Description
Journal of the Waning Moon
Book Summary
This work brings together two gems of medieval Japanese literature written by Abutsu Ni, one of the few women included among the Thirty-Six Immortals of Poetry. In "Journal of the Waning Moon," the author narrates her journey to Kamakura to defend her children's inheritance rights, in an account that combines travel chronicle with poetry and personal vindication. The volume is completed with "A Light Dream or In the Drowsiness," a delicate autobiographical account of a broken youthful love. Essential reading for those seeking to discover the female voice in classical Japan.
What is it about?
Devastated by the death of her husband, the poet Tameie, Abutsu Ni faces a succession conflict that pits her children against those from her husband's first marriage. At stake are both the Hosokawa fiefdom and the legacy of the most influential poetic school of the court. Determined to defend her cause, the author embarks on a dangerous journey to Kamakura, seat of the shogunate, to appeal before the power of the Minamoto. "Journal of the Waning Moon" is the testimony of that journey, where poetry and prose intertwine to express the determination of a woman fighting for her family and her cultural legacy. The volume also includes "A Light Dream or In the Drowsiness," an intimate story that recalls the fragility of a first love.
Main Themes
- The struggle for inheritance and family rights in feudal Japan.
- Travel as a physical and spiritual experience in memoir literature.
- Poetry as a vehicle for personal expression and a tool for vindication.
- The role of women in the court and in medieval Japanese society.
- Heartbreak and affective memory in autobiographical narrative.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at readers interested in classical Japanese literature, especially in works written by women of the medieval period. It will also be of great value to those who appreciate travel chronicles with a strong poetic and autobiographical component, as well as to those who wish to discover the work of one of the most relevant female figures in the Japanese literary tradition.
What this book offers
- Access to two fundamental texts of medieval Japanese literature written by an immortal poet.
- A unique female perspective on family conflicts, power, and poetic creation in 13th-century Japan.
- The opportunity to delve into the travel diary genre (kiko) through an intimate and refined voice.
- A vivid portrait of the tensions between the imperial court and the Kamakura shogunate.
Technical Data Sheet
- Author: Abutsu Ni
- Publisher: Satori Ediciones C.B.
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: Classical Fiction
- Collection: Masters of Japanese Literature
- Binding: Paperback
- Publication date: January 2022
- Number of pages: 176
- Weight: 268 g
Editorial Review
This edition recovers the work of an essential author of the Japanese canon, offering the contemporary reader two texts that stand out for their sensitivity and historical value. The combination of the travel chronicle with poetic introspection makes "Journal of the Waning Moon" an enriching read for those who wish to explore the roots of female literature in Japan. The inclusion of "A Light Dream or In the Drowsiness" rounds off a volume that allows one to appreciate the versatility and depth of Abutsu Ni as a writer.