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Diaries of Court Ladies of Old Japan

Diaries of Court Ladies of Old Japan

Author: Izumi Shikibu
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Chapter 1 THE SARASHINA DIARY

Word Count: 8822    |    Released on: 01/12/2017

100

n the farthest end of the Eastern Road. I am ashamed to think th

several chapters about the shining Prince Genji.[2] My longing for such stories increased, but how could they recite them all from memory? I became very restless and got an image of Yakushi Buddha[3] made as large as myself. Wh

té, the old house where I had played as a child being broken up. At sunset in the foggy twilight, just as I was getting into the p

From that house, standing on a low bluff, a wide plain extends towards the South. On the East and West the sea creeps close, so it is

ed at Ikada in the Province of Shimofusa. Our lodging is almost submerged. I am so afr

g our dripping clothes and waiti

en times a chieftain of Mano. He had thousand and ten thousand webs of cloth woven and dipped them [for bleaching] in the ri

posing poems about thi

een erect i

timbers of t

know, how

y of tha

and wide. The pine-wood was dark-the moon was bright, and the soft blowing

is nig

t Kurodo beach sh

ht only!-I c

boundary between Shimofusa and Musashi. We lodged at the ferry of Matsusato[8]

my nurse and wanted to go to see her, and was brought there by my elder brother in his arms. We, though in a temporary lodging, covered ourselves with warm co

er very white and pure. She wept and caressed me, and I was loath to leave her. Even when I went w

r in their own conveyances went back from this place. We, who were going up to the Royal City, stayed here for a

n the fields of Musashi, but it is only a waste of various kinds of reeds, which grow so high that we cannot see the bows of our horsemen who are forcing their

it?" I asked; a

offered to the King's palace [by the Governor] as a guard to keep the watch-f

weary doom to labou

ars have I-and th

nd I have hung strai

fi

e West when the

e East when the

North when the

South when the

ching them turning

rds! Oh, m

to think how gourds were above the wine-jars and how they were turning and wanted to see them. She became very zealous for the gourds, and pushing up the blind called the guard, saying, 'Man, come here!' The man heard it very res

ld pursue them, and that night, placing the Princess on the Seta Bridge,[13] broke a part of it away, and bound

his back, had been seen fleeing towards the East. So they sought for that guard, and he was not to be found. They said, 'Doubtless this man went back home.' The Royal Government sent messengers to pursue them, but when they

what should I do? This is a very good place to live in. It must have been settled before I was born that I should leave my trace [i.e. d

ss; nor is it meet to bring them back to the Royal City. As long as that man of Takeshi

ss was placed there. When she died they made it into a temple called Takeshíba-dera.[15] The descendants of

the river Asuda along the border of Musashi and Sagami, where at the ferry Arihara Narihira had co

waves. There was a place there called Morokoshi-ga-Hara[18] [Chinese Field] where sands are wonderfully white. Two or three days we journeyed along that shore. A man said:, "In Summer pale and deep Japanese pinks blo

and a karakasa [large paper umbrella] was spread for them. My servant lighted a fire so that we saw them. They said that they were the descendants of a famous singer called Kobata. They had very long hair which hung over their foreheads; their faces were white and clean, and they seemed rather like maids serving in noblemen's families. They had clear, sweet voices, and their beautiful singing seemed to reach the heavens. All were charmed, and taking great interest made them come ne

um caulescens]. People praised it and thought strange that in this mountain, so far from the human world, was growing such a sacred plant. We met with three rivers in the mountain and crossed them with difficulty. That day we st

h deep blue, and covered with eternal snow. It seems that it wears a dress of deep violet and a white veil over its shoulders. From the little level place of the top smoke wa

yellow paper with words elegantly written on it in cinnabar. Wondering much I read it. On the paper was a prophecy of the Governors [of provinces] to be appointed next year. As to this Province there were written the names of two Gover

e gods assemble there on that mountain

there were many houses for the keepers of the bar

t with ease over Numajiri and came to the river ōi. Such a torrent I h

little night]. I was quite exhausted, so when we came to the bank of the Tenryu River, we had a temporary dwelling built, and passed several days there, and I got be

, so we had to cross in a boat. The bridge had been laid across an inland bay. The waves of the outer sea were very high, and we could see them through the thick pine-trees which gre

and then came to Takashi shore of the Province of Mikawa. We passed a place

r a big persimmon tree. The fruit fell down durin

aw red leaves still, although it w

ain winds in

pare t

le leaves a

t to th

was, indeed. We passed the Narumi [sounding-sea] shore in the Province of Owari. The evening tides were c

nd arrived at Nogami. There singers came again and they san

in light rain fell night and day mixed with hail. It was so melancholy that we left there and passed by Inugami, Kanzaki, and Yasu without receiving any impressions. The lake stretched far and wide, and we caught occasional glimpses of

e and indifferent to its surroundings it stood unregarded in this deserted place; but I, passing by, received a message from i

mother into giving me books of stories, after which I had been yearning for so many years. Mother sent a messenger with a letter to Emon-no-Myōgu, one of our relatives who served the Princess of Sanjo. She took interest in my strange passion and willingly sent me some exc

iage], and now she was to leave our home. She beckoned her own child, who was five years old, and said, "The time will never come when I shall forget you, dear heart"; and pointing to a huge plu

