The is the earliest extant poetry anthology of literary Sinitic (''
kanshi'') written by Japanese poets.
It was compiled in 751. In the brief introduction of the poets, the unknown writer seems sympathetic to
Emperor Kōbun and his regents who were overthrown in 672 by
Emperor Tenmu after only eight months of the rule. Thus, it has been traditionally credited to
Ōmi no Mifune (722—785), a great grandson of Emperor Kōbun. It also has been said that Fujii no Hironari (n.d., fl. first half of 8th century) and
Isonokami no Yakatsugu (729–781) could be the compiler.
The kanji "sō (藻)" in the title means a water-plant, which is a metaphor for elegant style. It is a collection of 120 works by 64 poets written in the elegant style of poetry built on Tang models in the eighth century. Most of the poets are imperial family members, court officials and monks, such as
Prince Ōtsu
was a Japanese poet and the son of Emperor Tenmu.
Background
His mother was Princess Ōta whose father was Emperor Tenji. He was therefore the younger full-blood brother of Princess Ōku. His consort was Princess Yamanobe, daughter of Emper ...
. Eighteen of the ''Kaifūsō'' poets, including Prince Ōtsu, also have poems selected in a later anthology of Japanese poetry, the ''
Man'yōshū''. Most poems come from poetry banquets for seasonal festivals, imperial excursions, or banquets hosted for Silla envoys.
At the time Kaifūsō was written, Sinitic poetry had a higher place in the Japanese literary world than waka, and Chinese characters were used for official documents. Composition in literary Sinitic became widespread during the reign of
Emperor Tenji
, also known as Emperor Tenchi, was the 38th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')天智天皇 (38)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial House of Japan'', p. 52 ...
(668-671, r.661–672). In the preface of ''Kaifūsō,'' a distinction is made between the basic technology of writing and the embossed poetry and beautiful prose that arose through and that completed the regulation and ritual of the new,
code-based state.
Just as the ''
Wen xuan'' preface provided inspiration for the ision of literary history in the ''Kaifūsō'' preface, Chinese medieval poetry provided a model of individual authorship and a rich treasury for sophisticated diction.
References
External links
''Kaifūsō'' text
Japanese poetry anthologies
Old Japanese texts
Kanshi (poetry)
Nara period
Japanese literature in Classical Chinese
8th-century Japanese books
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