Happy New Year! To commemorate the New Year’s Day, I’d like to analyze into classical Japanese literature, “The Pillow Book”. (Makurano Soshi in Japanese).

あけましておめでとうございます。新年を祝う年の初めに、日本の古典文学について、枕草子を取り上げてみたい思います。

Sei Shonagon wrote an essay compilation book titled “The Pillow Book”, historically she was a pioneer of essay with free writing style dealing with various issues in Heian Era (794-1185). She wrote with overflowing wit and esprit, sometimes sarcastically, and sometimes comically. I personally adore the style she established.

自由闊達な形態で型に捉われずに、様々な事柄を俎上に乗せて思うままに書き綴り、随筆という分野の先駆けとなった平安文学の清少納言の枕草子について。日記でもなく、物語でもなく、ある事柄について時に明るくかろらかに、時に辛辣に、また時に可笑しみを持って機知を働かせて書くという、随筆という全く新しい分野を切り拓いた清少納言の在り方は、私にとって特別な憧れの感をもたらすものでもある。

From ancient times, Murasaki Shikibu a woman novelist who wrote a master piece of love story of 54 volumes titled “The tale of Genji”, and Sei Shonagon who is a pioneer lady of essay have been compared and contrasted. Murasaki Shikibu is often mentioned as a lyrical and emotional story-teller while Sei Shonagon is described as a high spirit and ingenious writer.

古来日本では、五十四帖からなる壮大な恋愛物語である源氏物語を書き上げた紫式部と、随筆の創始者である清少納言は比較対照して語られて来た。紫式部は感情的で叙情的な「もののあはれ」を想起させる語り手として、清少納言は華やかな明るい陽気さに満ちた、才知が溢れる「をかし」を信条とする書き手として、それぞれ評されることが多い。

I took this “The Pillow Book” from a bookshelf of my late father. Let me introduce you an essay of “Spring Dawn”. I did the English translation.

亡き父の本棚から貰ってきたこの枕草子から、「春はあけぼの」の文をご紹介したい。英語の私訳をつけた。

In spring, the dawn is supreme. Mountain lines come to look clear from misty white. And purplish clouds are thinly floating making the lines a little brighter.

春はあけぼの。やうやうしろくなりゆく山ぎは、すこしあかりて、紫だちたる雲のほそくたなびきたる。

In summer, night is supreme. Needless to say, the moon time is beautiful. But also in darkness, plenty of fire flies flying around is stunning. And it’s poetic just one or two flying across slightly shining. Rain fall is tasteful as well.

夏は夜。月のころはさらなり、闇もなほ、蛍のおほく飛びちがいたる。また、ただ一つ二つなど、ほのかにうち光ていくもをかし。雨など降るもをかし。

In autumn, the sunset is supreme. It is beautiful when the sun is hanging on the edge of mountain and crows three or four, two or three are flying hastily back home. Moreover, geese flying setting up a line far away tinily is so scenic. After the sunset, listening to the sound of winds and the sound of insects is beyond description.

秋は夕暮。夕日のさして山の端いと近うなりたるに、烏のねどころへ行くとて、三つ四つ、二つ三つなど飛びいそぐさえあはれなり。まいて雁などのつらねたるが、いと小さく見ゆるは、いとをかし。日入り果てて、風の音、虫の音など、はた言ふべきにあらず。

In winter, early morning is supreme. Needless to say when it’s snowing. Frost is so white or not, when freezing cold, making a fire in a hurry and carrying around the charcoal fire suits early winter morning. In the afternoon when the coldness gets milder, the fire on a brazier is unpleasant for loads of white ash.

冬はつとめて。雪の降りたるは言ふべきにもあらず、霜のいと白きも、またさらでもいと寒きに、火などいそぎおこして、炭持てわたるも、いとつきづきし。昼になりて、ぬるくゆるびもていけば、火桶の火も、白き灰がちになりてわろし。

I studied this essay in a classical Japanese class when in high school. The atmosphere is filled with crystalized transparent beauty. Sei Shonagon is genuinely unique; she didn’t mention that spring is beautiful because of cherry blossoms, but she declares that the dawn is supreme.

高校の古典の授業でこの箇所を学んだ。冴え渡ったある種の透徹とした情感に支えられ、春の良さを通俗的に桜とはせず、あけぼのと言い切ったところが、清少納言の他に類を見ない独自の価値観であると言えるだろう。

It is written various kinds of things in “The Pillow Book” and it is filled with enchanting surprise. As if opening a toy treasure box, it evolves distinctively one after another. I assume Sei Shonagon was a woman who saw things from an unusual viewpoint and enjoyed each new born idea utterly. And she amused herself with new concepts and imaginations mixing and mingling them all together. The intellectual play style was her own and at the same time, she possessed poisonous stings without hiding.

枕草子には様々な事柄が書き連ねてあり、おもちゃの宝箱のように、次々と異なる趣の章段が展開されて、その一つ一つが愉快な驚きに満ちていると言われている。清少納言はきっと、様々なものをいつも新鮮で愉快な心持ちで受け止める、感受性のとみに優れた女性だったのだろう。そして豊かな着想を持ち合わせ、着想同士を自在に掛け合わせたり並べ替えたりして、知的遊戯を心から愛する人でもあったのだ。そしてまた、知的な人の常として、毒性のある棘を隠さずに持ってもいた。

Not only beautiful and crystal clear sentences, she also wrote bashings and sarcasm quite bluntly. However, the authenticity of “The Pillow Book” is that it didn’t decline into ugly nor lowbrow, but it is embedded with some sort of brightness.

感性の研ぎ澄まされた美文ばかりではなく、大っぴらに悪口や辛辣な批評を繰り広げる場面もあるが、それがただの醜悪で低俗な文章とはならずに、通底した明るさで支えられているところが、この枕草子の真骨頂でもある。

Many of women literature in Heian Era are damp and sissy, often the times authors wrote their sufferings and agonies and they tend to end up with seeking for Buddhism salvation. On the contrary, “The Pillow Book” is filled with wondrous brightness and brilliance. That’s the reason why it has been read and cherished more than 1000 years.

平安時代の女流文学の多くは、我が身の苦しみを嘆き、仏教的帰依に救いを求めることに終始した湿っぽいものが多い中、この枕草子は不思議な明るさに満ちている。ここが一千年もの長きに渡って、愛読されて来た所以でもある。

From time to time I imagine to establish one and only world like that devoting my whole life. “The Pillow Book” ( Makurano Soshi ) is far, far away. Far, far beyond to reach. Even though, looking up such an exquisite literature that is sparkling luminously is so rejoicing…

枕草子には遠方はるか見上げる程遠く及ばずとも、私も自分なりにそのような明るい光を感じさせる世界観を、生涯を賭して構築してゆくことが出来たなら、と時折夢想したりする。

参考文献：　日本の古典を読む⑧ 枕草子　　
校訂・訳者　松尾聰・永井和子
発行所：　　株式会社　小学館