Chiyo-Ni's Calligraphy of her Haiku "Autumn Moon"

[Iaido dude]

 

Haiku translation (5-7-5 form):

名月や 留守の人にも 丸ながら

meigetsu ya--

rusu no hito ni mo

maru nagara

Autumn's bright moon--

even for those who are not near to us

is still full

 

[Note: the seasonal reference (kigo) is the moon, "ya" is a break (kireji) denoted in English by a hyphen that is used to demarcate the eternal from a momentary perception (walking, in this case); there needs to be two electric poles between which a spark leaps for the haiku to be effective, otherwise it is just a brief statement]

 

Fukuda Chiyo (1703-1775), also called Chiyo-jo ("jo" is a feminine suffix), Kaga No Chiyo (Chiyo of the Kaga Region), Matto No Chiyo (Chiyo of the Town of Matto), and Chiyo-ni (this suffix "ni" denotes nun), is Japan's most famous woman haiku poet. She lived the Way of Haikai, appreciating each moment and creating art as part of everyday life because she was open to her world. She became a lay Buddhist nun of the Pure Land sect after she retired, which allowed her to travel alone freely and access many groups such as poetry circles comprised of men and prostitutes of the pleasure quarters to devote herself intensely to her art in an age when women's freedom and creativity were restricted. Remarkably, she achieved fame and publication during her lifetime. In this haiku, Chiyo-ni reminds us of the enduring power of nature to connect us all, even across physical and emotional divides. It encourages us to find solace and a sense of shared humanity in the simple beauty of the world around us. Since the moon symbolizes enlightenment, it carries a hope that we can all realize the Buddha nature that lies concealed and unrevealed within each of us. I am reminded that Yamaoka Tesshu produced over a million calligraphy/painting works because the proceeds could be used to save all of the souls in Japan. Enlightenment that does not lead to boundless compassion is impotent.

 

It is said that when thinking of famous haiku poets there are two names that have always been in the forefront: among the men there is Basho; among the women there is Chiyo-ni. She excelled at the "three perfections" of calligraphy, painting, and poetry--traditionally considered one art in East Asia. For the Japanese, the visual/spatial effect of calligraphy is almost as important as the meaning. Haiku is usually calligraphed in one vertical line, but sometimes, as in this case, in two or three lines. for visual effect. She was surrounded by famous artists living in her area and frequenting her family's shop that mounted other artists' works on kakejiku, or hanging scrolls. She was a largely self-taught painter, like most haijin (haiku poets) of the time. Her style has a freshness and spontaneity of composition and her masterly use of space is intuitive. Chiyo-ni's calligraphy line is feminine, refined, and freer than the more traditional masculine style of her teachers such as Genemon Yamamoto (1656-1725). Her cursive style, with its soft and energetic lines, is impossible to imitate. It is not the martial style of Otagaki Rengetsu with the precise spacing between the characters and between the rows with proportions retained and consistent (see comparison). Chiyo-ni's unique style can be divided into three periods: early period with a light, playful style; middle with a delicate, subtle style; and late with a simple, Zen-like style. 

 

A woodblock print by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi's of "Lady Chiyo and the Broken Water Bucket" is shown below. It illustrates an enlightenment poem by the unrelated Adachi Chiyono (1223-1298), who was the daughter of a samurai warrior in the 13th century and who became the first woman – and mother – to found and head a Zen monastery in Japan: "With this and that I tried to keep the bucket together, and then the bottom fell out. Where water does not collect, the moon does not dwell." The calligraphy version in the woodblock print appears to be a more contemporary rendering of Adachi's poem. Tsukioka may have been linking these two together since Chiyo-ni never wrote a haiku related to a bucket except for her famous "morning glory" series. She is said to have been a great beauty.

 

Otagaki Rengetsu, eggplant

 

[SteveM]

I think the top one is

 

名月や留主の人にも丸ながら

 

Meigetsu ya 

Rusu no hito ni mo

Maru nagara

 

The autumn moon, 

Even for those who are not near to us,

Is still full

[Charlie C]

Hi Steve,

 

Nicely written, but I believe you read the caligraphy wrong. It should be 名月や　留守の人にも　丸ながら.

 

I am also quite curious where the last name 'Fukuda' is from. It is neither her father's or her potential husband's last name.

[Iaido dude]

Thanks, gentlemen. I am again grateful to those members of NMB who are expert in kuzushi-ji for their invaluable input. I had a hard time with the translation that follows 名月や, which is a kigo she uses for a series of haiku that reference the season of autumn. I could not find a single calligraphy example of hers for this haiku as a reference. I asked the poet Michael Burch who has published "loose translations" of haiku to help with the translation, but he is not formally trained in Japanese, and he felt that the calligraphy of the version I posted was the right one. Clearly not. I have never felt entirely comfortable with that choice because it doesn't make sense (e.g. ittemo is not repeated).

