Silk and Silkworms

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. Legends about Silk and Silkworms .
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Silk (kinu) and related kigo

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Various, see below
***** Category: Humanity / Animal

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Explanation




silkworm, kaiko 蚕

Tending to the silkworms was a local activity in many rural areas of the Edo period and many kigo related to these activities exist.

Japan was the most Eastern country of the old silkroad, reaching up to Rome in Italy.


According to legend, Otehime 小手姫, the empress-consort of Emperor Sushun 崇峻天皇の時代 (r. 587–92), fled to Kawamata after the emperor was assassinated in 592.
There she propagated the arts of sericulture, or silkworm cultivation, and weaving.
. Kawamata Silk　川俣シルク　ー　Fukushima .



- Reference - The History of SILK -


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Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from cocoons made by the larvae of the silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity (sericulture). The shimmering appearance for which silk is prized comes from the fibers' triangular prism-like structure which allows silk cloth to refract incoming light at different angles.

"Wild silks" or tussah silks (also spelled "tasar") are produced by caterpillars other than the mulberry silkworm (Bombyx mori). They are called "wild" as the silkworms cannot be artificially cultivated like Bombyx mori. A variety of wild silks have been known and used in China, India, and Europe from early times, although the scale of production has always been far smaller than that of cultivated silks. Aside from differences in colors and textures, they all differ in one major aspect from the domesticated varieties: the cocoons that are gathered in the wild have usually already been damaged by the emerging moth before the cocoons are gathered, and thus the single thread that makes up the cocoon has been torn into shorter lengths. Commercially reared silkworm pupae are killed before the adult moths emerge by dipping them in boiling water or piercing them with a needle, thus allowing the whole cocoon to be unraveled as one continuous thread. This allows a much stronger cloth to be woven from the silk. Wild silks also tend to be more difficult to dye than silk from the cultivated silkworm.

There is some evidence that small quantities of wild silk were already being produced in the Mediterranean area and the Middle East by the time the superior, and stronger, cultivated silk from China began to be imported.

China
Landscape of quick water from high mountain by Zhao Zuo, Ming Dynasty. Hand scroll, ink and colour on silk.Silk fabric was first developed in ancient China, possibly as early as 6000 BC and definitely by 3000 BC. Legend gives credit to a Chinese empress, Xi Ling-Shi (Hsi-Ling-Shih, Lei-Tus). Silks were originally reserved for the kings of China for their own use and gifts to others, but spread gradually through Chinese culture both geographically and socially, and then to many regions of Asia. Silk rapidly became a popular luxury fabric in the many areas accessible to Chinese merchants because of its texture and luster. Silk was in great demand, and became a staple of pre-industrial international trade.

The first evidence of the silk trade is the finding of silk in the hair of an Egyptian mummy of the 21st dynasty, c.1070 BC. Ultimately the silk trade reached as far as the Indian subcontinent, the Middle East, Europe, and North Africa. This trade was so extensive that the major set of trade routes between Europe and Asia has become known as the Silk Road.

The Emperors of China strove to keep knowledge of sericulture secret to maintain the Chinese monopoly. Nonetheless sericulture reached Korea around 200 BC, about the first half of the 1st century AD in ancient Khotan (Hill 2003, Appendix A), and by AD 300 the practice had been established in India.
©　WIKIPEDIA has more !



Silk Brocade


shimin shioki 四眠四起 moulting four times



shimin 四眠蚕 four-molt silkworm, four-moulter, tetramoulter


蝶々や猫と四眠の寺座敷
choochoo ya neko to shimin no tera zashiki

a butterfly
a cat, four-moulters
in the temple guest room

Issa


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Let us look at some kigo.


kigo for late spring

silkworm, kaiko 蚕 (かいこ)
"mulberry child", kuwago 桑子(くわご)




"ant worm", baby silkworm, gisan 蟻蚕（ぎさん）




"hairy worm, hatchling, kego 毛蚕（けご）




"silkworms are sleeping" kaiko no nemuri
蚕の眠り（かいこのねむり）, iko 眠蚕（いこ）
ioki いおき、iburi いぶり

kaiko sagari 蚕ざかり（かいこざかり）

"time of the silk worm" kaikodoki 蚕時（かいこどき）
thrown away silkworm, discarded siklworm, sutego 捨蚕（すてご）
kobushi こぶし

silkworm in spring, spring silkworm,
harugo 春蚕（はるご）

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rearing silkworms, sericulture, raising silkworms,
kogai 蚕飼 (こがい)


©　PHOTO : hikifuda collection, su-san

yoosan 養蚕（ようさん）, saisei 催青（さいせい）
place for the silkworms, goza 蚕座（こざ）
hut, shed for rearing silkworms, kaiya 飼屋（かいや）,
koya 蚕屋（こや）, room for the silkworms, sanshitsu 蚕室 (さんしつ)
shelf, rack for keeping silkworms, kaikodana 蚕棚（かいこだな),
kodana 蚕棚（こだな）


- - - kaikozaru 蚕ざる
basket for keeping silkworms, silkworm cage, kokago 蚕籠（こかご）



loft, second floor for raising silkworms, kaikobeya 蚕部屋
Many old farmhouses were especially constructed for raising the silkworms in the second and third floor.
Shirakawa Farmhouses and Daruma Dolls


time for rearing silkworms, silkworm-raising time,
kogai doki 蚕飼時（こがいどき）


harubiki ito 春挽糸 (はるびきいと) "thread from spring"

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silkworm-egg card, silkworm egg paper , tanegami 蚕卵紙 (たねがみ)
tanegami 種紙（たねがみ）, sanranshi 蚕卵紙（さんらんし）
sanranshi 蚕紙（さんし）

brushing silkworms from the egg paper, hakitate 掃立 (はきたて)

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humanity kigo for early summer

joozoku 上蔟 (じょうぞく)
putting silkworms on shelves to produce cocoons
for the first time
ko no agari 蚕の上蔟（このあがり）

agari iwai 上蔟祝（あがりいわい）celebrating the first silkworms producing cocoons
agari dango 上蔟団子（あがりだんご）
dango rice dumplings to celebrate the finished silk cocoons
mabushi 蚕簿（まぶし）shelves for the silkworms to retire producing cocoons

These harugo, haruko 春蚕 "silkworms of spring" are said to produce the best silk of the year.


