Pathway to Japanese Literature

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Through bitter cold, I sit studying deep into the night.
A chilled face and hungry stomach; I trim the lamp's flame time and again.
In my eyes, snow upon the stove.
In my heart, a threefold reflection—ashamed before others' abundance.

Composed by Chance ○ A legend sings of Chichibu Tarō, the hero; Tarō is a man of culture.

He complied obsequiously throughout.
From ancient times his liver was iron and stone.
From poor dwellings arise heroes.
Meritorious deeds emerge through countless trials.
Plum blossoms endure snow in splendor.
Maple leaves redden through frost.
If one can discern Divine Will,
How dare one seek personal comfort?

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To study literature without a guiding principle is to be no different from a fool.
When one recognizes Divine Will, their spirit is roused.
A hundred schools in tangled disarray like threads.
A thousand autumns unmoving: one voice of benevolence.

Instructions for Ichikigo ○ My Nephew

Where worldly ways contradict,
Heroes alone cherish true bonds.
When meeting difficulties, none would retreat.
When you see profit, do not chase it entirely.
When all alike trade away their selves,
They sell even their shared merits as men.
Throughout life, devote yourself with singular effort.
From start to finish, conduct yourself [so].

Kusunoki Masashige

Ingenious strategies and brilliant plans cannot be fathomed.
Devotedly serving the royal cause is the true Confucian.
Recalling your vow—one death for seven lives—
Do these loyal souls still exist?

Bumura: Choosing a Dwelling

When choosing a dwelling, do not speak of emulating three relocations.
Su Dongpo does not hope for his sons to be wise.
Worldly profit and courtly fame are not my ambition.
I cast away a fortune to purchase woods and springs.

Su Dongpo’s poem: “All people raise children hoping for intelligence.”
I was misled by cleverness my whole life.
I only wish my children to be simple and dull.
Free from disaster and hardship, may they attain high office.

Thoughts in Prison ○ Bunkyū 2 (1862), age thirty-six, during exile on Okinoshima Island.

Morning brings imperial favor; evening condemns to burning pits.
The vicissitudes of human life resemble the shifting of dark and light.
Even if the light does not return, the sunflower still turns toward the sun.
If there is no intent to usher in good fortune, sincerity must still be extended.
In Kyoto, all my close friends have become ghosts.
A captive of the Southern Isles, I alone cling to life in secret.
Why doubt life and death? They are bestowed by Heaven.
May my spirit remain to guard the imperial capital.

Dedicated to Tsuchimasa Masaaki ○ Tsuchimasa Masaaki, an island official, treated Lord Nanshū with great kindness. Deeply moved, Lord Nanshū formed a sworn brotherhood with him. In 1863 (Bunkyū 3), when British warships attacked Kagoshima, Masaaki sold his servants to build ships in preparation for the crisis. Impressed by his resolve, Lord Nanshū composed this poem in tribute.

His spirit remains undiminished, pure as those of ancient times.
Solely devoted to our lord’s grace, his vigorous spirit surges forth.
With clear vision he managed warships, revealing his true resolve.
Wiping tears, he sold servants and cast off worldly ties.
He faithfully upholds the virtuous teachings of the ancestral hall.
The loyal service of our ancestors must be vigorously upheld.
Throughout his life, he strives to repay the nation's duties.
Selfless and purely loyal, he stands tall among the elites.

New Year's Day

The dawn bell’s toll renews the years and months.
Light smoke carries warmth to the brushwood gate.
On this auspicious day, first wishing your lord’s longevity.
Rise, adjust court robes, and pay homage at Tsuru Castle.

Dedicated to Tsuchimasa Masaaki

Ordinarily, all before the eyes is discontent.
Where affections find mutual accord differs from worldly affairs.
They steal comfort and betray righteousness like sworn enemies.
Restrain desires, devote loyalty—share life and death.
I entrust myself to you; you entrust yourself to me.
The elder brother calls him “younger brother”; the younger brother instead calls him “elder brother.”
What has our long-standing friendship ever known?
To serve the nation with one’s whole being is to exhaust utmost sincerity.

