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The Same Moon Shines on All: The Lives and Selected Poems of Yanagawa Seigan and Koran

Translated by Jonathan Chaves, Translated by Matthew Fraleigh, By (author) Yanagawa Seigan

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Honorable Mention, 2024 Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for a Translation of a Literary Work, Modern Language Association Yanagawa Seigan (1789â€“1858) and his wife KÅran (1804â€“79) were two of the great poets of nineteenth-century Japan. They practiced the art of traditional Sinitic poetryâ€”works written in literary Sinitic, or classical Chinese, a language of enduring importance far beyond Chinaâ€™s borders. Together, they led itinerant lives, traveling around Japan teaching poetry and selling calligraphy. Seigan established Edo-period Japanâ€™s largest poetry society and attained nationwide renown as a literary figure, as well as taking part in stealthy political activities in the years before the Meiji Restoration. KÅran was one of the most accomplished female composers of Sinitic poetry in Japanese history. After her husbandâ€™s death, she was arrested and imprisoned for six months as part of a crackdown on political reform. Seigan and KÅranâ€™s works at once display mastery of a poetic tradition and depict Japan on the brink of monumental change. The Same Moon Shines on All explores the world of Seigan and KÅran, pairing an in-depth account of their lives and times with an inviting selection of their poetry. The book features eminent Sinologist Jonathan Chavesâ€™s translations of more than 130 poems by Seigan and more than 50 by KÅran, each annotated and followed by the original Chinese text. An introduction by Matthew Fraleigh, a specialist in Japanâ€™s Sinitic literature, offers insight into the historical and literary context as well as the poems themselves. Approachable and delightful, this book makes the riches of Japanese Sinitic poetry available to a range of readers.