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mayu 繭 まゆ cocoon
mayu kaki 繭掻（まゆかき）
mayu kai 繭買（まゆかい）
nama mayu 生繭（なままゆ）

mayu hosu 繭干す（まゆほす）drying cocoons

shirumayu 白繭（しろまゆ）white cocoons
kimayu 黄繭（きまゆ）yellow cocoons
They yield a natural yellow silk and are very percious.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

tamamayu 玉繭（たままゆ）"round cocoons"
shinmayu 新繭（しんまゆ）new cocoons

kuzumayu 屑繭（くずまゆ）waste cocoons
the ones that do not yeald a thread



mayukago 繭籠（まゆかご）cocoon basket
To let the cocoons dry naturally.


mayudonya 繭問屋（まゆどんや）wholesale store for cocoons
mayuichi, mayu ichi 繭市（まゆいち）cocoon market
mayu sooba 繭相場（まゆそうば） retail market for cocoons



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animal kigo for mid-summer

natsugo 夏蚕 (なつご) silkworm in summer
lit. "summer child"
nibango 二番蚕（にばんご）"second child"


kaiko no ga 蚕の蛾（かいこのが）silkworm becoming a moth
sanga 蚕蛾 (さんが)
kaiko no choo 、蚕の蝶（かいこのちょう）butterfly from a silkworm
mayu no choo 繭の蝶（まゆのちょう）
mayu no ga 繭の蛾（まゆのが）
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


yamamayu 天蚕 (やままゆ) mountain silkworm
..... yamamayu 山繭（やままゆ）
yamagaiko 山蚕（やまがいこ）
yamamayuga 山蚕蛾（やままゆが）
Antheraea yamamai
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
It produces a natural green silk thread, but is very hard to grow for farmers.

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humanity kigo for mid-summer

ito tori 糸取 (いととり) taking the treads
from the cocoons, then spinning them
ito hiki 糸引（いとひき）
itotori me 糸取女（いととりめ）woman taking threads
..... itohiki me 糸引女（いとひきめ）

itohiki uta 糸引歌（いとひきうた）song whilst taking threads
itotori nabe 糸取鍋（いととりなべ）pot for taking the threads


itotoriguruma 糸取車（いととりぐるま） spinning wheel

Getting the threads from the cocoons and then spinning them was the work of the female farm workers, mostly the elderly, sitting on the veranda spinning all day.

Fadenabnehmen



Katsushika Hokusai (1760 - 1849)

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shinito, shin ito 新糸 (しんいと)
"new thread", new silk thread
natushiki no ito 夏引の糸（なつひきのいと）new summer thread
natsugo no ito 夏蚕の糸（なつごのいと）thread from summer silkworms
shinki ito 新生糸（しんきいと） "newly born thread", raw silk thread



.SAIJIKI ... HUMANITY
Kigo for Summer 　



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kigo for all autumn

new silk, shinginu 新絹 (しんぎぬ)
silk of this year, kotoshi ginu 今年絹（ことしぎぬ）

new loom, shinhata 新機（しんはた）

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animal kigo for mid-autumn

akigo 秋蚕 (あきご) "autumn child" silkworm in autumn
..... shuusan 秋蚕（しゅうさん）
shoshuusan 初秋蚕（しょしゅうさん）first autumn silk worm
banshuusan 晩秋蚕（ばんしゅうさん）late silk worm


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kigo for late autumn


aki mayu, akimayu 秋繭 (あきまゆ) silkworm cocoons in autumn


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kigo for the New Year




mayudama 繭玉 (まゆだま) "cocoon balls"
small round mochi as decoration for the "small new year" (koshoogatsu) on January 15. They are put on twigs and decorated in the home, usually in the auspicious colors of white and read.
They are thank you gift for the deity protecting the silkworms.

mayudango 繭団子（まゆだんご）dumplings like cocoons
dangobana 団子花（だんごばな）"dumplings like blossoms"

mayumochi 繭餅（まゆもち）cocoon ball mochi

mayudama iwau 繭玉祝う（まゆだまいわう）
celebrating with cocoon ball mochi


. NEW YEAR
KIGO for HUMANITY


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kuwahimesama kuwa himesama 桑姫さま
deity to protect the mulberry trees and silk
She carries a mulberry branch in her hand.
Stone statues like this are common in areas with silk production.


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Worldwide use

India

silk kurta, silk sarees

Kigo for the FROST season (November and December)
Silk is worn all year round, but its warmth is felt best at the beginning of the cold season.


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Things found on the way

Japanese Deities involved in the Silk Industry
"Silkworm God", kaikogami, sanjin 蚕神
O-Shirasama, Memyo Bosatsu, the Hata clan　秦氏　 and much more about sericulture.


. kiryu ori 桐生織　woven Silk textiles from Kiryu . - Gunma

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Empress Michiko helps with joozoku 上蔟, mounting silkworms on trays.
The silkworms, Koishimaru 小石丸 have become about 6 cm long.

source :　www.hokkaido-np.co.jp, June 2012


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Daruma san was very important as a protector deity for the Japanese silk industry.


©　小橋煕作　Collection of Kobashi san

. . . . . More about
Silk Cocoon Daruma Dolls


Ito 京美糸 <> Daruma Silk thread for sewing



Enomoto Seifu-Jo
She was the most famous Haiku Poet of the Tama area of her time. Hachioji 八王子 was a prosperous town along the silk road of Japan at her time.


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Compiled by Larry Bole
Kigo Hotline

Matsuo Basho included a haiku by Sora about silkworms in "The Narrow Road:"

蚕飼(こがい)する人は古代(こだい)のすがた哉(かな)
蚕飼する人は古代のすがた哉
kogai suru hito wa kodai no sugata kana

The silkworm nurses -
figures reminiscent
of a distant past.
Sora, trans. Helen McCullough

A discussion of this haiku here:
http://www.uoregon.edu/~kohl/basho/25-obanazawa/discussion.html

has some interesting information about tending silkworms:

The season word is kogai which is usally a spring word and in that sense it does not fit the season. There are two explanations for this.
1)This refers to the second crop of silkworms, summer silkworms.
2) Cultivating silkworms is a springtime occupation, but it is in summer that they make their cocoons, so there is a natural extension from spring into summer for this enterprise.
Since Basho was in Obanazawa for ten days beginning 5.17 (7.3), there is no way this poem could represent spring, so we should probably consider these to be summer silkworms.

The phrase kodai no sugata raises the question of just what sort of image is intended. Again there are several interpretations. According to one source silkworm raising families observe certain special taboos. For example, the women of the household do not dress their hair with oil and they do not blacken their teeth. Perhaps this is what constitutes the figures of ancient people. Another work says that raising silkworms is an image of purity, so this figure suggests
striking flints (as a purification ritual) and tying back the sleeves with special cords. These interpretations may be extreme, but the reference probably does have to do with forms of dress.

One author suggests a special kind of mompe work pants called fugumi worn by the women of this region. In any case it seems to be an unusual style of dress and one not found around Edo. It is a style which seems to suggest a simpler age and thus antiquity to Sora.

This poem reflects the poet's interest in the simply dressed figures of the people who tend their silkworms. The poet imagines this is what people must have looked like back in ancient times.

