Pathway to Japanese Literature
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Hosoki KōiAuthor: Mori Ōgai
| Original Title | 細木香以 |
|---|---|
| Author | 森 鴎外 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Male Author |
| Summary | In the bustling Edo period, a wealthy merchant family’s legacy unfolds through generations of ambition and indulgence. The patriarch, Ryūchi, transforms a modest sake business into an empire, navigating alliances with feudal lords and cultivating a reputation as a shrewd yet restrained benefactor. His son, Kōi, inherits not just wealth but a hunger for extravagance, becoming a flamboyant patron of theaters, brothels, and artists. Surrounded by actors, poets, and courtesans, Kōi’s lavish gifts and reckless pursuits blur the line between patronage and self-destruction. Yet beneath the glittering surface lies a tale of fading fortunes—loans dwindle, gold reserves vanish, and the weight of excess threatens to collapse the dynasty. Decades later, a narrator uncovers fragments of Kōi’s world through a dilapidated house and faded manuscripts, piecing together a legacy of artistic fervor and hubris. Interwoven with whispers of scandal, loyalty, and fleeting beauty, this saga invites readers into a vanished era where ambition and desire dance on the edge of ruin. |
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