetry.

⭐Wonderful translations of a timeless collection. Highly recommended both on a historic level and a cultural level. Most importantly I am in love with the romantic tales told within so many of the poems.

⭐I knew exactly what to expect with this book, and it did not disappoint. I find this book such an inspiration and very easy to read. Love haing it on the bedside table and reading before bed each night

⭐Ancient (sometimes) and beautiful poetry, but also very easy to read and understand.No doubt the translations miss most of the japanese, but its well worth it to read what does get through.

⭐My interest in early Japanese culture and literature began a few years ago after reading a fictional novel by Liza Dalby. What I loved in this piece of work was the attention paid to poetry. The Japanese used poetry as a normal way of communicating together, reflecting upon nature and the change of seasons to love and the yearning that can be a side-effect of it. So, upon finishing this fictional novel, I set out to discover more and in doing so, I discovered the Manyoshu.The Manyoshu is the oldest poetry anthology of early Japan. The original consisted of 20 volummes, totaling in excess of 4,000 poems. This translation offers Western readers the chance to learn more about early Japanese culture by offering 1,000 of the poems. The selection, according to the preface of the anthology, was made by 3 factors:-1. Their poetic excellence2. Their role in revealing the Japanese national spirit and character3. Their cultural and historical significanceThis anthology truely is a delight. There is a very good introduction, in case the reader wishes to learn more about the history behind the poems, plus there are very useful footnotes as and when required, however they do not get in the way of the poetry itself. The poems are then divided into 4 sections, each one being a different period.Personally, I have always preferred the shorter of the poems, as I think the way that the author is able to express such emotion through so few words is breathtaking. From this selection, one of my favourties is a beautiful love poem:-“Love is a torment Whenever we hide it.Why not lay it bareLike the moon that appearsFrom behind the mountain ledge?” (p.273)To me, that is perfection. Simple yet the words shall haunt you and stay with you long after you close the covers. The best Japanese love poetry are often like this – filled with emotion despite the seemingly simplistic style, and often alluding to some part of nature as a way of expressing the sentiment. Culturally, this is because the Japanese were very superstitious regarding certain aspects of nature – for example, certain days were deemed to be auspicious (either good or bad) for travelling; the early Japanese court also had restricments of which officials could wear particular colours. The colours of their robes would even be dictated due to the changing of the seasons. Nature was an integral part of their life, and this comes across in the poetry of the time.This translation is a brilliant way to get into early Japanese culture and life. After dipping into it, and enjoying it, you may want to go off and look for the Kokinoshu, another early Japanese anthology.

⭐Marvellous introduction to what became later haiku

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