We know from another work that Sora had written a draft of this poem earlier on the trip and refined it at this point to go along with Basho's poem about the toad. It is not clear whether Sora made the revision, or whether Basho may have done it. In any case, the silkworm cultivators suggest an image of the ancients. The poem seems shallow when we compare it to Basho's preceeding poem. Sora's poem lacks a lyrical note. Although this poem uses the same technique of a simile as Basho's Mayuhaki, it lacks the richness of association.

The Haiide yo poem makes a contrast between the rustic and the humorous. The Tsuzushisa poem has charm, but Sora's poem is merely descriptive. Perhaps Basho chose to include Sora's poem at this point to serve as his companion's greeting to their mutual friend Seifu.


Matsuo Basho wrote

五月雨や蠶（かいこ）煩ふ（わずらう）桑の畑
samidare ya kaiko wazurau kuwa no hata

summer rains--
a silkworm ill
in the mulberry field
Tr. Barnhill

Constant rain -
The silkworms are sick
In the mulberry fields.
Tr. Blyth

early summer rain
a silkworm sickens
on a mulberry farm
Tr. Reichhold

long seasonal rain--
a silkworm ailing
in the mulberry field
Tr. Ueda


It has been suggested that Basho saw himself in the sick silkworm. The haiku was written in 1694, the last year of Basho's life.

According to Yamamoto, in Ueda's "Basho and His Interpreters:"
The poet saw his own image in the lone silkworm ailing in the mulberry field.

And according to Reichhold:
Again it was recorded that Basho was fascinated by the idea of a "sick silkworm" and wanted to use the image in a poem.

. Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉 - Archives of the WKD .

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這出よかひやが下のひきの声
haiide yo kaiya ga shita no hiki no koe

crawl out!
beneath the silkworm shed
the croak of a toad
Tr. Haldane

kaiya　飼屋, 蚕室 shed where the silkworms were kept

Oku no Hosomichi, Obanazawa
. Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉 - Archives of the WKD .


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神棚の灯は怠らじ蚕時
kamidana no hi wa okotaraji kaiko-doki

Even in silk-worm time
They do not neglect
The light of the household shrine.
Buson, trans. Blyth


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External LINKS

Silk: A Tradition with a Future?

Silk Museum Yokohama, Japan



Silk Worm Farm
Toyohara Chikanobu (1838–1912)


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HAIKU

Issa and his 16 silkworm haiku

内中にきげんとらるる蚕哉
uchinaka ni kigen toraruru kaiko kana

the whole house
pays them court...
silkworms

Bridget Dole comments, "I am reminded of something I read about the raising of silkworms and how the families with silkworms in their attics were very careful of the silkworms' moods. They were careful not to make loud noises, display discord, etc. because they needed the silkworms to spin uninterrupted (a cocoon is made of one long strand of silk. If a silkworm stops spinning, it may not have enough silk left to make another cocoon). Anyway, I'm just wondering if toraruru could be translated to indicate the catering of the people to the silkworms."

Indeed, Shinji Ogawa offers this translation:

They are soothed
by the whole family
silkworms...

...


二三日はなぐさみといふ蚕哉
ni san hi wa nagusami to iu kaiko kana

for two or three days
its pure fun...
for silkworms

Tr. David Lanoue

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どの家も蚕の香桑の香晴れわたり
dono ie mo ko no ka kuwa no ka harewatari

in every home
the fragrance of silkworms and mulberries
in the bright sky

. Iida Ryuta (Iida Ryouta) 飯田龍太 .


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Butterfly words curl
in whispers from silk cocoons--
Painted picture words

Michael R. Collings, USA

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Chinese Silk Carpet Meditation Haiku
Gabi Greve


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Classic Haiku
By Basho, Buson, Issa

Paper: handmade Japanese Mulberry with grey and blue Suminagashi Marbling. Tradition Oriental binding with folded fore-edges and stab binding on spine. Sewn with black silk. Red and grey brocade covers in slipcase.
©　www.califiabooks.com


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Related words

***** mulberry, mulbery, kuwa 桑（くわ)
The leaves were used to feed the silkworms.

picking mulberry leaves, kuwatsumi 桑摘 (くわつみ)
kigo for late spring

girl picking mulberry leaves, kuwatsumi me 桑摘女（くわつみめ）
song while picking mulberry leaves, kuwatsumi uta
桑摘唄（くわつみうた）
cart for transporting leaves, kuwa guruma 桑車（くわぐるま）
seller of mulberry leaves, kuwa uri 桑売（くわうり）
picking leaves at night, yoguwa tsumu 夜桑摘む（よぐわつむ）


basket for the leaves, kuwa kago 桑籠（くわかご）

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untie mulberry trees, which were tied up during winter
kuwa toku 桑解く (くわとく)
..... kuwa hodoku 桑ほどく（くわほどく
kigo for mid-spring



shimo kusube 霜くすべ (しもくすべ 【霜燻べ】 ) "frost and smoke"
..... kugushi くぐし
On cold spring nights, fires are lit on the outside of mulberry fields to protect the young buds from frost. keep the mulberries warm
kigo for late spring




. mulberries, kuwa no mi 桑の実 (くわのみ) .
..... kuwa ichigo 桑苺 (くわいちご)
kigo for mid-summer



桑の実や忠治の墓へ駅３分　　　　　　
kuwa no mi ya Chuuji no haka e eki sanpun

the grave of Chuji
is three minutes from the station -
oh these mulberries

Rakuga 楽可
Tr. Gabi Greve


Kunisada Chūji (国定 忠治) (1810-1851)
a Robin Hood of Japan



. o-ko matsuri 美江寺御蚕祭 みえでら‐おこまつり
silk worm festival 　
At temple Mie-Dera, Gifu 美江寺


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kigo for early autumn

akikuwa, aki kuwa 秋桑 (あきくわ) autumn mulberry
..... aki no kuwa 秋の桑（あきのくわ）mulberry in autumn


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WASHOKU : 蚕の料理 Kaiko no ryoori - eating silk worms
Konchu Ryori, konchuu ryoori 昆虫料理 Insects as food


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wata 綿 floss silk
mawata 真綿 - silk floss 繭からつくった綿 -
Seidenwatte, Florettseide
flox-silk, flosh-silk.
also silk batting or wadding

Cotton (wata, momen) and related kigo

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. Silk Road シルクロード　-
Asian Highway アジアンハイウェイ .

. Legends about Silk and Silkworms .


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Forget-me-not

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Forget-me-not (wasurenagusa)

***** Location: Japan, other areas
***** Season: Late spring
***** Category: plant

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Explanation


fortet-me-nots, wasurenagusa
勿忘草, わするな草（わするなぐさ）
.... miyontisu ミヨソティス
..... aimijin 藍微塵（あいみじん）

Myosotis family.

Many Japanese haiku make a reference to the German name and European origin of this plant. They were introduced to Japan in the Meiji period. Some are now wild in the forests of Japan. I tried to grow some in my garden here, but they did not survive the rainy season.

