Spring Rain Story - Harusame Monogatari

A collection of short stories by Ueda Akinari. After initially being compiled in 1808 (Bunka 5) during the author's final years, it was thoroughly revised over the course of the following year, the year of his death. "Chi Katabira" is based on the Kusuko Rebellion and depicts the clash between the new Chinese culture and the ancient ethos; "Amatsuotome" describes the early period of the dynasty while incorporating sketches of Henjo and Kiyomaro; "Kaizoku" is a playful depiction of a dialogue between the stubborn pirate Funya no Akitsu and Ki no Tsurayuki; "Nisei no Enishi" depicts the dry life of a meditating monk who is unearthed; and "Me Hitotsu no Kami" is a story that uses the mouth of an ancient and mysterious god of the fields to explain his own theory. It consists of 10 pieces: "The Blooming Face of a Dead Head," a tale of a tragic love affair that ends with the decapitation of the woman; "Suteishimaru," the story of a wild child and a young man from Tohoku who overcome their grudges; "Miyagigazuka," which tells of the legendary prostitute Miyagi's suicide by drowning; "Uta no Homare," in which he discusses similar poems from the Manyoshu and presents his own theory on poetry; and "Hankai," a masterpiece written in his later years that depicts the spiritual journey of Okura, a great criminal who murdered his parents, after wandering around the country until he attains enlightenment. Written regardless of the fashions of the time, the collection has been passed down in the form of manuscripts. The complete set was only discovered after World War II.

[Hiroyasu Nakamura]

"Complete Collection of Japanese Classical Literature 48: English Grammar, The Tale of Seizan, The Tale of Ugetsu, The Tale of Spring Rain" (1973, Shogakukan)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

上田秋成(あきなり)作の小説集。作者最晩年の1808年（文化5）に一度まとめられたあと、没年である翌年にかけて全面的な改稿が行われていた。薬子(くすこ)の乱に取材し、新来の中国文化と古代の心性(エートス)の衝突を描いた「血かたびら」、遍昭(へんじょう)や清麿(きよまろ)の点描を交えつつ王朝初期の時代相を記した「天津処女(あまつおとめ)」、剛直な海賊文屋秋津(ふんやのあきつ)と紀貫之(きのつらゆき)の対話を戯述した「海賊」、掘り出された禅定(ぜんじょう)僧の乾いた生を描いた「二世(にせ)の縁(えにし)」、古怪な野の神の口を借りて自説を開陳した「目(め)ひとつの神」、女性の首を斬(き)り落とすことによって悲恋に結末がつけられた物語「死首(しくび)の咲顔(えがお)」、恩讐(おんしゅう)をのりこえた東北(みちのく)の野生児と若者の話「捨石丸(すていしまる)」、伝説の遊女宮木(みやぎ)の入水(じゅすい)を語った「宮木が塚」、万葉の類歌を論じて自己の歌論を述べた「歌のほまれ」、親殺しの大罪人大蔵が全国を放浪したあと開悟するまでの魂の遍歴を描いた晩年の代表作「樊噲(はんかい)」の10編からなる。時代の流行とかかわりないところで書かれ、写本の形で伝えられてきた。完本は第二次世界大戦後になって発見された。

［中村博保］

『中村博保他校注・訳『日本古典文学全集48　英草紙・西山物語・雨月物語・春雨物語』（1973・小学館）』

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