LOWER AND YET NO

be so. I waited and waited with my eye hung to the tree. It was all in flower[26] and yet no tidings f

of hope, are the

is remembered

eemed dead

affectionate wo

ver forsake

e plum-tree

d, the unexpected,

moonlight night at the ford of Matsuzato, died on the moon-birthday of the Ever-growing month [first day of

d out of doors[28] [again] I saw the evening sun on cherry-blos

ling, yet I may

pring

onging for th

arted from

ng was lost [dead]. I could sympathize deeply with the sorrow of

book of the handwriting of this noble lady for my copy-book

smoke floating

e Hil

rstand me, who see

hile l

or romances and gave them to me, and I became consoled unconsciously. I read a few volumes of Genji-monogatari and longed for the rest, but as I was still a stranger here I

She showed a tender interest in me and lovingly said I had grown up beautifully. On my return she said: "What shall I give you? You will not be interested in serious things: I will give you what you like best." And she gave me more than fifty volumes of Genji-monogat

em out one by one, shutting myself in behind the ki

ep my eyes open, I did nothing but look at t

he names in the books, and I

dhist scarf who came to me and said, "Learn

ht to myself] the time would come when I should be beautiful beyond compare, with long, long hair. I should be like the Lady Yugao [in the romance] loved by

eneral Kaoru [literal translation, "Fragrance"] find such a beauty as Lady

n or eighteen, but I could scarcely even think of such matters. The only thing that I could think of was the Shining Prince who would some day come to me, as noble and beautiful as in the romance. If he came only once a year I, being hidden in a mountain villa li

ONT AND B

w the white petals of the Tachibana tree [a kin

mind receive

of newly f

e ground

ent of Tach

m fallen

onth[36] its red leaves were more beautiful than those of the surrounding mountains. A visito

can be mo

at of m

y an autum

of the

ces from morning to night,

the Empress of the First Rank of Honour. I asked the reason, and the man said, "Pray to the Heaven-illuminat

ossoms waited for!-cherry-blossoms lamented over! In Spr

tain person's house to avoid the evil influence of the earth god.[37] There I saw deli

I gazed at the cherry-b

closing-they we

ays when my nurse died, and sadness descended upon me, which grew deeper wh

a long-drawn-out cry. I turned, wondering, and saw a very lovely cat. "Whence does it come?"

t her secretly. She kept herself aloof from the vulgar servants, always sitting quietly before us. She

said to me, "Where is the cat kept? Bring her here." I asked why, and sister said: "In my dream the cat came to my side and said, 'I am the altered form of the late Honoured Daughter of the First Adviser to the King. There was a slight cause [for this]. You

nce, when I was sitting alone, she came and sat before me, and, stroking her head, I addressed her: "You are the first dau

g her she seemed no common cat. She seem

ng of the Long Regret] retold from the original of the Chinese p

onth I found a happy means to send

ght when in th

embarked to meet

the wave rises high in

my heart to see

nswer

on the shore of t

ull of ecstas

gs of daily li

your messag

rightly. Darkness was chased away even from every corner

f I flew away now, leaving no trace behind, what would you think of it?" She saw that her w

ha!" [Reed-leaf, a woman's name or pet name] twice, but no woman made reply. The man cried in vain until he was tired of it,

sic in t

Wind"[40

reed-leaf m

d my sister, and

light

soon give o

d did n

ponse of th

into the firmament, and w

r was burned to death. She had been used to come mewing whenever I called her by the name of that lady, as if she had understood me. My

n and no trees. I thought with regret of the old spacious garden which was wild as a deep wood, and

m-blossoms grew in confusion and their perfume came o

hbouring garden th

my soul wi

ght of the bel

e eaves of the ho

rth to a child. From childhood, even a stranger's death had touched my he

nd its way through the cracks of the roof [perhaps of their temporary dwelling] and illumined the face of the baby. The sight gave m