Farewell to Tsuchimasa Masaaki

Parting drifts like dream-clouds.
I leave yet return—tears cascade unbound.
In prison's hold, silent thanks for mercy shown.
Through distant swells gaunt I pine—you un-found.

Reading the Account of the Battle of Sekigahara

East and West clashed in a decisive battle at Sekigahara.
With hair bristling and helmet thrust upward, the righteous warrior seethes in indignation.
Speak not of success and failure, survival and demise.
The eminent scholars of Suihan have established judgments.

Kojima Takanori’s Poem Inscribed at the Imperial Temporary Palace※ (Replacing the “回” in “圖” with the first and second strokes from “面”)

Alas, though I lack Fan Li’s achievements,
Following prior commands to seize opportunity, their martial spirit stands mighty.
The cross-shaped bloodstain retains its floral hue.
The dragon countenance smiles once, acknowledging solitary loyalty.

Inscribed at Sakurai Station: Parting※ (Replacing the “回” in “圖” with the first and second strokes from “面”)

Earnest final teachings—tears flood my face.
A thousand-year honored name abides here.
Flowers fall, flowers bloom at Sakurai Station.
The faint fragrance still lingers about the age-old South Mountain.

Reflections on the Scorching Heat

Strange clouds seethe over Kyoto.
Tyrannical officials increasingly impose their authority.
The evening palace is vexed by mosquitoes and gnats.
The scorching outskirts are plagued by vipers.
They frequently grip sharp blades.
The stalwart men straightaway forget their homes.
Heaven decrees the day when people part.
The west wind suddenly sweeps away wickedness.
1. Strange clouds turn oppressive.

Reflections in Writing

To endure bitterness and hardship is to embrace both right and wrong.
An unyielding spirit has always defied worldly ways.
Since ancient times, fame has often been a burden.
One is better off returning beneath the trees, hoe in hand.

Impromptu

How many in this world have lost their natural innocence?
Poverty and wealth, integrity and greed—their causes remain unresolved.
Behold the fern-gathering integrity of Boyi and Shuqi.
More valuable than treasures worth fifteen cities.

Impromptu

Praise and blame in this world are as light as dust.
Before one’s eyes—countless matters false, evil, true.
I reminisce about the solace found in imprisonment on an isolated island.
Not in those of today—it resides in those of old.

Dedicated to Ōyama Iwao Departing for the Ōu Campaign

Long-cherished aspirations illuminate our bonds.
Great righteousness fills our bowels—parting weighs nothing.
A single stratagem seizes opportunity to uphold a hundred generations.
A few mistaken words command the death of a thousand soldiers.
Inevitable ruin’s perils breed brutality.
The decisive victory’s ingenious strategy springs from utmost sincerity.
Go forth cautiously with your thunder-fire tactics.
In the flash and thunder, victory and defeat are discerned.

Remembering My Younger Brother Takaoki Studying Abroad in England

We brothers are separated by a thousand miles, east and west.
Tonight, we both sense the faint wandering star.
I try to abandon half-measures yet resort to them.
I do not wish for many talents; I wish for an early return.

Sending Domain Soldiers to Become the Emperor’s Personal Guard and Proceed to the Imperial Court

The decline of the royal family shocks the people.
Grief and indignation claim hundreds upon hundreds of soldiers.
Loyalty and righteousness solidify into bowels of iron and stone.
As pillars and foundations, they build an impregnable fortress.

The Thirteenth Memorial Anniversary of Venerable Gesshō

We pledged to plunge into the abyss, neither preceding nor following.
How could we have imagined this bond of rebirth upon the waves?

Turning back, over ten years of dreams.
I weep before the grave—emptiness separating realms of light and darkness.

