Mind of a Japanese Beauty
(Un esprit d'un japonais beauté)
In today's Sankei Shimbun Newspaper, they reported on a new English version of a traditional style of Japanese "waka" poetry called Ogura Hyakunin Isshu, compiled by Fujiwara-no Teika (1162 - 1241).
http://www.geocities.com/jisei/ogura.html
Mr. Peter McMillan's translation work will be reportedly used by students learning Japanese classical literature in US Columbia University.
The newspaper presented one waka poet produced by Ono-no Komachi (825 - 900), a symbol of a beautiful woman in Japan.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ono_no_Komachi
She wrote: "Hana-no Iro-wa Utsurinikeri-na Itazurani, Waga-mi Yo-ni Huru, Nagame-seshi Ma-ni"
(Here, "Hana" is cherry blossoms or woman's beauty; "Utsuri" means transition or change; "Itazurani" means all for nothing; "Waga" means 'my'; "mi" means a body or self; "Yo" means the world or 'very much'; "Huru" means falling or passing; "Nagame" means a long rain or a view; "se-shi" means doing; and "Ma-ni" means 'while.')
Mr. Peter McMillan translated:
"A life in vain:
my looks, talents faded
like these cherry blossoms
paling in the endless rains
that I gaze out upon, alone."
Ono_no_Komachi's poetry uses paronomasia, and thus it becomes a little complicated.
The key expression is "Waga-mi Yo-ni Huru," since it can be interpreted in two ways as "Hana" is cherry blossoms or woman's beauty:
1) Petals of cherry blossoms fell very much on my body like rain.
2) Time has passed on my body or myself living in the world.
But, I want to present the third interpretation, since "Yo-ni Huru" can be read as "Yo(u) Ni (H)uru" which means "very much possibly similar," since "Niru" is to resemble something, and "uru" or its original form "eru" means being possible.
In addition, "Yo-ni Huru" can be read as "Yo(u) Niou" meaning 'very much sweet-smelling.'
Therefore, "Hana-no Iro-wa Utsurinikeri-na Itazurani, Waga-mi Yo-ni Huru, Nagame-seshi Ma-ni" can be read as follows:
"Cherry blossoms, no more the fame,
rained down without an aim
aging me too without a shame
who is left but with their smack."
* * *
Traditionally, the poet Ono_no_Komachi has been regarded as the most beautiful woman in the Japan's history as such fame can last long like a case of Helen (Greece), Cleopatra (Egypt), or Yang Guifei (China).
(The expression "Komachi" is still used to mean a beauty.)
But, with influx of Western culture, the eye for the beauty among Japanese has changed.
For example, in the early Meiji Period, while Japan was busy introducing Western civilization, the most beautiful women in Tokyo then are said, according to one report and its estimate, to have been some daughters of a certain European husband and Japanese wife.
* * *
Indeed, you can tell your friends in US Columbia University that they cannot interpret Japanese works of literature unless they really feel minds and hearts of Japanese beauties.
Truly, I am telling poor but blessed Americans that they cannot interpret situations in Iraq and Afghanistan unless they really feel minds and hearts of Muslims.
(Maybe the best Christmas present in Japan is a cherry tree, promising a sweet spring; or an egg for Easter?)
"JESUS CONDEMNS THEIR HYPOCRISY"
(JESUS RECHNET AB)