Biography of Yukio Mishima

Author: Tang Yue Mei
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-10-01
Features: The author of "A Biography of Yukio Mishima" has written monographs such as "The Strange and Talented Yukio Mishima," "The History of Modern Japanese Literary Trends," "Japanese Civilization" (co-authored), "The History of Japanese Literature in the 20th Century" (co-authored), and "The Aesthetic Consciousness of the Japanese" (co-authored). Translated works include "Tidal Wave," "The Golden Pavilion," "Spring Snow," "The Masked Autobiography," and "The Hunger for Love" (all by [Japanese] Yukio Mishima), "Samurai Yoshikane" ([Japanese] Yasako Yamaishi, co-translated), "The History of Japanese Literature" ([Japanese] Yasako Yamaishi, co-translated, Modern and Contemporary 2 volumes), "Koto," "Lake," "Dancing Girl," and "I in a Beautiful Japan" (all by [Japanese] Yasunari Kawabata), "Tide," "Range" ([Japanese] Iseki), "Tide" ([Japanese] Yuki), "The Sentiment of Beauty" ([Japanese] Tatsuko), and edited works such as "Selected Works of Japanese Award Writers." The novel's overall theme revolves around humans and objects, with the protagonist "I" and the sea being central to the story. The sea becomes an important thread in the narrative. The story begins by establishing that the protagonist "I" lives near a bay, symbolizing a close connection with the sea. The psychological transformation of the maidservant from fear to yearning for the sea, as well as the Countess's relentless longing for the sea, become key driving forces in the story, highlighting the psychological changes caused by their relationships with their husbands. For example, in Section (Upper) III, at the end of the story, the maidservant, after staying at a Buddhist nunnery, writes the following reflection on her relationship with the sea while chanting sutras: "Now, it seems that the extraordinary fear and trust I felt for the man on the way to the sea was perhaps because I had subconsciously imagined the sea deity as a man and perceived his every action as the image of the vast ocean." Yukio Mishima employs the structure of classical Japanese literature, where the local is made to be a whole within the larger framework of an endless historical and temporal space. At the same time, constrained by classical structure, he borrows the stream-of-consciousness techniques of Western modern literature, expanding and distorting space and time through memory and association. For instance, starting from the present and reminiscing about the past, he traces back to the Heian period over a thousand years ago, then flows back to the Meiji era over a hundred years ago, and finally returns to the present to explore the deeper psychology of the characters—their unfulfilled love and pure, self-sacrificing emotions. Overall, "The Forest in Full Bloom" uses a hybrid style that blends delicacy and exuberance, metaphor and simile, creating a fusion of Eastern and Western aesthetics,. Although the author's blend of classical and modern elements has not yet reached a seamless integration, it serves as an exploration—a sixteen-year-old's exploration—fully showcasing his growing literary talent and forging a distinctive path in writing. Four years after "The Forest in Full Bloom" was published, Yukio Mishima compiled five short stories written around the same time, including "The Moon in the Water," "The Eternity of the Past," "Asa and Maya," and "The Diary of Blessings," under the title "The Forest in Full Bloom," as a gift to his mentor, Shunsuke Shimizu. In September 1944, Yukio Mishima graduated from the Literature Department of Gakushuin University and entered the Faculty of Law at Tokyo Imperial University in October. The publication of this debut collection of works came at the end of the war, with Tokyo frequently under aerial bombardment, severe material shortages, and strict government control over publishing through paper application procedures. Thus, publishing the book was extremely difficult. Fortunately, thanks to the recommendations of the editorial staff of "Bunshun" magazine and others, and with the help of Fumio Toshio, the book was finally approved for publication. Yukio Mishima and Fumio Toshio often traveled around Tokyo, which was constantly at risk of air raids, to handle the publication. To comply with the times, Yukio Mishima deliberately filled out the publishing application form with the purpose of "protecting and inheriting the literary tradition of the Imperial State," and the paper was eventually approved, with the book being published by Shochiku Publishing. During this period, Yukio Mishima prayed every day, hoping that the printing factory would be spared from bombing, allowing the book to be safely published. "The Forest in Full Bloom" was finally published on November 25, 1944, with an initial print run of 4,000 copies. In the "book famine" era, it sold out within a week. Due to the wartime conditions, the book did not immediately