E AND GROUNDS IN

Buried," with the following note: "The late lady had asked me to find her this romance. At tha

nsw

can there

d seek a romanc

ow is th

der the

had lost her, she had no reason to sta

ing separates us e

rt? Oh, world

a letter from her nurse-but it stopped short with the words,

ather memorie

of letters

may be foun

, and the

ortless plove

ng characters soon

re enduring trace in

ee the grave and ret

he field, but s

the smoke of

r last dwel

n I fi

n my stepmother hear

nder in se

her last dwe

before th

st be ou

"The Prince Yearning a

e wandered seeki

iar fields of

y wee

r, who had followed the funer

e my

and smoke

nd died

ds there is no

k there

thought of the nun who lived on

has f

u cann

unusual s

itous path of th

ation to the night when he might expect an appointment as Governor of a Province. H

d for the dawn wit

ell roused m

g for the

alas! was

red autu

ote

as the

led from dre

t toll our re

ry beds for rice-plants were filled with water, and the fields were green all over with the young growing rice. It was a smile-presenting sight. I

le as if they were k

eceived into openi

along the mountain p

I could never have enough of this water." "Is it the first time," I asked, "that you have tasted the satisfying sweetness of a mountain well drunk from the hollow of your hand?" She said, "It is sweeter than to drink from a

becomes muddy even with drops falling

with her and sent wo

un descends behind

that it is I who

e place wh

ed the door. It was dim early dawn; mist veiled the green forest, which was thicker and darker than in the time

at we might see a

dawn in the mo

nd of cuckoos ne

ards the glen. "In the Royal City poets may be awaiting you,

ne person, at least, in the Capital who is listening to

City like to gaz

who thinks of t

ded of us h

epl

of night,

the deep moun

for the mou

moments fil

ming down the mountain. I wondered and looked out. It was a herd of deer which ca

r the love-call of

hts, upon the

ome near my residence and gone bac

wind among the pin

it departs with

like it. You do not

the mountain-side was gloomy and the sound of the waterfall was all [I heard]. I wish that lovers [

I came, were dried up, the rice being harvested. The young plants in their bed of

e thick grown leaves which had cast a dark shade were all fallen. The sight was heartfelt over all.

r could n

me is the

-scattering

he King-they were probably poor, and her gentle, poetic nature did not incline her to seek useful friends at court; therefore

the next Spring, could I live so long, and begged t

owing month of the next year [1026], but

the blooming c

Spring come

fume of flowers

night in a house beside a bamboo wood. Wind

ight the bamb

nd a vague, indefinite

went to live elsewh

dew on t

le whereve

am I oppresse

th a thin gro

arkable thing. I neglected religious services and temple observances. Those fantastic ideas [of the romances] can they be realized in this wo

pointed Governor of a Pro

six years. The follo

tion. Our Karma relation from our former world must have been bad. Now I have to go to so distant a country after waiting so long! When I brought you, who were a little child, to the Eastern Province [at his former appointment], even a slight illness caused me much trouble of mind in thinking that should I die, you would wander helpless i

man.[45] There are no relatives in the Capital upon whom we could rely to foster you, yet I cannot refuse the appointment which has been made after su

and I forgot all about flowers or maple leaves

the thirteenth of th

ot remain still in my own room, for I

s, from which tears dropped down. Soon he had passed by.[47] My eyes were dim with tears and soon I concealed myself in

e from h

uld do

nowledge mo

of departin

reference to his age and the

read the poe

mpose halting poems [literally, of broken l

o think in thi

rom you to

. As I knew the road he was taking [the same which is described in this journal], I thought of him the more longi

ent to the temple at Udzumaza

ere. They must have been waiting for some one to catch up with them. When I pas

rd not to reply to such a s

nd kin

em in the fie

en days, but could think of no

resent, but grant that we may meet again peacefully after this p

terribly and the sky cleared. The moon became exquisitely bright, and it was

s must be reminded

pths the tempes

ed and

y own," is intangibly

arrived fr

r's l

it.[49] There was a beautiful wood. My first thought was of you, and to make you see it, and I asked the name of that grove. 'The grove of Longing Aft

r le

e must ha

wful

Longing Afte

a sadder thing than to

in the way of translation as there is a play up

ild"; left; Father-caressed[50] Moun

Longing After

ink of the Father-

hard is the

d left [he

nd. She said: "Oh, dreadful is the Hatsusé Temple! What should you do if you were caught by some one at the Nara ascent? Ishiyama too! Sekiyama Pa

My old habits of romantic indulgence were not dead yet, an

re before the altar, in blue garments with loose brocade hood and brocade shoes. He seemed to be the intendant of the temple: "You, being occupied with vain thoughts, are not pray

told the priest to pass two or three days in the temple especially praying that a dream might be vouchsafed about the future

e back to tell

ors. I answered in the most respectful manner, 'There were no letters. I was told only to offer these.' 'Strange!' she said. 'Letters are to be added. See what is mirrored in one, it creates pity to look at it.' I saw her weep bitterly and saw appear in the mirror shadows of people rolling over in la

his dream. Some one said, "Pray to the Heavenly Illuminating Honoured Goddess

ed: "She is a goddess, and takes up her abode at Isé.[52] The goddess is also worshipped by t

the Imperial shrine? I could never be allowed to go there. T

n, and entered the Sugaku Temp

arise for

k of the mo

storms will

pl

have a gli

e through t

head is Summer's

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