Hyakunin Isshu Oracle

No.26 貞信公(藤原忠平)「小倉山 峰の紅葉葉 心あらば 今ひとたびの みゆき待たなむ」

小倉山 峰の紅葉葉 心あらば 今ひとたびの みゆき待たなむ

貞信公(藤原忠平)

leaves, if you have a heart — wait for one more procession

leaves, if you have a heart — wait for one more procession

キーワードKeywords

Mount OguraRed LeavesImperial VisitAsking Nature to WaitTiming
★★★ Journey

貞信公(藤原忠平)Fujiwara no Tadahira — No. 26 公卿Court Noble

A regent and chancellor at the summit of the court, who wrote this poem while attending an imperial visit to Mount Ogura.

をぐらやま みねのもみぢば こころあらば いまひとたびの みゆきまたなむ

Ogurayama Mine no momijiba Kokoro araba Ima hitotabi no Miyuki matanan

現代語訳Modern Japanese

コンセプトConcept

情景The Scene

The slope is at its peak, and the court is not coming back until next time. He speaks to the leaves directly: if you have any feeling in you, hold on until the procession returns. They will not. Everyone knows they will not.

日本の美意識Japanese Aesthetic

Mono no Aware (Asking the Transient to Stay)

The request is addressed to something incapable of granting it, and the impossibility is the emotion. Aim your plea at the process rather than a person and the feeling becomes structural.