Takebe Ayatari

A haiku poet, scholar of Japanese classics, author of Yomihon (reading books), and artist in the mid-Edo period. Known for his advocacy of Katauta (poems). His real name was Kitamura Kingo Hisamura. He later adopted the surname Takebe. His haiku names were Katsuso, Toin, and Ryotai. His artist name was Kanyosai. He was born as the second son of a distinguished family who served as chief retainer in the Hirosaki domain. His grandmother was Tsurujo, daughter of Yamaga Soko. At the age of 20, he fled Hirosaki due to an illicit affair with his sister-in-law, and thereafter led an unusual life of wandering around the country. He first studied at Shida Noba, where he had connections with Sakaki Hyakusen and Wada Kiin, before establishing a hermitage in Asakusa, Edo, and becoming independent as a master. He was well received for his fresh and clear style of poetry. A man of many talents and ambition, he studied landscape painting under Fei Kangen in Nagasaki, and established a family as an artist. Not satisfied with the fixed form of haiku, and influenced by Kamo Mabuchi, at the age of 45 he revived the ancient style of poetry (katauta), which consists of three lines of 5-7-7, and tried to preach it, but it drew criticism and did not become popular. He went to Kyoto at the age of 49, and while lecturing on Japanese classics, he wrote Nishiyama Monogatari (published in 1768), a pseudo-classical version of a tragic love story from the streets, and Honcho Suikoden (only the first part published in 1773), an adaptation of Suikoden based on the Emi no Oshikatsu Rebellion. He died in Edo on March 18, 1774, at the age of 56. Nishiyama Monogatari is considered a masterpiece representative of literati novels, and Honcho Suikoden was the first adaptation of Suikoden, and is recognized for its significance as a full-fledged chapter-based novel that pioneered the long-form reading book format. There are many books related to Katauta, such as "The Beginning of the Way of Katauta," and an art collection called "Kanbasai Gafu."

[Hiroyasu Nakamura]

"Complete Collection of Japanese Classical Literature 48: The Tale of Nishiyama and Others" (1973, Shogakukan), edited and annotated by Mamoru Takada ; "Chronology of Takebe Ayatari" (1963, Ayatari Society), edited by Toshiharu Maeda

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

江戸中期の俳人、国学者、読本(よみほん)作者、画家。片歌(かたうた)の唱道によって知られている。本名喜多村金吾久域(ひさむら)。のち建部姓を名のった。俳号葛鼠(かつそ)、都因(といん)、凉袋(りょうたい)。画号寒葉斎(かんようさい)。弘前(ひろさき)藩の家老職を勤める名家の次男として出生。祖母は山鹿素行(やまがそこう)の女(むすめ)鶴女。20歳のとき嫂(あによめ)との不倫の恋によって弘前を出奔、以後全国を放浪する数奇な生涯を送った。初め志田野坡(しだやば)につき、彭城百川(さかきひゃくせん)、和田希因(きいん)らと交流したあと、江戸浅草に庵(いおり)を結んで宗匠として自立、清新で平明な句風によって大いに迎えられた。多芸多才、覇気の人で、長崎で費漢源(ひかんげん)に山水画を学び、画人としても一家をなした。俳諧(はいかい)の固定した形式に飽き足らず、賀茂真淵(かもまぶち)の影響もあって、45歳のとき、5・7・7の三句からなる古詩体（片歌）を復活、唱道に努めたが、反論をよび普及するに至らなかった。49歳の年に上洛(じょうらく)、国学を講ずるかたわら、巷間(こうかん)の悲恋事件を擬古文に写した『西山(にしやま)物語』（1768刊）や、恵美押勝(えみのおしかつ)の乱に材をとって『水滸伝(すいこでん)』を翻案した『本朝水滸伝』（前編のみ1773刊）を著し、安永(あんえい)3年3月18日江戸で没している。56歳。『西山物語』は文人雅文小説を代表する佳作とされており、また『本朝水滸伝』は『水滸伝』翻案の嚆矢(こうし)となった作品であり、読本の長編形式を開いた本格的な章回体の小説として、意義を認められている。片歌関係の書に『片歌道(みち)のはじめ』など多くの書があり、画集に『寒葉斎画譜』がある。

［中村博保］

『高田衛校注・訳『日本古典文学全集48　西山物語他』（1973・小学館）』▽『前田利治編『建部綾足年譜』（1963・綾足会）』

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