Description | Hyakunin isshu (One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets) is the most famous collection of poetry in Japan. It has been read, discussed, recited, memorized, copied, illustrated, and parodied for centuries and has been the subject of more than one series of manga and anime. Most people encounter it for the first time through a game in which players listen as a reader recites verses in random order and compete to be the first to snatch the card bearing the text of the corresponding poem. Widely believed to have been compiled by the poet and courtier Fujiwara no Teika (1162-1241), Hyakunin isshu has educated and delighted many generations of readers as a model of poetic composition and an introduction to the fascinating world of waka, classical Japanese poetry. In this talk, Paul Atkins will provide an introduction to the content, structure, and history of this very influential anthology, with special attention to its mysterious origins in medieval Japan. When did it first appear? How was it created? What was its original purpose? You will be surprised (perhaps even shocked!) by the answers he proposes. Paul Atkins is professor of Japanese in the Department of Asian Languages and Literature at the University of Washington. He teaches and writes about the classical language, literature, and culture of Japan with a particular emphasis on the medieval era (ca. 1150-1600). Author of Revealed Identity: The Noh Plays of Komparu Zenchiku and Teika: The Life and Works of a Japanese Poet, and an award-winning translator, he holds a BA in English and an MA and PhD in Japanese from Stanford University. |
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