Having received a mission from Joseon.

Tyrannical officials come and go; autumn air turns clear.
By the walls of Keirin Castle, I stroll seeking coolness.
Must rival Su Wu’s winter-cold integrity.
One must strive for the posthumous renown of Zhenqing.
I wish to impart but remain silent—instructions left for my children.
Though parted, I cannot forget the old bonds of comradeship.
In northern skies, the day crimson leaves wither and fall.
I bow distantly to the cloud chamber; my frost sword lies horizontal.

Composed Upon Resignation

Alone, I am ill-suited to the temper of the times.
How can I bear to hear laughter?
I discuss military strategy to wipe away shame.
They abandon righteousness to preach peace.
Qin Hui’s heirs multiply.
Lord Wu cannot be reborn.
Right and wrong—how can they be determined now?
Posterity will surely discern with clarity.

Untitled ○ Another version: New Year's Eve.

White hair and aged visage—not what I desired.
A bold heart wields the sword—I am ashamed without merit.
What do I fear from hundreds upon hundreds of destitute spirits?
I break free from the den of tigers and leopards among men.

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Having endured countless hardships, my resolve has at last hardened.
A stalwart man shatters like jade, ashamed to remain whole as a brick.
Does anyone know of my family's legacy?
I do not buy fertile fields for my descendants.

To Xuepeng ○ Surname Kawaguchi; we became acquainted during my exile.

The autumn air knew this desolate place early.
The cool breeze should not yet have reached the imperial city.
After rain, coolness stirs; leisurely sleep suffices.
The dream chills; pine treetops drip with dew’s sound.

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The whisper of pines at my home purges worldly ties.
My ears filled with clear wind; my body yearns to become an immortal.
Foolishly, I have acted as a seeker of fame and profit in the capital.
This sound I have not heard for three years.

To Suga Sanahide ○ Senior Councillor of Shōnai Domain; composed in 1875 (Meiji 8).

Our meeting was like a dream, yet also like a cloud.
Flying away, returning—sorrow and joy.
A single promise, half a coin—Ji Zi’s shame.
Daytime affections, nighttime musings—I never forget you.

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The official path’s hardships and dangers—years of toil.
Just like a light boat in a howling wind.
Yesterday’s wrongs were realized beneath the hoe.
Half a lifetime can be escaped within a scroll.
In the mountains, free from worldly cares—true badgers and hares.
Hunting and fishing have their endeavors, relying solely on guns and hounds.
Who recognizes that a heart full of pure appreciation suffices?
The idle moon atop the peak towers ten thousand fathoms high.

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At my brushwood gate, I bend my arm and cease all welcoming.
Illusory fame and profit—what is there worth contending for?
In extreme poverty, the good wife has never deemed it shameful.
When the time comes, the sacrificial calf must be slaughtered.
I wish to retreat to mountains and wilds, yet revere Heaven’s will.
Having grown weary of glory’s rise and fall, I know the world’s ways.
Worldly thoughts have vanished; all other musings cease.
Mist, haze, springs, and stones fill my heart with purity.

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Where can the innocent heart’s yearning find its reach?
The azure clouds lie distantly apart, admitting no intimacy.
Poverty and wealth are like bubbles and dreams.
Yesterday’s warmth becomes today’s stranger.

Mountain Journey

I urge hounds through clouds and climb alone.
I proudly let out a resounding cry between the severed peaks.
Behold the treacherous hearts of men in this world.
The trials I’ve crossed surpass mountain trails’ harshness.