Gabi Greve

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The Forget-me-nots are the genus Myosotis of flowering plants in the family Boraginaceae.

There are about 50 species in the genus, and among them there is considerable variation. Nevertheless a considerable number of the species fit the same description, of a small (1 cm diameter or less) rather flat 5-petalled blue flower growing profusely on straggly stems, flowering in spring. Colour variation is not unusual within species, and white or pink forms are quite likely to be seen. They are popular in gardens, and cultivated forms often show a mixture of colours. The forget me nots need shade, not sun.

Forget-me-nots can be annual or perennial plants. Their root systems are generally diffuse. Their seeds are found in small, tulip shaped pods along the stem to the flower. The pods attach to clothing when brushed against and eventually fall off, leaving the small seed within to germinate elsewhere. The seeds can be collected by putting a piece of paper under the stems and shaking them. The seed pods and some seeds will fall out.

They are widely distributed. Most Myosotis species are endemic to New Zealand, though one or two European species, especially the Wood Forget-me-not, Myosotis sylvatica have been introduced in most of the temperate regions of Europe, Asia and America. Myosotis scorpioides is also known as scorpion grass.

In the United States of America, the forget-me-not is the state flower of Alaska, precisely the Myosotis alpestris.

The NAME

The name was borrowed from Old French "ne m'oubliez pas" and first used in English in c.1532. Loans and translations of it can be found in most European and some non-European languages, like German "Vergissmeinnicht", Italian "Nontiscordardimé", Polish "Niezapominajki", Danish "Forglem-mig-ej", Dutch "vergeet-mij-nietje", Spanish "nomeolvides", Russian "Незабудки", Lithuanian "Neužmirštuolės", Greek "Μη με λησμονείς" (also connected to the victims of Cyprus in 1974, when the Turks invaded the island), Esperanto "neforgesumino", Chinese "勿忘我" (Don't forget me), Korean "물망초" (勿忘草, mul mang cho), Japanese "勿忘草" (Wasurenagusa), Hebrew "זכריני" (Zichrini), Persian "فراموشم مکن" (farâmusham nakon) Swedish "Förgätmigej", etc.

In the 15th century Germany, it was supposed that the wearers of the flower would not be forgotten by their lovers.

Legend has it that in medieval times, a knight and his lady were walking along the side of a river. He picked a posy of flowers, but because of the weight of his armour he fell into the river. As he was drowning he threw the posy to his loved one and shouted "Forget-me-not". This is a flower connected with romance and tragic fate. It was often worn by ladies as a sign of faithfulness and enduring love.

It is also told in pious legend that the Christ Child was sitting on Mary's lap one day and said that he wished that future generations could see them. He touched her eyes and then waved his hand over the ground and blue forget-me-nots appeared, hence the name forget-me-not.

Read more : WIKIPEDIA


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Worldwide use


Vergissmeinnicht

An meine Mutter

Siehe, von allen den Liedern
nicht eines gilt dir, o Mutter,
dich zu preisen, o glaub's !
bin ich zu arm und zu reich.

Ein noch ungesungenes Lied,
ruhst du mir am Busen,
keinem vernehmbar sonst,
mich nur zu trösten bestimmt,

wenn sich das Herz unmutig
der Welt abwendet
und einsam seines himmlischen Teils
ewigen Frieden bedenkt.

Eduard Mörike (1804-1875)


To my mother

See, of all the songs
not one is adequate, o Mother,
To praise you, I think!
I am too poor and too rich.

A still unsung melody,
holds me to thy bosom,
nothing else can provide,
such comfort to me,

when this heart in pain
turns away from the world
and alone its heavenly part
considers eternal peace.

Eduard Mörike (1804-1875)

Look at a beatiful illustration HERE !


Ajimijin, the White Version

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Romania


his last moments home -
the widow breaks a bowl
with forget-me-nots

Cristina-Monica Moldoveanu

This is about the funeral tradition to break a fragile glass or pottery object right before the coffin leaves home.


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Things found on the way


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HAIKU

memories linger
forget-me-nots for Robbie
thirty years passing

I live in Japan, but I am from Alaska. My brother died there in an accident about thirty years ago. His favorite flower was the forget-me-not which bloomed everywhere on Wrangell Island where we lived.
This poem is for him.

Kathy, Japan 2007

Thank you for sharing this with us, Kathy san!

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a tall glass of iced tea
forget-me-not seeds stuck
to my pants legs

©　Heather, Summer 2003

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he died in battle
between pages of Manyoshu
dried forget-me-not

©　Naomi Y. Brown

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park bench
a wilted bouquet
forget-me-nots

©　Edward
More in the Shiki archives.





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forget-me-nots
she's kept for years...
what's-his-name

hortensia anderson

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Related words


***** Missing Children's Day International


***** ALASKA Saijiki

***** EUROPA Saijiki

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[ . BACK to DARUMA　MUSEUM　TOP . ]
[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]

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Spring Cleaning

[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO TOP . ]

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Spring Cleaning

***** Location: USA, Europa
***** Season: Spring
***** Category: Humanity

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Explanation

The most common usage of spring cleaning refers to the yearly act of cleaning a house from top to bottom which would take place in the first warm days of the year typically in spring, hence the name. However it has also come to be synonymous with any kind of heavy duty cleaning or organizing enterprise. A person who gets their affairs in order before an audit or inspection could be said to be doing some spring cleaning.

The origins of spring cleaning probably dates back to the Iranian Norouz, the Persian new year, which falls on the first day of spring. Iranians continue the practice of "khooneh takouni" which literally means "shaking the house" just before the new year. Everything in the house is thoroughly cleaned, from the drapes to the furniture.

Another possible origin of spring cleaning can be traced to the ancient Jewish practice of thoroughly cleansing the home in anticipation of the spring-time holiday of Passover (Hebrew: פסח pesach). In remembrance of the Jews' hasty flight from Egypt following their captivity there, during the eight-day holiday there is a strict prohibition against eating anything which may have been leavened.

Jews not are not only supposed to refrain from leavened foodstuffs (known in Hebrew as חמץ chametz), they are expressly commanded to rid their homes of even small remnants of chametz for the length of the holiday (Exodus 12:15). Therefore, observant Jews conduct a thorough cleaning of the house, followed by a traditional hunt for chametz crumbs by candlelight (called bedikat chametz [Hebrew: בדיקת חמץ]) on the evening before the holiday begins.
©　Wikipedia

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Worldwide use

Germany

Osterputz, cleaning the home before the Easter Holidays.


Osterputz ...
und im Kaukasus blüht
der Tee

　© Ramona Linke

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Japan


cleaning at the end of the year
kure no sooji, kure no oo sooji くれのそおじ


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kigo for the New Year

hakizome 掃初 (はきぞめ) first cleaning
... hatsubooki 初箒（はつぼうき）first (use of the) broom
... hatsusooji 初掃除（はつそうじ）
... fukihajime 拭始（ふきはじめ）beginning to clean
. Cleaning the home, broom and more 　　



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Things found on the way


. Jewish Holidays - Passover .


