KKS 53 - Revision history

Fujiwaranoteika: /* Analysis */

2026-06-22T19:05:40Z

Analysis

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:05, 22 June 2026
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	== Analysis ==		== Analysis ==

			Broadly speaking this poem has two lines of interpretation -- one that focuses on the poem itself, and another that interprets it in the ''Tales of Ise'' context.

			For the poem itself, it is similar to [[KKS 49]] in imagining a world where the blossoms do not scatter. This poem goes further though: not only should they not scatter, they should not exist (or "bloom" in the alternate reading) at all. This encompasses not only the sorrow of their scattering, but also the impatience in waiting for them to bloom, and the haste and hurry to go see them before they scatter. Keichū connected this to the [[KKS Kanajo 7\|Kana Preface]]'s judgment of Narihira's poetry as having "overflowing heart, but insufficient words," and noted that the feigned "hate" extends not just to the blossoms but to the wind and rain that would scatter them.

			Rather than the feigned "hate", the ''Shintaikei'' and Miura(1943) see an expression of love for the flowers: since this world without cherries cannot be, let's just enjoy them while we can.

			The other line of interpretation involves Prince Koretaka. The ''Tosa Diary'' says that this poem was composed when Narihira was "in attendance on Prince Koretaka," and section 82 of the ''Tales of Ise'' puts this poem in a larger context involving a trip to the Nagisa Villa. Neither of these sources indicate any explicit secondary meaning for the poem. However, Koretaka was displaced in the line of succession by his younger brother Korehito. Korehito was the grandson of Fujiwara no Yoshifusa, and the overwhelming political power of Yoshifusa resulted in this appointment. Because of this background, and the placement of this poem immediately after [[KKS 52]] (in which Yoshifusa praises his daughter's position as Empress and the glory of his family), many commenters have read a political meaning into this poem.

			''Jikidenkai'' and Kaneko(1927) see a metaphor with the cherries for Koretaka: since the Fujiwara eclipse him so much, it would be better if he had not been born at all. Later scholars are lukewarm about this idea, and Katagiri rejects it entirely: he believes that the entire idea that Koretaka and Korehito were feuding is a later legend. Kubota(1937) also thinks the poem would be in the miscellaneous volume if this were its purpose.

	[[KKS 52\|Previous poem]] \| [[KKS 54\|Next poem]]		[[KKS 52\|Previous poem]] \| [[KKS 54\|Next poem]]

Fujiwaranoteika: /* Notes */

2026-06-22T18:49:19Z

Notes

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:49, 22 June 2026
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	* ''[[Shinsen waka]]'' \| ''[[Kokin waka rokujō]]'' \| ''[[Wakan rōeishū]]''		* ''[[Shinsen waka]]'' \| ''[[Kokin waka rokujō]]'' \| ''[[Wakan rōeishū]]''
	* ''[[Kuhin waka]]'' \| ''[[Kingyokushū]]'' \| ''[[~~Sanjūroku-nin shū~~]]'' \| ''[[Korai fūteishō]]''		* ''[[Kuhin waka]]'' \| ''[[Kingyokushū]]'' \| ''[[Sanjū rokunin sen]]'' \| ''[[Korai fūteishō]]''

	== Analysis ==		== Analysis ==

Fujiwaranoteika: /* Notes */

2026-06-22T18:48:55Z

Notes

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:48, 22 June 2026
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	* ''[[Shinsen waka]]'' \| ''[[Kokin waka rokujō]]'' \| ''[[Wakan rōeishū]]''		* ''[[Shinsen waka]]'' \| ''[[Kokin waka rokujō]]'' \| ''[[Wakan rōeishū]]''
	* ''[[Kuhin waka]]'' \| ''[[Kingyokushū]]'' \| ''[[~~Sanjūrokunin~~ shū]]'' \| ''[[Korai fūteishō]]''		* ''[[Kuhin waka]]'' \| ''[[Kingyokushū]]'' \| ''[[Sanjūroku-nin shū]]'' \| ''[[Korai fūteishō]]''

	== Analysis ==		== Analysis ==

Fujiwaranoteika: Created page with "Previous poem | Next poem == Text == 渚の院にて桜を見てよめる Read on seeing cherry blossoms at the Nagisa Residence. 在原業平朝臣 Lord Ariwara no Narihira 世の中にたえて桜のなかりせば春の心はのどけからまし {{PoemPair |orig= yo no naka ni taete sakura no nakari-se-ba haru no kokoro wa nodokekara-mashi |trans= In thi..."

2026-06-22T18:48:38Z

Created page with "Previous poem | Next poem == Text == 渚の院にて桜を見てよめる Read on seeing cherry blossoms at the Nagisa Residence. 在原業平朝臣 Lord Ariwara no Narihira 世の中にたえて桜のなかりせば春の心はのどけからまし {{PoemPair |orig= <poem> yo no naka ni taete sakura no nakari-se-ba haru no kokoro wa nodokekara-mashi </poem> |trans= <poem> In thi..."

New page

[[KKS 52|Previous poem]] | [[KKS 54|Next poem]]

== Text ==

渚の院にて桜を見てよめる

Read on seeing cherry blossoms at the Nagisa Residence.

在原業平朝臣

Lord [[Ariwara no Narihira]]

世の中にたえて桜のなかりせば春の心はのどけからまし

{{PoemPair
|orig=
<poem>
yo no naka ni
taete sakura no
nakari-se-ba
haru no kokoro wa
nodokekara-mashi
</poem>

|trans=
<poem>
In this world
If cherry blossoms did not
Exist at all
The hearts of spring season
Would be tranquility.
</poem>
}}

== Notes ==

;Nagisa Residence
:Near modern-day Osaka's Nagisahon-machi, on the Yodo river. According to the ''Tales of Ise'' this was a residence of [[Prince Koretaka]]. The ''Tosa Diary'' also indicates that Koretaka and Narihira were together for this poem. [[KKS 418]] and [[KKS 884]] mention Narihira in attendance on Koretaka so there is no major reason to doubt that applies here as well.

;Did not exist at all
:Quite a few manuscripts of the KKS, as well as some versions of the poem in alternate sources, reads ''saka-zara-ba'' "did not bloom at all." Because this is it the version of the poem in [[Ki no Tsuyaruki]]'s ''Tosa Diary,'' some scholars have suggested this is a better reading (on aesthetic grounds as well). But Katagiri notes that Tsurayuki's ''Shinsen waka'' reads "exist" instead of "bloom," so it's difficult to say on the current evidence which reading is the original one.

;The hearts of spring season
:The expression ''haru no kokoro'' may refer to the feelings of people towards (or in) spring, the nature of spring itself, or some combination of both.

Other sources:

* ''[[Shinsen waka]]'' | ''[[Kokin waka rokujō]]'' | ''[[Wakan rōeishū]]''
* ''[[Kuhin waka]]'' | ''[[Kingyokushū]]'' | ''[[Sanjūrokunin shū]]'' | ''[[Korai fūteishō]]''

== Analysis ==

[[KKS 52|Previous poem]] | [[KKS 54|Next poem]]

[[Category:Spring]]
[[Category:Cherries]]