The Hundred Poets, Part I
(Hyaku-nin
isshu)
Publisher: Yebi-Ne
c. 1840-1842
Hyaku-nin isshu
is an anthology of 100 poems by 100 different poets compiled by the
thirteenth-century critic and poet Fujiwara no Sadaie (also known as
Teika). The poems are all five-line
poems of 31 syllables arranged as 5, 7, 5, 7 and 7. This form was known as waka and is now known as tanka. The 100 poets are in approximately
chronological order from the seventh through the thirteenth centuries. The number associated with each poet appears
in the margin of most of the prints, with a few incorrectly numbered. Some of the prints portray the poets, and
some show scenes associated with their lives or poetry. The poem and some descriptive text appear on
each print. Robinson described 58 prints
in this series, and it is unlikely that any more exist. The poems were
translated by Clay MacCauley in his book ‘Single Songs of a Hundred Poets’
(1917, Kelly and Walsh,
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Number: 1 Poet:
Emperor Tenchi Tennô Scene:
Peasants harvesting grain in the foreground with a palace overlooking the sea
in the distance Robinson:
S19.1 The poem translates: Coarse the rush-mat roof Sheltering the harvest-hut Of the autumn rice-field; And my sleeves are growing wet With the moisture dripping through. |
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This print superficially
resembles the above print. However, it
is lacking Kuniyoshi’s signature, his personal red seal (below his
signature), the publisher’s square seal below that, and the carver’s
signature-seal (below and just to the right of the publisher’s seal). A careful comparison of corresponding parts
of the two prints will reveal slight differences. This print was copied from the above using
newly carved woodblocks. No matter how
skilled the carver, it is never possible to perfectly duplicate the original. |
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Number: 2 Poet:
Empress Jitô Tennô Scene:
Empress Jitô Tennô at a palace door looking out at the wooded mountains of
Kaguyama Robinson:
S19.2 The poem translates: The spring has passed And the summer come again; For the silk-white robes, So they say, are spread to dry On the "Mount of Heaven's
Perfume." |
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Number: 3 Poet:
Kakinomoto no Hitomaro Scene: The
aged poet holding his brush and watching a pheasant with writing materials
before him Robinson:
S19.3 The poem translates: Oh, the foot-drawn trail Of the mountain-pheasant's tail Drooped like down-curved branch! Through this long, long-dragging night Must I lie in bed alone? |
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This is another version of
the above print. It is a less labor
intensive printing than the above, which almost invariably means a later
edition. In this print, the shading (bokashi) in the distant water and on
the planks of the walkway was omitted.
Bokashi was achieved by
hand-applying a gradation of ink to the wooden printing block rather than
inking the block uniformly. This
hand-application had to be repeated for each sheet of paper that was
printed. However, a careful comparison
of some fine detail, such as the script or the marsh grass, demonstrates that
they are identical, proving that both prints were printed from the same
woodblocks. |
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Number: 4 Poet:
Yamabe no Akahito Scene:
Yamabe no Akahito with a page on a hill overlooking the Bay of Tago with Mt.
Fuji in the distance Robinson:
S19.4 The poem translates: When I take the path To Tago's coast, I see Perfect whiteness laid On Mount Fuji's lofty peak By the drift of falling snow. |
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This is another unsigned
copy printed with newly carved woodblocks. |
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Number: 5 Poet:
Sarumaru-dayû Scene: A peasant
woman with two children looking over a river and rice paddies at a hill on
which are deer and autumn maple trees Robinson:
S19.5 The poem translates: In the mountain depths, Treading through the crimson leaves, The wandering stag calls. When
I hear the lonely cry, Sad–how sad!–the autumn is. |
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Number: 6 Poet:
Chûnagon Yakamochi (Otomo no Yakamochi) Scene:
Ori-hime, the weaving princess, and her husband mounted on an ox among clouds
and stars Robinson:
S19.6 The poem translates: If I see that bridge That is spanned by flights of magpies Across the arc of heaven Made white with a deep-laid frost, Then the night is almost past. |
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Number: 7 Poet:
Abe-no Nakamaro Scene:
Abe-no Nakamaro in China on a moonlight balcony overlooking the sea with a
Chinese official and two pages Robinson:
S19.7 The poem translates: When I look up at The wide-stretched plain of heaven, Is the moon the same That rose on In the land of Kasuga? |
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This is another version of
the above print. It is a less labor
intensive printing than the above, which almost invariably means a later
edition. In this print, the shading (bokashi) above the horizon and on the
distant mountains has been eliminated.