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HAIKU

after spring cleaning--
breathing space between
closet hangers

Carole Macrury, 2007

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spring cleaning -
dust swirls
in a sunbeam

Shanna Moore, Hawaii

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>spring cleaning --
>young woman laughs at her
>baby picture

>- Jim Mullins
More in the Shiki Archives

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spring cleaning-
the scent of lavender
on those letters

©　angelee / Ukku Spring Haiku 2006

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From WHCworkshop members 2007

spring cleaning
an old letter
makes her smile

Bill Kenney

... ... ...

spring cleaning ...
in the closet a large hole
where his clothes were

Ella Wagemakers

... ... ...

spring cleaning -
dog's fur
into dust bunnies

peter

... ... ...

our last spring cleaning -
so many boxes filled
for charity donations

Elizabeth Fanto

... ... ...

spring cleaning --
I throw away all tese books
I regret now

Tom Maretic

... ... ...

spring cleaning . . .
rearranging boxes of books
till next spring

Dina E. Cox

... ... ...

spring cleaning
making space
for his shoes

Paula Fisher

... ... ...

spring cleaning
over ~ i sing raag Bhairav
in twilight breeze

Narayanan Raghunathan, India

... ... ...

clearing the attic
do I know the people
in this faded photo . . .

Bill Kenney

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Related words

***** Spring (haru, Japan)

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Kiken Castle (kikenjoo） Taishaku Ten

[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO TOP . ]
. Shōmen Kongō 青面金剛 Shomen Kongo .
Koshin Cult 庚申信仰, see below
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Kiken Castle (kikenjoo）and 帝釈天 Taishaku Ten

***** Location: Buddhist Paradise
***** Season: Late Spring
***** Category: Heaven

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Explanation

Kiken no Miya, 喜見宮, Kiken Joo, Zenken Joo 善見城
Kikenjo, Zenkenjo, Zengenjoo, Zengenjo
The living quaters of the deity Taishaku-Ten 帝釈天 in the Buddhist paradise Tooriten 忉利天 Toriten. It is decorated with a lot of cloisonnee or situated in a sea of cloisonnee and has a great garden for the gods to enjoy.

This is another expression for a mirage, shinkiroo 蜃気楼.

More kigo with heat shimmers
"town in the sea, kaishi 海市（かいし）
"mountain town" sanshi 山市（さんし）
mirage, kaiyaura かいやぐ, shinroo 蜃楼（しんろう）
"flimmering town" shinshi 蜃市（しんし）
"fox shelf" きつねだな

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Huge frame of the Taishaku Temple Hall
Shibamata, Tokyo 柴又は帝釈天


©　Photo http://www.taishakuten.or.jp/

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Taishakuten, Taishaku-Ten 帝釈天
Indra, Sakra Deva, Shakra Devanam Indra

Protector deity of the Buddhist Law




He lives in a palace called Correct Views (Jap : Zenkenjo, Zengenjo 善見城) or
Joyful to See 善見城 (Kikenjo) in the Trayastrimsha Heaven on the peak of Mt. Sumeru.

He is also known as a god of wealth in Japan.
Taishakuten is often depicted riding an elephant.

MORE
Taishakuten (Sanskrit: Shakra Devanam Indra)


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kigo for the New Year

hatsu Taishaku 初帝釈（はつたいしゃく）
first Taishaku ceremony
Taishaku Ten mairi 帝釈天詣（たいしゃくてんまいり）visiting a temple of Taishaku
..... Taishaku mairi 帝釈詣（たいしゃくまいり）




hatsu Kooshin 初庚申( はつこうしん) first Koshin ceremony
Kooshin machi 庚申待（こうしんまち） "waiting for Koshin" waiting for the sun
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


kooshin, 庚申, ka no e saru,
Day of the Monkey and the element metal,
is nr. 57 of the 60 signs of the Chinese zodiac.

The Asian Lunar Calendar. Reference


Shrine Sarutahiko Jinja in Ise, Mie prefecture
猿田彦神社 is famous for its First Koshin Festival.
初庚申大祭
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Faith in the deity Taishakuten initially centralized in Edo, later it expanded, when it began to be associated with the practice of Koshin-machi, waiting for Koshin , fueling popularity in the festival "Yoi-goshin 宵庚申" (Eve of the Koshin Day) during the late Edo period. There are also some Taoist elements mixed in this celebration.


Kooshindoo 庚申堂（こうしんどう）Koshin Hall in Nara


Temple 帝釈寺 Taishaku-Ji in Osaka


The Temple for Taishakuten in Shibamata 柴又帝釈天, Tokyo became famous through the movie series of Tora-San, Otoko wa tsurai yo.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

For details about Kooshin 庚申 Koshin, see below.
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kigo for late summer

sanpuku 三伏 (さんぷく) three hottest ka-no-e "metal" days of summer

the third day of Ka no e 庚(かのえ)の日 after the summer solstice is
shofuku 初伏（しょふく） first ka-no-e day

the fourth day of Ka no e 庚(かのえ)の日 after the summer solstice is
chuufuku 中伏（ちゅうふく) middle ka-no-e day

the last day of Ka no e 庚(かのえ)の日 after the summer solstice is
mappuku 末伏（まっぷく） last ka-no-e day


ka-no-e, the elder brother of metal. Metal will be melted by heat
(火剋金), so these three days are unlucky.
The acutal days may differ according to ancient lore, usually the third and fourth ka-no-e day after the summer solstice and the first of autumn are counted.

On these days, you should not sow seeds or plant, have no treatment, do not go on a trip and have no sex.

These three days are somewhere during the end of july, beginning of august, in the hottest time of the year. The Characters 三伏の猛暑 are used when writing a letter of sympathy to someone on these days.


. shinkiku seisu 神麯製す (しんきくせいす)
making shinki rice cakes
kigo for mid-summer
This is a Chinese custom, making them on the 5th day of the 5th month or the 6th day of the 6th month or the "sanpuku days".

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kigo for early winter

osame no kooshin 納の庚申 (おさめのこうしん)
last Koshin ceremony - 納庚申
..... hate no kooshin 果の庚申（はてのこうしん）
..... tome no kooshin 、止庚申（とめこうしん）



Ceremony on the day of Koshin sama (ka no e saru).
It comes in the middle of November, 60 days after the one before.
Very seldom this day falls in December.

Rituals are held in all the Koshin halls.
The wayside gods (doososhin) are also celebrated on this day.
On the night before, people get together and celebrate with ricewine. The streets in front of the Taishaku temples are especially lively on this night before.


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quote
Tsukimachi, Himachi 　月待ち　・　日待ち
"Waiting for the Moon," and "Waiting for the Sun."　