Yokoyama Yasutake Epitaph

Yokoyama Yasutake was called Shōtarō.
The fourth son of Mori Arinori.
His mother was née Kumasaki.
He was adopted into the Yokoyama Yasunori family.
He was a man of loyalty who loved all people.
He served his parents with utmost devotion and attentive care.
When it came to serving his lord,
he would confront his lord and voice what others dared not say.
They all expressed hearts filled with loyalty and love.
Yasutake served by his lord’s side for over ten years.
He abolished outdated customs.
Reformed old abuses.
Moreover, he sought to unify the imperial court and government offices as one.
He debated tirelessly.
For a time, his proposals were implemented.
and ensured that the people’s sentiments reached those above.
There were no divisions between the court and government.
Yasutake’s contributions were the most numerous here.

In the Kikai year, British warships came to attack at Kagoshima Port.
Hundreds of households suffered the ravages of war.
Yasutake's household also encountered this disaster.
The provincial lord bestowed gold upon each household to relieve their urgent needs.
Yasutake, through his merit of many years of diligent service,
He was specially granted a reward.
Yasutake provided relief to impoverished old acquaintances.
He acted under cover of night.
Using the bestowed gold, he secretly threw it into their homes and left.
The families did not know the reason.
They leaped for joy, believing it to be the unseen aid of heavenly gods.

After Yasutake’s death.
Relatives examined his diary.
They finally learned of Yasutake’s deeds.
Alas, he did not scheme for profit.
He did not contrive for fame.
All of this stemmed from sincerity and was thus.
Yasutake was appointed as a close attendant.
He devoted himself exclusively to guiding the young lord.
He worked tirelessly without respite.
He believed that the young lord had grown up in the inner palace.
He was out of touch with the people’s sentiments.
He earnestly urged him to study abroad.
and accompanied him to Chōshū.
Due to circumstances, they summoned the young lord back.
Yasutake also returned with him.
Then he was stripped of his position.
Thereupon, he reflected upon himself and said:
He must now redouble his efforts to strengthen his resolve and cultivate moral character and pursuits.
He again requested to study abroad.
He first arrived in Kyoto.

He departed again and arrived in Tokyo.
At this time, the court officials indulged in idleness and extravagance.
and those who bungled affairs were many.
Public discourse grew clamorous.

Yasutake, stirred by deep resolve, declared:
The signs of the royal house’s decline first manifested here.
For those who are subjects,
they must exhaust every possible means to save it.
However, even if hundreds of voices presented ordinary remonstrations...
Their strength proved inadequate to effect correction.
Then they would be of no benefit whatsoever.
It would be better to die once to admonish them.
He seemed to have reached a profound realization.
Would this not bring at least some small benefit?
He composed an admonition.
He enumerated ten articles of corruption.
He carried it to the Assembly Hall.
He inserted it into the door panels.
He retreated and performed harakiri before the gates of the Tsugaru Residence.
It was indeed the night of July 26, 1870 (Meiji 3, Kōgo).

At dawn, the gate official opened the gate.
There lay a lifeless form.
They assumed it was a Satsuma person.
In a panic, they rushed to report it to the Satsuma residence.
When the residence officials arrived, it was Yasutake.
They lifted him up and brought him into the residence.
His breath was still faintly present.
He stated that a document had been presented to the Assembly Hall.
His words barely came through.
Thereupon, they dispatched someone to inquire about it at the Assembly Hall.
They replied:
This morning, there was a sealed letter at the Assembly Hall gate.
They retrieved it and submitted it to the government.
They rushed back and reported the circumstances in detail to Yasutake.
Yasutake serenely closed his eyes.
Thereupon, the people were moved by Yasutake’s death admonition.
Idle talk ceased abruptly.
The contemporary ills were also gradually reformed.

Yasutake, endowed with loyalty and sincerity,
He was unable to achieve great deeds.
and became merely a lifeless corpse like Shi Qiu.

Alas.

