A book for songwriters - Utayomi ni ataurusho

This book on poetry by Shiki Masaoka was serialized in the newspaper "Nihon" in 10 issues from February 11 to March 4, 1898 (Meiji 31). It was included in "Nihon Sosho Shiki Zokuhen" (Continuation of Shiki Essays), published by Yoshikawa Kobunkan in December 1902 (Meiji 35). He fiercely attacked the old-school poets of the time, saying things like, "Just as you have said, waka poetry has not improved at all recently," and "Tsurayuki is a poor poet, and the Kokinshu is a worthless collection." He also praised Minamoto no Sanetomo's Kinkaishu, and called for a change in the style of waka poetry, rejecting reasoning and advocating the importance of objective description. His writings are filled with strong confidence and determination, and they were the first to signal Shiki's innovation in waka poetry, and marked the starting point of his career as a poet.

[Shinichi Miyachi]

"A Book for Poets" (Iwanami Bunko)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

正岡子規(しき)の歌論書。新聞『日本』に1898年（明治31）2月11日より3月4日まで10回にわたって連載。1902年（明治35）12月、吉川弘文館(よしかわこうぶんかん)刊の『日本叢書(そうしょ)　子規随筆続篇(ぞくへん)』に収録。「仰(おほせ)の如(ごと)く近来和歌は一向に振ひ不申(まうさず)候」「貫之(つらゆき)は下手(へた)な歌よみにて古今集はくだらぬ集に有之(これあり)候」という口調で、当時の旧派の歌人を激しく攻撃し、源実朝(さねとも)の『金槐(きんかい)集』を褒め、和歌の趣向の変化を求めて、理屈を排し、客観写生の重視を説くなど、強い自信と決意にあふれており、子規の和歌革新の第一声になり、歌人としての子規の出発点ともなった。

［宮地伸一］

『『歌よみに与ふる書』（岩波文庫）』

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