The Hundred Poets, Part I
(Hyaku-nin isshu,
百人一首内)
Publisher: Ebisu
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 (持統天皇) 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 (柿本人麿) 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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Another state of the above
design |