attract attention from the literary world. However, Yukio Mishima understood that "publishing such a book under the current circumstances was highly unusual" and thus "felt that he would die without regret." The following January, Yukio Mishima received his first royalty check and rushed to the book district of Kanda, using the entire amount to buy a Noh play and a Kabuki script. While publishing his debut work "The Forest in Full Bloom," Yukio Mishima also wrote critical essays such as "The Seasons of the Past and Present," "Longevity," and "Puns," offering many original insights on the seasonal themes of Japanese waka poetry, the symbolic nature of the world of "longevity," and the aesthetic beauty of the Japanese language, laying the preliminary theoretical foundation for Mishima's aesthetics. From then on, Hoko Kojii, an author for the Gakushuin magazine "Fukugen," turned to Yukio Mishima, marking his first step toward the literary world. The failed Hoko Kojii found men more attractive than women, often staring at their bodies and becoming mesmerized by Sebastian's martyrdom, even developing a spiritual homosexuality. Although "The Masked Autobiography," a semi-autobiographical novel, portrays the protagonist "I" and his homosexuality with Konshu, it is heavily fictionalized, yet it genuinely reflects Mishima's past spiritual homosexuality, a fact well-known to all. However, Hoko Kojii was not a saint either, and he had natural sexual instincts. As he grew from a boy to a man, from Hoko Kojii to Yukio Mishima, he entered puberty. This period coincided with the war, when asceticism was fashionable in society, especially at his alma mater, Gakushuin, a conservative and aristocratic school that lacked sex education. Moreover, he did not consider himself handsome and felt no attraction for women, leading to deep self-doubt and a lack of courage to pursue them. He was torn between homosexual and heterosexual desires, struggling to find a support point for his love and sexuality. He often worried about encountering unforeseen dangers in love and felt uneasy about his future romantic life. This anxiety drove him to escape into dreams, only to try to break free from them and plunge into what he called "vices." He vividly described himself as a "ugly duckling," but one who "believed he could grow into a swan." In Mishima's memories, during his commute to and from school at Gakushuin, he often encountered a girl on the bus. Sometimes they sat side by side, and as the bus swayed, their knees touched. Mishima felt an inexplicable warmth radiating from her, a warmth that lingered long after their encounter—a romantic sensation. However, they never greeted each other or spoke, and Mishima's feelings for her were one-sided. This was Mishima's first real emotional stir for a woman, marking the beginning of his awakening sexual consciousness. Another time, Mishima visited the home of two male classmates, where the family was very open, with free social interactions between men and women. One of the classmates' sisters was exceptionally beautiful and was constantly surrounded by male classmates of his own age. She was warm and composed, catching Mishima's attention. Mishima often glanced at her, hoping she would come closer to him. But when she did, he felt as though she treated him like a child, perhaps curious or sympathetic but not interested in him. Despite this, he was captivated by her beauty, as if she were from another world, and hesitantly offered her a novel he had brought. She showed little reaction, not even thanking him, and drifted away. A month later, when Mishima returned to his classmates' home, she simply said, "Thank you for the book." Mishima was infatuated with her and tried to get closer, but she was not interested. He had no choice but to suppress his feelings deep within himself, never mentioning it to anyone. Later, he heard that she had married and realized that "his love for his friend's sister had ended in unrequited affection." In the late war years, Mishima met the sister of another classmate and fell deeply in love at first sight, their emotions intensifying and both falling in love. The name of this woman was never mentioned by Mishima in his works or articles. In his essay "My Adolescence," he used the pseudonym Asako. According to "Reminiscences—Letters to Yukio Mishima" by Shunsuke Akiyama (August 1961 issue of Kokugo Gakka), her real name was Atsuko Yuasa. This was Mishima's first love, and the story went like this: One spring day in 1945, Mishima visited the home of a close classmate. While chatting in the living room, they heard the melodious sound of a piano coming from an adjacent room. It was the piano playing of Atsuko, the sister of his classmate and also a classmate at Sacred Heart Girls' School, who was playing the piano. Mishima listened intently, feeling as though the music was played just for him, transporting him to an unforgettable world of warmth, gentleness, and tranquility.