"Waiting for the moon" is an occasion when people gather on particular evenings of a lunar cycle (e.g. the seventeenth, nineteenth, twenty second, and twenty third) to eat, drink, and pay homage to the moon as they wait for it to appear. The gatherings are often organized by religious organizations known as kō, whose members assemble at their established meeting place (tōya, usually the organizer's home), hang a scroll of the moon god, Tsukuyomi no Mikoto, in the tokonoma alcove, light (a) votive candle(s), and wait for the moon to appear.

The idea of installing Tsukuyomi no Mikoto as an object of worship (saijin) is a product of the modern era and reflects the influence of Edo Period Shintō scholars; originally, the moon itself was worshipped as the avatar of the kami (shintai). The designation for moon-waiting groups accords with the day of the cycle on which they assemble; examples include: the jūshichiya-kō (Confraternity of the seventeenth night), jūkuya-kō (Confraternity of the nineteenth night), the nijūniya-kō (Confraternity of the twenty second night), and the nijūsan'ya-kō (Confraternity of the twenty third night). The last of these is the most widespread and is also called san'ya-machi (third night waiting), san'ya-sama (honored third night), and sanya-kuyō (third-night memorial service). A tower erected for the twenty-third night gathering can often be found in a remote corner of many villages and hamlets. Moon-waiting confraternities that meet every month are rare; they are usually held only in the months of January, May, September, and November.

Sun-waiting is an occasion when the faithful gather on special days, as determined by the Chinese zodiac, such as
庚申 Ka-no-e-saru (also read kōshin;
a special day in the sexagenary cycle on which the day of the monkey and the element metal fall together),
Ki-no-e-ne (a special day in the sexagenary, on which the day of the rat and the element wood fall together), and Mi (day of the snake).
They hold an all-night vigil and then worship the dawn. Because at both moon-waiting and sun-waiting events participants are required to make ablutions, to take baths, and to don clean clothes, scholars believe that such events were originally rituals of abstinence and spiritual purification (shōjin-kessai).
source : Iwai Hiroshi . Kokugakuin University


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way

. Monkey amulets from Shibamata Taishaku Ten .

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- Legends about Taishaku Ten -

byakudan 白檀 statue from sandalwood
from Kyoto 南丹市 Nantan town
Suddenly there was a ray of golden light and in no time there grew a sandalwood tree. An old man appeared and told 和気清麻呂 Wake no Kiyomaro : "Build a temple right here!".
When the old man had disappeared, there was a statue of Taishaku Ten made from Sandalwood instead.

. byakudan 白檀 sandalwood (chandan) .

. ibokami 疣神 Deity taking away warts .


Okayama, 川上 Kawakami
In this region it is customary to visit the Taishaku temple at least once in your life, otherwise there would not be a smooth passing to the Buddhist paradise.


. Onibashi 鬼橋 the Demon Bridge .

- source : Yokai Database -


. Legends and Tales from Japan　伝説 - Introduction .

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ita honzon 板本尊
main deity carved on a wooden plank (ita)
This is sometimes found in temples of the Nichiren sect.

It refers to the Daimoku of Nichiren, sometimes to other deities.
One of the most famous is Taishaku Ten in Shibamata.






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- - - - - a more modern version on the ema votive tablet
柴又 . 題経寺、帝釈天板本尊出現を描かれた絵馬


- - - - - and the scroll in the temple

source : www.daisonkai.com

- quote
Shibamata Taishakuten
- - - Establishment
This temple, formally called Kyoei-zan Daikyoji, was founded during the Kan-ei Period（1629） under the auspices of the nineteenth head priest of Hokekyoji Temple in Shimofusa Nakayama, Reverend Zen-nai-in Nitchu.
The second head priest of Daikyoji, Rev. Daikyo-in Nichi-ei, is credited for its actual logistical establishment.

The Appearance of the Ita-honzon (Wooden Main Diety)
For many years, this temple housed a figure of Taishakuten (Indira), until it disappeared for a period during the middle ages (between the later Heian and Muromachi Period (1175-1573)).
The lost main deity was miraculously found when the ninth head priest, Kotei-in Nikkyo, disturbed by the severely dilapidated condition of the main prayer hall, decided to renovate.
Coincidentally, this main deity was discovered in the attic of the main hall on a Koshin Day in the spring of the eighth year of the An-ei Period（1779）.
A brief account by Rev. Nikkyo himself claims, "The main figure that was discovered in the attic measured two shaku and five sun in length, one shaku and five sun in width, and five fun in thickness.
Contrary to its dimensions, it is very heavy and very hard owing to the heavy layer of accumulated soot.
We were not able to make out what it beheld until we purified it with water.
Whereupon, we found that one side was a wooden print block of the odaimoku carved by St. Nichiren himself in hopes that it would serve to prevent disease.
On the other side is a woodblock print of Taishakuten.
This, in fact, was the talked about main figure of worship.

The Main Figure of Worship
On one side of the main figure is caved the "Hail the Wonderful Lotus Sutra", and on each side is carved a quotation from the chapter on the Medicine-King from the Lotus Sutra which reads,
"This sutra is the medicine for all the ill people in the world.
Should there be one who is sick and he or she should listen to this sutra, then they will be instantly cured and be free from the fetters of aging and death."
And on the other side of the main figure
is carved the figure of Taishakuten in a pose of anger with the right hand wielding a sword and the left palm open.
This figure depicts the conquering of evil.
That is, those who believe and follow the Buddha's teaching will certainly be protected by Taishakuten whenever such a person becomes ill or is subsumed in fire or any other kind of disaster.
Taishakuten will remove and destroy such evil.

Mysterious Merits
It was during the third year of the Tenmei Period(1781-1789) after the Anei Period(1772-1781) concluded in its ninth year that saw the spread of epidemics and starvation.
Rev. Nikyo felt that it was time to save those who have experienced disasters.
Thus, he carried the figure of Taishakuten by himself and visited the victims in various part of Edo and Shimofusa, among others.
He passed out ichi-ryu go-fu, in which he staunchly believed, and encouraged the people to pray to the main figure which is said to have brought about many mysterious merits.

The Eve of Koshin Day
In this manner, faith in Taishakuten initially centralized in Edo, expanded, especially when it began to be associated with the practice of Koshin-machi, fueling popularity in the temple's "Yoi-goshin" (Eve of Koshin Day) festival during the latter Edo period(1603-1867).
A trend magazine published during the early Meiji Period(1868-1904) states:
"Among those associated with the Koshin faith, there is Taishakuten located in Shibamata of South Katsushika Ward.
Taishakuten is a Brahmin God of India.
Later, Taishakuten would be known as a protector of Buddhist teachings;
though, it had little connection with the practice of "Koshin-machi", imported from China.
Instead, the name "Koshin" in Daikyoji's case simply refers to the rediscovery on Koshin Day of its once-lost figure of worship.