Bokashi was achieved by
hand-applying a gradation of ink to the wooden printing block rather than
inking the block uniformly. This
hand-application had to be repeated for each sheet of paper that was printed. The woodblock used to print shadows in the
foreground has also been eliminated. |
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Number: 8 Poet:
Kisen-hôshi (The Monk Kisen) Scene:
Kisen-hôshi seated in a hut overlooking a lake an a mountain with a servant
sweeping-up fallen leaves Robinson:
S19.8 The poem translates: My lowly hut is Southeast from the capital. Thus I choose to live. And the world in which I live Men have named a "Mount of
Gloom." |
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Number: 9 Poet: Ono
no Komachi Scene: Ono
no Komachi seated at a writing table watching falling cherry blossoms in the
wind Robinson:
S19.9 The poem translates: Color of the flower Has already faded away, While in idle thoughts My life passes vainly by, As I watch the long rains fall. |
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This is another copy
printed with newly carved woodblocks.
It lacks both Kuniyoshi’s signature and the publisher’s seal in the
right lower corner. |
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Number: 10 Poet:
Semimaru Scene: The
blind Semimaru at the window of his hut listening to travelers on the road
outside Robinson:
S19.10 The poem translates: Truly, this is where Travelers who go or come Over parting ways– Friends or strangers–all must meet: The gate of "Meeting Hill." |
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Number: 11 Poet:
Sangi Takamura (Ono no Takamura) Scene:
Stern view of a large junk with a rowboat in the foreground Robinson:
S19.11 The poem translates: Over the wide sea Towards its many distant isles My ship sets sail. Will the fishing boats thronged here Proclaim my journey to the world? |
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This is another version of
the above print. It is a less labor
intensive printing than the above, which almost invariably means a later
edition. The shading (bokashi) between the near and far
water was omitted, and the amount of shading in the sky was greatly
reduced. Bokashi was achieved by hand-applying a gradation of ink to the
wooden printing block rather than inking the block uniformly. This hand-application had to be repeated
for each sheet of paper that was printed.
However, a careful comparison of some fine detail, such as the script,
demonstrates that they are identical, proving that both prints were printed
from the same woodblocks. |
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Number: 12 Poet: Sôjô
Henjô (The Monk Henjô) Scene: A Bugaku performance before an audience
of noblemen and the poet with a large drum in the foreground Robinson:
S19.12 The poem translates: Let the winds of heaven Blow through the paths among the clouds And close their gates. Then for a while I could detain These messengers in maiden form. |
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Number: 13 Poet:
Emperor Yôzei-in Scene: Two
travelers viewing the Mina Waterfall pointed out to them by two peasants Robinson:
S19.13 The poem translates: From
Tsukuba's peak Falling waters have become Mina's still, full flow: So my love has grown to be Like the river's quiet deeps. |
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This is another version of
the above print. A careful comparison of
some detail, such as the script, will demonstrate that they are identical
proving that they were printed from the same woodblocks. |
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This is another unsigned
copy printed with newly carved woodblocks. |
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Number: 14 Poet: Kawara
no Sadaijin (Minamoto no Toru) Scene:
Kawara no Sadaijin with a court page and an attendant examining roles of
Michinoku flower-printed cloth Robinson:
S19.14 The poem translates: Like Michinoku prints Of the tangled leaves of ferns, It is because of you That I have become confused; But my love for you remains. |
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This is another unsigned
copy printed with newly carved woodblocks. |
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Number: 15 Poet:
Emperor Kôkô Tennô Scene: Emperor
Kôkô Tennô walking in the snow with four attendants, one of whom is holding
an umbrella Robinson:
S19.15 The poem translates: It is for your sake That I walk the fields in spring, Gathering green herbs, While my garment's hanging sleeves Are speckled with falling snow. |
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This is another state of
the above print in which green was replaced with a dark blue. |
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Number: 16 Poet:
Chûnagon Yukihira (Ariwara no Yukihira) Scene: Chûnagon
Yukihira with his page looking across a valley towards Mount Inaba, as does a
woodcutter with his boy Robinson:
S19.16 The poem translates: Though we are parted, If on Mount Inaba's peak I should hear the sound Of the pine trees growing there, I'll come back again to you. |
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Number: 17 Poet:
Ariwara no Narihira Ason Scene:
Ariwara no Narihira Ason with a page and an attendant on the banks of the
Tatsuta River watching floating autumn maple leaves Robinson:
S19.17 The poem translates: Even when the gods Held sway in the ancient days, I have never heard That water gleamed with autumn red As it does in Tatta's stream |
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Number: 18 Poet:
Fujiwara no Toshiyuki Ason Scene:
Fujiwara no Toshiyuki Ason with a page and an attendant viewing the
drum-bridge of Sumiyoshi Temple among pine trees above a band of mist Robinson:
S19.18 The poem translates: The waves are gathered On the shore of Sumi Bay, And in the gathered night, When in dreams I go to you, I hide from people's eyes. |
‘Robinson’ refers to listing in Kuniyoshi: The Warrior-Prints by Basil William Robinson (Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY, 1982) and its unpublished supplement.
