Mukai Chine

[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO TOP . ]
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Mukai Chine 向井千子

(? - 1688)
She was the third daughter of Mukai 向井元升. She married the head of a marine trading company 廻船問屋 Shimizu Tooemon 清水藤右衛門.

She was the sister of one of the 10 important disciples of Matsuo Basho

. Mukai Kyorai 向井去来 .
Kyorai lived in
Rakushisha 落柿舎 "Hermitage of the fallen persimmon".



::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::



東西あはれさひとつ秋の風
higashi nishi aware sa hitotsu aki no kaze


source :　a-kakejikujp by 木村亮平


East and west
the deep feeling is but one:
autumn wind
Tr. Barnhill


East and west
Just one melancholy -
Autumn wind.
Tr. Takafumi Saito



east, west
a single type of sorrow —
autumn wind
Tr. John Carley


Written in the eighth lunar month of 1688 貞享5年

Basho was in Edo (East), and his disciple Kyorai was in Ise (West), on a trip with his sister and fellow haiku poet Chine, who died on the road on the 15th day of the 5th lunar month.


東西あはれも同じ秋の風
higashi nishi aware mo onaji aki no kaze


east west (me in the east, you in the west)
(our) deep sorrow (mourning) is the same -
autumn wind
Tr. Gabi Greve


東西あはれさおなじ秋の風
higashi nishi aware sa onaji aki no kaze
(Oi no kobumi)


.............................................................................


Basho also wrote the following poem at the early death of Chine and send his letter of condolence to Kyorai in Kyoto. She was just 25 years when she died.


無き人の小袖も今や土用干
naki hito no kosode mo ima ya doyoo boshi

even the robe
of the deceased included -
dog-day airing
Tr. virginia university


The kimono of the deceased,
Must be exposed to the sun,
in this Doyo season.
Tr. Ozeko


This short-sleeve kimono
Of the deceased
Now in summer aired.
Tr. Takafumi Saito


In summer, on the hottest dog days, robes are aired outside in the garden. At the home of Kyorai, all things are aired too and the memories of his sister must well up even more deeply when he sees her robes swinging in the wind.


. WKD : doyoo-boshi 土用干し　drying during the dog-days .



::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


Her Death Verse

もえやすく又消やすき蛍哉
moe yasuku mata kie yasuki hotaru kana

How readily the firefly glows!
As readily its light goes out.
Tr. A. Miyamori


it glows so easily
and it goes out so easily -
this firefly
Tr. Gabi Greve


::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Japanese Reference

Reference - 向井千子


*****************************
Related words

***** Introducing Japanese Haiku Poets　



***** The concept of aware　憐れ　哀れ　－
. Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉 - Archives of the WKD .


[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO . TOP . ]
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::