Ever since its discovery, Koshin Day has been celebrated by people from Tokyo to Ko-ume Hikifune, making pilgrimages in small groups, walking in the dark, through rice paddies and gardens, always greeting friends and strangers alike along the way, saying, 'Good morning, good morning'.
This kind of scene reminds one of days past when everything was simple." For as far as one could see, lines of people with lit torches could be seem walking through towns such as Ko-ume, Hikifune, Yotsugi, and Tateishi, and then crossing the river at Magarikane (Takasago) and coming to Shibamata.
And another row of shimmering torches passed through Senju and Niijuku, making the event quite a celebration.
Tea houses that offer among other things, Kusa-dango (rice cakes of yomogi grass), still exist.
People who make pilgrimages stay the night in the main hall of the temple, receive the day's first "o-kaicho" prayer in the morning, drink some holy water overflowing from the spring in the garden and then finally head for home.
- source : www.taishakuten.or.jp



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HAIKU

Kikenjoo -
looking up from my valley
the sky shimmers

Gabi Greve, 1998

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三伏の月の穢に鳴く荒鵜かな
sanpuku no tsuki no e ni naku ara-u kana

they screech at the moon
on the sanpuku day ...
wild cormorants

Iida Dakotsu 飯田蛇笏 (1885 - 1962)


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Related words

***** Heat shimmers, kageroo

***** Japanese Castles and Haiku

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kooshin shinkoo　庚申信仰　Koshin Shinko belief



- quote -
Kōshin shinkō
A day on which the 7th "stem" (kō) in the Chinese zodiacal system combines with the 9th "branch" (shin 'monkey') is known as kōshin, when believers spend an abstemious, all-night vigil for the sake of their longevity.
The custom goes back to the Chinese Taoist Ge Hong (283-343), who in Baopuzi ("He Who Holds to Simplicity") claimed that there are three worms (J. sanshi) in the human body, upper, middle, and lower, which on the night of kōshin attempt to escape while their hosts are asleep and to report the sins of such mortals to the Celestial God , thereby causing their lives to be shortened. It is to prevent the escape of the worms that the vigil, called shukōshin, is held.
The idea of sanshi appears to have come to Japan via Korea in the 8th century. In the 10th century, the custom was regularly observed in the Imperial Court, with the focus on the emperor, in the form of a banquet.
Around the 11th and 12th centuries, perhaps under the influence of the Way of Yin-Yang (Onmyōdo) , the Laozi shou-gengshen qiu- zhangsheng-jing ("The Laozi Shou-gengshen (shukōshin) Quest for Longevity Sutra") was composed, and in the latter half of the 15th century a Buddhist account was added, entitled: Kōshin-engi ("Kōshin Origins").
In it, the objects of worship are said to include Shōmen Kongō (Skt. yaksa, renowned for warding off disease) , Kannon, and Amida.
It is here that a Buddhistic kōshin cult originated; during the Edo Period, it spread to the general populace. Kōshin devotional groups continued to be formed, with kōshin halls and monuments being constructed in large numbers.

Kōshin monuments were constructed on the occasion of a third consecutive annual kōshin vigil (kōshin-machi, see below), held together with memorial services. When constructed atop a hillock (tsuka) or in the form of a stūpa, they are called kōshin-zuka.
Yamazaki Ansai, drawing on the association of shin with the monkey (saru), advocated a Shintoistic kōshin cult, in which the primary object of worship was Sarutahiko. Within the Shugendō tradition as well, a unique form of the kōshin cult was propagated, so that there were three varieties of the faith: Buddhist, Shintō, and Shugendō.
In the Edo Period, all-night vigils spread among the people; these came to be known as kōshin-machi. Kōshin pictures were hung, Shingon mantras or the Heart Sutra were chanted, and when these rituals had been observed, all-night conversations and feasting among the participants followed. Today, with the original significance of the vigil having been lost, the purpose of the custom has widely shifted to that of an ordinary banquet.
- source : Kokugakuin, Iwai Hiroshi 2006 -



. san-shi no mushi 三尸の虫 Sanshi - The Three Worms.
in Taoism and Chinese Mecicine


shu Kooshin 守庚申 Shukoshin, the Protector

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. kooshin 庚申伝説 Legends about the Koshin Cult .

. Shōmen Kongō 青面金剛 Shomen Kongo .

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Taishakuten (Indra)

Mächtiger indischer Kriegsgott; lebt auf dem Weltenberg in dem Kikenjoo-Schloß, im Zentrum der neun Gebirge und der acht Meere (kuzan hakkai). Von dort aus registriert er die guten und bösen Taten aller Menschen. Shoomen Kongoo Ten war sein Bote.
Im Kikenjoo-Schloß liegen vier Paradiesgärten (Taishaku Shien: Shuusha En, Zoorin En, Kirin En und Soaku En).
Seit der Edo-Zeit im Rahmen des Wegegottheiten-Glaubens (Kooshin) auch enge Ver~bindung mit dem Tempel Teikyooji in Shibamata, der heute noch das wichtigste Zentrum der Taishakuten- und Kooshin-Pilger~fahrten ist. (Der beliebte Altstadt-Typ "Tora-San" entspringt dieser Atmosphäre.)
Oft zusammen mit Bonten dargestellt, als Bewacher des Shakyamuni. Auch als Naturgottheit für Sonne und Regen zuständig.

Ikonografie:
Hohe Krone. Vier Köpfe.
Gewänder mit langen Ärmeln über einer chinesischen Rüstung. Wenn mit Bonten zusammen, trägt Taishaku eine Rüstung und Bonten keine. Auf dem Helm des Taishaku befindet sich ein rhombenförmiges Muster.
Im esoterischen Buddhismus auf einem weißen Elefanten mit drei Stoßzähnen reitend, ein Bein über den Rücken des Tieres hängend. Donnerkeil und Lotusblüte in der Hand.

.Buddhastatuen ... Who is Who 　　

Ein Wegweiser zur Ikonografie
von japanischen Buddhastatuen
Gabi Greve, 1994

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. WKD : New Year Ceremonies

. kooshin 庚申伝説 Legends about the Koshin Cult .

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- #taishakuten #koshincult #帝釈天 -
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Dawn moon (ariakezuki)

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Dawn moon in autumn (ariakezuki)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Mid-Autumn
***** Category: Heaven

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Explanation

The autumn moon is very special to the Japanese feeling of the season.

According to the Asian Lunar Calender, after the 16th day of a month, the moon was still in the sky until the dawn of the day.

Kigo with ariake belong the the wide spectrum of season words with the
autumn moon, meigetsu 名月.

.. .. .. .. MOON and its LINKS..



The word ARIAKE is also short for ariake andon
有明行灯(あんどん),
a special lantern which is kept alight all night until dawn.
Daybreak lantern. Day Break Lantern. Bedside lamp.


Click HERE to see more of these lanterns .


