The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-03-15
ISOOO POETS IN A CONTEST
o,r JIPINESE WELCOME TO
IHE NEU YEAR.
-, Poems were Thlrty.one Syllables Long
and = pine. Tree Mas the subject
seven winning Poems Read 10 the
uLado, VINO Contributed one Himself.

|N- NINH - NV 'AHHN" ~
nnr Land u the Rising Sun was in the early
40, governed by the Mikado with poetry
ae humanity and k indness,
The ars, Japanese literature. the classical
81, If thirtv-one syllables. was born in the
,-aisht within the golden screens Of the
,slacp. The glowing enthusiasm Of many
Igksdos watched 1t up 10 it's full develop
nent. The palace was an Olympus OF
noetrv and art. In whatever city II was.
Nara. the old capital Of the eighth cen
turv, With It's long avenues OF noble trees
and with many deep toned Buddha temple
balls cchoing in the silent groves. soon grew
fl, he a home Of luxurious art. OF emotional
roefrv and polite learning under the rule Of
me lady known in history as the Empress
Glorious par excellence, Daughter Of n
Emperor and consort Of another, abe, being
remarkable woman, assumed the regency
after the latter's death.
And under her encouragement the 'Ko-
na.' or Book Of Old Traditions was COM
ried and published. And also the pubica-
lion " the "Nihongi,' or Chronicles Of
lApan' the first step toward the creation
n a national literature, was due to her
patronage and endeavors. Again, the
.Nanyoshui.' or myriad Leaves the first
and best esteemed Of many collections OF
vsrse. appeared in her glorious reign, which
might well be called the lyric age Of Japan,
having as the greatest light the utd poet
Hltomaro.
When the court moved 10 Kioto under
the Emperor Kammu ii soon appeared TO
10 the centre Of culture and song. The city
vas aptly named the City Of Peace, with
lis silver throated musician Of nature in
The Kane River and its golden gallery Of
hrocades Of maple and cherry blossom in
saga and Omuro.
The court ladies' and mobiles. in dress OF
green and red. drank in the beauty Of the
,oAnp 10 their hearts content. Their high
al aim in life was 20 love and leave a few
impershable lines OF highest inspiration to
posterity.
In such an atmosphere Murasakino shi-
kibu produced her 1Genji Monogatari.'
The first creation Of the prose epic of real
LIE in Japanese literature. Here she re-
Sembled Fielding the novelist, but l learn
from Aston that her genius more resembled
Richardson's. And it was also a court lady.
Sci Sho Nagon by name, who showed her
genius in "Makura Zoshi' or PILLOW
Sketches
The imperial palace was a flower house
Of lilies and roses Of literature, & after
age. And when the court left Kioto for this
Toxic. some forty years ago, poetry and
culture we're also t~ransplanted,
The boorish hearts OF warriors ghosts
who wildly laughed in the shadows OF Toku-
Rava's castle with a sort Of brilliant dolphin
on its roof top were Gained by q poets
vhispSS, and the muddy moat Of feudal age
appeared in a new dress, making itself
even a subject for a poem. From the palace
We scented the world old fragrance OF
cong and art. .
The Poetry ONCE or "Outa Tokoro,'
With Baron TakAsah as it's chief, was grace
fully opened, and other court poets sat
In order. And the present Mikado is the
chief. His Majesty is usually silent, like
the heart Of Fujiyama, but you remember
how his 'thirty-one syllables' In the recent
var were the inspiration Of our nations
patriotism and the fountain OF our oom-
Tort, His Majesty faced the nation with
Ipoet's heart.
am heartily pleased 10 have the New
Years Day and January in this modernized
Toxic, with electric lights and telephones,
again drowned in the old glory and tradi-
ton. The customary gate pines or hado-
matsu are set before the doors, and the
people, all smiles and an excusable blush
from loSo or sake. go TO and fro distributing
happy greetings and profound bows,
md within doors mothers and girls are
merry. playing their Kdrutd cards with the
'Hyakunin Isshu' poems. The authors
Of this poetical anthology Of the thirteenth
century were mostly the court ladies and
mobiles. The anthology begins with the
Emperor Tenchi, closing with a certain
retired Mikado.
In the palace the ceremony Of 'Shiho
Hal or worshipplng the four corners oil
the universe, will be held TO begin with;
and the Official reception will be announced
presently. And In due course OF time the
time honored impressive feast OF the Read
Ing Of the Poems will be held before the
Emperor. -,
This year the Reading Of Poems will
he executed on the eighteenth day Of this
month in 'Howo no Ma or the Phoenix
Hall Of the palace. The subject OF the
poem was announced by the Poetry ONCE
many months ago. 1t Is "Shato no Matsu,
OF The Pine Tree Standing in Front Of the
Temple Ground and II is said that more
than 5000 poems have been sent beyond
Eijubashi, the entrance bridge OF the
palace, appealing for the honor OF being
read before the Mikado.
The 0ficial Poets in committee select the
seven best poems among this enormous
number. mind you, we have more than
1000 poets at least Mr.. Chiune Takabata
Miss 1soko, the fifth daughter OF Marquis
Tokudaiji, the Lord Chamberlain; Mr.. Sc
0machi and two other gentlemen and one
other woman were chosen for the dis-
tinction. II is worthy Of note that the last
woman il a humble wife OF the common
people from a country town. =,
In the Phoenix Room Count Higashi
Kise az Dokushi or Headman, Visoount
lrive as Koshi or Chief Reader, Count
Ohara as Haasei or Head OF the Chorus
and Counts Omiya and Jimyoin, Baror
Kaneko and others rs Koshi, make Their
appearance. His Majesty the Emperor
viii auRustlv observe the proceedings
y 'rvu gar uriiw ashiku,' 80 TO say. Hel
Nsiestythe Empress's poem Tor the occasion
e a, follows:
SAkae yuku,
lsaki no matsu nj
Mlyuh kama,
Mikuni VIC amoru
Kani no kokoromO.
Rehold the pine trees glorious by IN,
'omrlo fence the hearts OF the gods whlcl
guard the land are seen In them.
Md his Majesty the Emperor's poem run
- 'nIUws,
TokiWa naru
Matsu koso tstere
Ugoki MAXI
Kuni wo shlzunleno