26 古今集
桓武天皇の延暦年間から、醍醐天皇の延喜に至るまでの間、年をかぞえておよそ百年
、この間は、表面から見れば漢文漢詩の全盛時代で、勅撰の詩集もいくつか出ました。
凌雲集･文華秀麗集･経国集がそれです。表面だけを見ますといかにも外国の文化を尊び
、それをまねているように見えますが、然しその間に、平仮名が発達して、「いろは歌
」が作られ、また国語の構造について、精密な研究が続けられて、片仮名の開発ととも
に、やがて五十音図が工夫せられつつあったのです。つまり表面は外国文化模倣の花盛
りのように見えて、内実は日本独自の文化の力強く伸びつつあった時代です。
それを証明するものがあります。それは嘉祥二年（西暦八四九年）に、仁明天皇御年
四十歳におなりになったのをお祝い申し上げて、奈良の興福寺の僧侶等が、仏像や経巻
を献上すると共に、長い歌をたてまつったその長歌です。それは、色々の特色をもった
歌で、
（一）三百句を越える長いものである事。
（二）大体は五七･五七と、奈良時代の形式を採っているものの、時々想い出したように
、七五調を試みて、新時代の先駆けとなっている事。
（三）僧侶の作であるのに、昔の柿本人麻呂と同じく、日本の神話から説き起こしてい
る事。
これ等皆、注意すべきところですが、特にお話したいのは、この歌の中に、国語の尊
重が現れている事です。今その部分を抜いてかかげましょう。
事の詞は 此の国の
本つ詞に 逐ひ倚りて
唐の 詞を仮かず
書き記す 博士雇はず
此の国の 云ひ伝ふらく
日の本の やまとの国は
言霊の さきはふ国とぞ
古語に 流れ来たれる
神語に 伝へ来たれる
伝へ来し 事のまにまに
本の世の 事尋ぬれば
歌語に 詠みかへして
神事に 用ひ来れり
皇事に 用ひ来れり
即ち国語には、神秘不思議、霊妙なる力があるので、神事にも、天皇の御事にも、伝
統的な国語をつかってきましたので、ただ今も一切外国語をやめて、国語でお祝い申し
上げます、云う意味です。
この歌の作られた嘉祥二年は、延暦から延喜に至る百年間の、ちょうど中頃に当たり
ます。そして「いろは歌」は、それより三十年ばかり前に、すでに作られ、一方には片
仮名も段々と開発せられてきたとなれば、この平安初期の百年間は、表面は漢文漢詩全
盛のように見えて、その内面においては、我が国独自の文化、国文、和歌の大いに伸び
つつあった時代と考えられます。現に小野小町や、在原業平のような、すぐれた歌人が
、その間に出ました。そしてやがて延喜五年四月、古今和歌集の勅撰によって、それら
の名歌は、延喜当時の秀逸と共にまとめられて、長く我が国歌壇の指針として、光りか
がやくに至ったのです。
古今和歌集、略して古今集と云いますが、醍醐天皇の勅命をいただいて、その撰進に
当たった人は、紀友則、紀貫之、凡河内躬恒、及び壬生忠岑の四人でした。ただし友則
は、途中で亡くなりましたので、貫之が中心ともなれば、代表ともなって、撰進の責任
をとりました。出来上がったものは二十巻、之を分類して、春、夏、秋、冬、賀、離別
、羇旅、物名、恋、哀傷、雑、雑体、大歌所御歌の十三に分かっています。歌の数は、
凡そ一千一百首、万葉集の四分の一ばかりですが、古今集には、その後に続いて、沢山
の勅撰集が出てきますので、その先頭第一をうけたまわり、後々の撰者に、手本を示し
、長く歌壇を指導したものとして、古今集の価値は、甚だ高く大きいのです。後続の勅
撰集は、次の通りです。
後撰集（天暦五年）
拾遺集（長徳･寛弘頃）（古今集と共に三代集と云う）
御拾遺集（応徳三年）
金葉集（大治二年）
詞花集（仁平元年）
千載集（文治三年）
新古今集（元久二年）（以上を八代集と云う）
（以下略）
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26 Collection of Ancient and Modern Poems (Kokinshuu)
About one hundred years passed between the eras Enryaku (782-806; reign of
Emperor Kanmu) and Engi (901-923; reign of Emperor Daigo). On the surface,
Chinese prose and poetry were at their height in this period. Several imperial
collections of Chinese poetry were compiled: Cloud-borne Collection
(Ryouunshuu), Collection of Literary Masterpieces (Bunka Shuureishuu), and
Cllection for Ordering the State (Keikokushuu). Superficially it appears that
the compilers valued foreign culture, and imitated it.
However, during that time, hiragana syllabary evolved and the Iroha Song was composed.
