Man'yōshū

Author: [Japanese] Anonymous Translator: Zhao Lesen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-04-01
Features: This is the oldest collection of waka poetry in Japan, comprising 20 volumes and including over 4,000 poems. It was completed in the late 8th century, with the compilation process spanning over four hundred years. The authors of the poems include emperors and farmers, and the themes cover political events, cultural customs, seasonal reflections, and more.
Postscript: My translation of the "Man'yōshū" was purely accidental and involved many twists and turns. In the early 1960s, I was teaching a course on "Literature of Asia and Africa." During a trip to Tianjin for a family visit, I bought five incomplete volumes of "Man'yō Daijōki" by Tachū Chishū from an old bookshop in Gōyēchō. The stories of Tachū no Chikamori and Ono no Komachi caught my attention. Upon returning to school, I intermittently translated the work during my free time after teaching. Later, due to teaching needs, I also translated some other works, such as "The Poor Man’s Questions and Answers," but never thought of translating the entire collection or publishing it.
In the 1980s, when the Chunfeng Literature and Art Publishing House planned to publish the "Great Series of Japanese Literature," I was assigned the task of translating the ancient poetry collection. I made an agreement with another colleague to jointly translate the "Man'yōshū"—he would translate the first ten volumes, and I the last ten. We agreed to start working together. However, later, I fell ill for a year, and after retiring, by the time I finished translating the last ten volumes in 1991, I was already exhausted. At this point, I wrote to my colleague, only to learn that he had not yet started and, to my astonishment, had decided not to translate it himself, leaving it to me. I was quite disappointed: afraid of failing due to physical exhaustion or not being able to publish it, making my efforts pointless. So, I shifted my focus to translating "Babylonian Mythology."
But after retiring, with leisure time on my hands, I still couldn’t let go of the "Man'yōshū," picking it up occasionally to read or translate, completely captivated by it. I hoped at least to produce a "selection" to make my efforts worthwhile. Last year, the Yilin Publishing House mentioned that they were considering publishing my translation of the "Man'yōshū," and that if they did, they would publish the complete collection. This was a thunderbolt. I worked diligently and finished translating the remaining parts. Just then, my wife passed away suddenly from heart disease, dealing me a heavy blow. But her memory lingered, as if encouraging and urging me not to give up. I quickly adjusted my mindset. At this point, I realized that translating the tanka in five-line, four-line form did not fully capture their essence. Whether to revise or partially revise, I was undecided. Meanwhile, Zong Min of Yilin Publishing House informed me that they could publish the complete collection, which gave me immense strength. Revise—it, all of it! So, enduring the pain of coronary heart disease and phlebitis, and despite the difficulty of writing with my left hand due to right-hand paralysis, I sat on my bed every day, not going downstairs for an autumn and winter, and completed the revision of all the tanka.
With immense joy, I felt as if I had fulfilled a long-held dream. However, during the translation, I realized that my language and poetic skills were not high enough, and I felt deeply ashamed. The book is about to be published. Now, I can peacefully reassure my wife in death. I also cherish and thank the precious friendship.
To this "Man'yōshū," I first want to thank Ye Zongmin of Yilin Publishing House for his arduous efforts in translating terms and refining wording.
From Japan: Yamaguchi Hiroshi, Takahashi Man'yō History Museum, International Exchange Foundation, Sunada Mei, Sugitani Susumu, Nakanishi Yoichi and his wife, and my teacher Fujiwara Masayoshi; from China: haiku poet Zhao Chuo, Dr. Liu Lishan, and other friends, all of whom gave me great help and encouragement. Especially Kitaoka Masako, who sent me a large number of books and materials about the "Man'yōshū," her kindness runs deep.
I cannot forget the late Dr. Sakurai Man. During his illness, he welcomed me, and we had a long conversation about the "Man'yōshū" and its translation. In the garden, bamboo leaves rustled, and a stream murmured—his wife hosted me. Soon after, the news of his passing came, causing great sorrow. His humble and gentle demeanor remains unforgettable.
Completing this monumental work was also thanks to my family’s help. My eldest daughter Zhao Bochai took care of flowers and plants, my second daughter Ren, third daughter Chi, and my son-in-law Yu Huifeng helped with the computer. My son Jiaшу printed day and night, and my daughter-in-law Feng Shuyan took full responsibility for household chores. They toiled tirelessly, giving me strength. I can say this is also the result of our family’s efforts—it is a great comfort for me to welcome the new 21st century in my twilight years of nearly eighty.
June 1, 2000