 

Here's a more challenging calligraphy that I posted previously of Yamaoka Tesshu that appears to be about a vine that is associated with gourds (hyotan). He frequently intermixes hiragana with kanji. The inscription on the box is also shown. This is a most unusual subject matter for Yamaoka, so there is no example of the translation that I can find.

 

 

[SteveM]

@Charlie CI'm reasonably sure this one is 留主. 

 

 

[SteveM]

@Iaido dude I saw this one from Tesshu on your other thread, and I'm sorry to say it completely defeated me. 

I wish I were a kuzushi-ji expert, but I'm just a beginner: a toddler just dangling my feet in the wading pool. Tough to find a kuzushi-ji mentor here in the states. 

[Charlie C]

29 minutes ago, SteveM said:

@Charlie CI'm reasonably sure this one is 留主. 

 

Yes, the character in the poem is 留主 and 留守 is a more frequently used version of the same word which automatically jumped out when I typed.

[Iaido dude]

Fukuda Chiyo shows up repeatedly in references without a clear attribution. In Patricia Donegan's "The Poetry of Chiyo-Ni," she writes that there is no evidence that Chiyo-ni ever married. In Wiki, there is the statement: "In around 1720 she married a servant of the Fukuoka family of Kanazawa, and had one child with him, a son, who died in infancy. Her husband died of disease not long after in 1722. She valued her independence too much, and despite her loneliness, she did not remarry, so she returned home to her parents."

 

Her family name was Fukumasuya.  

[Bugyotsuji]

I sense that ‘not near to us’ does not really convey the Japanese word ‘rusu’.

 

Someone is ‘rusu’, i.e. out of the house, not at home, (far) away, but their absence is felt. They are actually near to us (me) in spirit if not physically.

And ‘hito’ often conveys someone close or dear to the one writing the poem. Even possibly one who has passed away.

 

Spoken with poise and composure but hiding a deep connection and longing.

 

[Iaido dude]

Hi Piers. Thanks for your comments, which bring an exquisite nuance to Chiyo-ni's poem. It seems that there may be a difference between 留主 and 留守 because the latter sometimes is used to mention that someone's mind is distracted with something else, thus being not focused on the present. This would tie in well with further elaboration of ‘hito’ as conveying someone close or dear to the one writing the poem or even possibly one who has passed away (her thoughts are with someone else). 

 

So, the translation of what strikes me as a profound sentiment rendered in 17 syllables and 3 lines (astonishing) might be:

 

the autumn moon

even for a dear one whose absence is keenly felt

shines just as full

 

Translation is a complex endeavor. I have never seen the same Japanese writing translated the same way because Japanese is often an implied language that requires sensitivity to personal, social, cultural, and aesthetic context. To the extent that the translator can discern the zukushi-ji and context, the translation will be different.

[Iaido dude]

While I have this wonderful group NMB members together discussing beautiful Japanese haiku, here is another Chiyo-ni calligraphy. I have been hopeless at even getting a clue as to it's wording. I would be grateful for assistance here.

 

 

 

[SteveM]

吹け吹けと　花によくなし　鳳巾

 

Fukefuke to

Hana ni yokunashi

Ikanobori

 

When the wind blows

It is good for kite-flying

But not so good for flowers

[Iaido dude]

Thanks, Steve! I just marvel at what she is able to do with 17 syllables and 3 lines. Stunning. 

[SteveM]

I had not known of her before this thread was started, so for me it is a new discovery also. 

[Iaido dude]

How did you come to be so capable with zukushi-ji? Chiyo-ni’s style is said to be very idiosyncratic, but highly consistent like most great calligraphers. However, translators become expert with a particular artist typically only after a long period of study. The fact that you are just now discovering her is all the more credit to you. A new edition of Patricia Donegan’s book on Chiyo-ni will be available on Amazon next month. I just picked it up in Singapore last week, where I was surprised it was already available. 

[SteveM]

Well, I'm not very capable. These haiku (and waka, etc) are relatively easy because most of them are on the internet somewhere, so I just have to identify a few words or phrases and the search engine will do the heavy lifting. Also, I lived in Japan for 30 years, so that gives me a pretty good base to jump from.

 

If its just a page of medieval script with no context, it can be tough, and sometimes impossible, for me to decipher. 

[Iaido dude]

 

I suppose I could’ve started with the two kanji, which are unusual enough they would have identified the topic. Then the search engine would’ve done the rest. Thanks again.

[jawob]

Thanks for this post! Beautiful piece at the top! I remember her mentioned in relation to Basho. I now have purchased the pre-order book, to enjoy further.

[Iaido dude]

The book is a re-printing of a first edition that was considered rare and difficult to find. This book is considered the definitive English translation and publication of her work with many beautiful illustrations of her raga (haiku with painting). In Japan, she is revered. most Japanese learn her “morning glory” haiku in school. When I acquired her calligraphy, I remembered that it brought an enormous amount of bidding interest at a time when Japanese calligraphy is undervalued. Her calligraphy isn’t offered very often for sale. I’m waiting for a raga to be offered. She did her own painting as well as collaborations with other celebrated painters of her day.