Exacting research was carried out on the structure of the Japanese
language. In the process, the katakana syllabary was developed, and the table
of the fifty sounds was devised. On the surface, the imitation of foreign
culture was at a peak, while underneath, native Japanese culture was growing
forcefully.
The long poem presented to Emperor Ninmyou (r. 833-850) at his fortieth
birthday is evidence of this. Monks of Koufukuji-Temple in Nara composed the
poem and offered it to the Emperor, along with a state of Buddha and sutras.
The poem has several aspects:
1. it is long, consisting of more than 300 phrases;
2. it followes the poetry format of the Nara period, with repeated "five
syllables followed by seven syllables." But sporadically the new style of
"seven syllables followed by five syllables" appears, setting the pattern for
future literary development;
3. though composed by Buddhist monks, the poem begins with a reference to the
ancient Japanese myths.
Most important is its respect for the Japanese language. Here is an example:
"The words that form our poem
Are drawn wholly from
The language used of old
In this our land:
We do not need
Chinese vocabulary,
And seek no help from
Professors who write Chinese prose.
As generations past
Have long said of this our land:
Tha land of Yamato,
Country of the rising sun,
Is a land of blessings
Granted by the kotodama.
Thus we have believed
Ever since the days of old;
Thus it has been told
As it was spoken by the gods.
And as we follow
Faithfully our ancient ways,
And deeply contemplating
Things that are now long past,
We used these words
To compose poem after poem,
And the poems served
To praise and glorify the gods;
Also they became
Offerings to our sovereign lord."
In sum, it says: "Japanese language has a mysterious, inexplicably magical
nature; that is why it was traditionally used for the matters of the Gods and
the Emperor; thus for this occasion, we shall refrain from using a foreign
language and celebrate in Japanese language."
The poem was composed in the second year of Kashou era (849), the middle point
of the one hundred-year span between Enryaku (782-806) and Engi (901-923)
eras. The Iroha Song had existed some thirty years, and katakana syllabary was
in the developing stage. Thus this one hundred-year span in the beginning of
the Heian period was actually the period when Japanese native culture, language
and poetry were making great progress, despite the impression that Chinese prose
and poetry were flourishing.
For example, talented female and male Japanese poets such as Ono no Komachi
and Arihara no Narihira appeared during this time. Eventually in the 4th month
of the 5th year of Engi era (905), an imperial poetry collection, Collection of
Ancient and Modern Poems (Kokin Wakashuu, abbreviated as Kokinshuu) was
compiled, and their superb poems were selected, along with other superior
contemporary poems. These poems became models of Japanese poetry composition,
casting bright light upon the field for a long time.
The compilation of Collection of Ancient and Modern Poems (Kokinshuu) was
decreed by Emperor Daigo. The four compilers were: Ki no Tomonori, Ki no
Tsurayuki, Ohshikouchi no Mitsune, and Mibu no Tadamine. Ki no Tomonori passed
away in the middle of the compilation project, so Ki no Tsurauki became the
central figure and representative, taking the responsibility for the selection
of the poems.
Upon completion it consisted of twenty volumes, organized under thirteen
headings: spring, summer, autumn, winter, felicitations, parting, travel,
word-plays, love, grief, miscellaneous, miscellaneous forms, court poems.
Approximately 1100 poems were selected. This number is one fouth the number of
poems contained in Collection of the Thousnd Leaves (Man'youshuu), but the
collection is of enormous value. It was to be followed by many imperial poetry
collection, so it served as the starting point and the model for the compilers
of the subsequent poetry collections.
Some of these subsequent imperial collections are:
Later Collection of Japanese Poetry (Gosen Wakashuu, abbreviated as Gosenshuu,
951)
Collection of Gleanings of Japanese Poetry (Shuui Wakashuu, abbreviated as
Shuuishu, around 995-1011)
The above two and Collection of Ancient and Modern Poems are altogether called
The Collections of Three Eras.
Later Collection of Gleanings of Japanese Poetry (Goshuui Wakashii,
abbreviated as Goshuuishuu, 1086)
Collection of Golden Leaves of Japanese Poetry (Kin'you Wakashuu, abbreviated
as Kin'youshuu, 1127)
Collection of Verbal Flowers of Japanese Poetry (Shika Wakashuu, abbreviated
as Shikashuu, 1151)
Collection of a Thousand Years of Japanese Poetry (Senzai Wakashuu, abbreviate
d as Sezaishuu, 1187)
New Collection of Ancient and Modern Poems (Shin Kokin Wakashuu, abbreviated
as Shin Kokinshuu, 1205)
The above eight collections as called The Collection of Eight Eras.
(Rest omitted)
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少年日本史 (平泉澄)
The story of Japan （Hiraizumi Kiyoshi)
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