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moon at dawn in autumn, ariakezuki
有明月（ありあけづき)
dawn in autumn, ariake 有明
..... implying the moon


Click HERE for some photos !


moon in the morning, asazuki 朝月（あさづき）
night with a moon in the morning, asazuki yo
朝月夜（あさづきよ）, ake no tsuki 明の月（あけのつき）
moon left over, nokoru tsuki 残る月（のこるつき）

sky an dawn in autumn, ariake no sora 有明 の空


. MOON in autumn ... KIGO


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The word "Ariake" means the moon that remains in the sky as morning dawns.
Ariake lights, like their name, were left on throughout the night and had a beautiful glow.



Each light had a cover, which was a box with a full moon-shaped window on the front and half moon-shaped windows on the sides. When used at night, this cover was placed over the lights, illuminating the moons and weakening the light. If our modern eyes, which are continually surrounded by bright lights, were to look at an Ariake light with its cover on, we would see only a faint glow and may not appreciate it.

ARIAKEANDON, lights representing the Edo period.

© PHOTO and text : MIYAKO ANDON CO., LTD


quote
The portable paper framed lanterns are called andon.
They are noted for the elegance and simplicity of the angular design. The wood
framed light chamber conceals an oil dish. The paper diffuses the light -33 created within to soften the harshness of the bare flame.
It is believed that the advent of the shoji (papered sliding doors) in Japanese interiors was an epochal event in the development of Japanese lighting.

Shoji provided the concept of diffusing a light source. In the daytime, these doors provided a shield against the harsh rays of sunshine, but still permitted adequate light into the interior. The same principle is applied with andon. They shield the bright flame providing the ethereal lighting effect desired in Japanese interiors.
source : www.lasieexotique.com


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Worldwide use


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Things found on the way

Choochin, Andon, lanterns and Daruma 提灯とだるま

. 織部行灯皿 andon dishes from Oribe .



The Japanese Art of Illumination External LINK

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Kambara Ariake (蒲原有明, Kambara Ariake)
(15 March 1876 – 3 February 1952) was the pen-name of a Japanese poet and novelist active in Taisho and Showa period Japan.
Kanbara Ariake

... ... ...


The Ariake Sea in Kyushu 有明海
Ariake Kai, some photos

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Ariake
Poems of Love and Longing by the Women Courtiers of Ancient Japan

Ariake offers up the passionate words of the elegant and cultured female courtesans of ancient Japan. It was customary in the late 1st and early 2nd century Japanese courts for women to express their hearts' greatest desires and sorrows through poetry.

Translated and compiled in Ariake, these lyrical and poignant verses of seduction, love, and lament are both simple and extraordinary. Illustrated throughout with gorgeous collages that evoke the color, fabric, and textures of the East, Ariake brings to life the subtle eloquence of ancient Japan and the universal passions and torments of love. Ariake is an exquisite and timeless volume of the heart's longing.
© Amazon Com.


" 'Ariake', or 'the waning moon at dawn',
was an image associated foremost with love in the ancient courts of Japan. Two lovers, absorbed in their passion, knew that when the dawn moon floated toward the western hills, they would soon have to part. The man might fumble in the dim light, looking for his fan; the lady might straigten his robes and smooth his hair. In the sky, the pale moon hovered before disappearing over the horizon."
Quote from here.


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HAIKU


©　kyo-machiya garelly Tou.
Noki Andon, lantern hanging in the eaves


有明や晦日に近き軒行灯
ariake ya misoka ni chikaki noki andon

moon in the autumn dawn--
nearing month's end
lantern in the eaves



有明や鶯が鳴く綸が鳴る
ariake ya uguisu ga naku rin ga naru

daybreak--
a nightingale sings
a bell rings

rin is a Buddhist prayer bell.



有明や梅にも一ッ鉢たたき
ariake ya ume ni mo hitotsu hachi tataki

at dawn by the plum tree
there's one too...
beating his bowl

Beginning with the 13th day of Eleventh Month and continuing for 48 days thereafter, certain Buddhist priests went on pilgrimage each night, reciting the nembutsu and singing religious songs. Since they had to beg for food along the way, they announced their presence and need by banging on their bowls.

The nembutsu prayer is "Namu Amida Butsu"--"All praise to Amida Buddha!"
hachi tataki, LINK see below



有明や雪で作るも如来様
ariake ya yuki de tsukuru mo nyorai-sama

dawn--
with snow I make
Lord Buddha

This haiku refers to the making of a snow Buddha.

Tr. David Lanoue.
Read more of Issa's dawn haiku here !

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ariake ya misoka ni chikaki noki andon

autumn moon at dawn <>
now we head toward the end of the month
with lanterns in the eaves

English version: Gabi Greve

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. . . . . . . . . . . Dawn, in other English haiku

nao mitashi hana ni ake yuku kami no kao

all the more i wish to see
in those blossoms at dawn
the face of the god

Matsuo Basho
Tr. Makoto Ueda

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Kamakura wa nami no oto yori ake yasushi

in Kamakura
dawn breaks from the sound of waves,
getting earlier and earlier

Tsubaki Hoshino

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another step
closer, to the end . . .
year's first dawn

Richard Kay, Australia


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行灯を持ってかたづく涼み哉
andon o motte katazuku suzumi kana

cooling off --
putting things back
in lanternlight
Tr. Chris Drake

This hokku was written on 6/2 (July 20) in 1803, when Issa was in the area just to the east of Edo. In his diary Issa notes that it's the first day of doyou (土用), the 19-day period between lunar summer and autumn, when the earth element grows strong and facilitates the smooth transition between summer and fall. There are similar earth-governed periods between all the seasons, but the summer earth period is the most commonly mentioned, because the weather is usually very hot and often humid. In English the days of doyou are commonly called the dog days of summer.

When the summer earth period came, people did "earth days drying" (doyou-boshi): they gradually took all their clothes and books and hung or placed them outside in order to air them out and get rid of insects. Issa doesn't say what kind of housework he's doing, but probably he's put out some clothes and books in the morning, when it was still cool, and the day was so hot he decided to wait inside until after dark to go out and bring them back inside again. Suzumi means going to a cool place to cool off, and usually it implies free time or relaxation, but in Issa's humorous hokku it's his housework that cools him off. It's still hot indoors, where he's probably been working on something (writing comments on his students' hokku?), but now, as he holds a torch in one hand and cleans up outside, he can finally cool off.

Chris Drake


. WKD : Dog Days (doyoo 土用) .


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Related words

***** Amida Prayer (Namu Amida Butsu)

***** Bells and Haiku

***** Hachi Tataki, Memorial Service for Kuuya Shoonin


***** The Asian Lunar Calendar. A Reference !


ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo ooo


***** mist in the morning, ariake gasumi
有明霞（ありあけがすみ）
kigo for all spring

.. .. .. .. .. Fog, Mist, Haze and more

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