(Note) The fact that Yokoyama Yasutake submitted an admonition to the Assembly Hall—in which he enumerated ten articles of contemporary ills—and then performed harakiri was an event that shocked both government and public at the time; the particulars of these circumstances are detailed in this epitaph. It is said that Lord Nanshū composed epitaphs for others only twice in his entire life. One was the memorial inscription created for Suga Sanahide, and the other is precisely this epitaph. It stands erected within the precincts of Fukuchōji Temple in Kagoshima City. One may discern how profoundly Lord Nanshū esteemed Yasutake as an individual. The versions circulating publicly show marked variations. The present text follows the stone monument engravings (erected in Meiji 5 [1872]). Incidentally, it should be noted that Yasutake was the biological elder brother of the late Minister of Education, Viscount Mori Arinori.

Memorial Address for the Boshin War Dead

That the living must die.
The natural principle.
How can one escape it?
However, death is what people find difficult.
Alone confronting great righteousness, they cast it aside lighter than a goose feather.
Because they find it difficult.
They cast it aside lightly as one.
It can be said to represent the pinnacle of camaraderie.
This was not done under compulsion by others’ words.
They were all moved by their own convictions and cast aside their lives.
The multitude, without prior arrangement, united in purpose—this is what is called a divine covenant.
This is why they engaged in the Boshin War—revering the Emperor to save the people from the agony of turmoil.
Thus, within our Tenth Company,
Of one heart and body—like when the right hand is in urgency,
the left hand instinctively responds.
Why wait for orders to act?
Alas, during those fierce and urgent battles.
The unit scattered in all directions.
They had no time to rescue them.
They raged in battle, clashed, and ultimately perished.

Indeed, it was no different from scraping my bones.
Dissect my flesh.
Years and months have passed.
Yet the searing pain remains unbearable.
Thereupon, those from the same unit who preserved their lives.
They gathered together and displayed the names of the war dead.
They take their places at the seats.
They shall never forsake the principles of the divine covenant.
and desire that survival or death does not create distance in closeness.
They wish to uphold great righteousness and meet [you] beneath the springs; they will certainly not remain silent.
They ask that through this [memorial], their noble spirits may find solace.

(Note) The text above is the memorial address that Lord Nanshū himself presented before the spirits when a spirit-invoking ceremony was held around Meiji 8 (1875) for the Boshin War dead.
The Tenth Company fought bitterly at Echigo-guchi and suffered many deaths.
This text begins by recording the names of twenty-seven fallen soldiers starting with Yamaguchi Naohide and three common soldiers, and concludes with a note respectfully composed by Saigō Takamori.
(There exists another version of this memorial address with only the unit names altered in the text.)

Private Academy Memorial Address

Truly, schools exist to cultivate virtuous scholars. Not merely scholars of a single village or nation, they must aspire to become scholars for all under heaven. Regarding those who fell in the Boshin War—rectifying names and upholding righteousness through bloody battles and desperate struggles—they were indeed scholars for all under heaven. Therefore do we revere their righteousness. Moved by their loyalty, we enshrine them here. Through this we inspire our community's youth—thus fulfilling the school's duty.

(Note) The text above is what the venerable drafted when concerned individuals held a memorial service at the Private Academy around Meiji 8 (1875) for the Boshin War dead and requested a commemorative address from him.

Preface on Sending the Three Youths—Mr. Kio, Mr. Hidaka, and Mr. Kunigō—to France

The three youths were about to depart.
At this moment of parting, I could not remain silent.
But would I merely grieve at parting from this group?
Yet when I wished to speak, tears fell first.
My emotions still saw the various gentlemen who had perished in battle in days past as we parted.
Alas, though those people had perished,
with these people did we replace them.
Their noble spirits would surely receive protection.
How could we ever replace those people?
There existed here a distinctive righteous spirit.
That righteous spirit burst forth indignantly and perished there.
You must uphold the Righteous Spirit and proceed.
Where the Righteous Spirit abides, there is but one.
The three youths departed.
Alas, the Righteous Spirit.
Who would dare not uphold it?

(Note) The text above is the farewell address from when the venerable invested his private funds to send Private Academy students to study in France in Meiji 8 (1875).