Izumi Shikibu 和泉式部 (c. 970-1030)

光る君へ

1.

There they sit in the garden, on a mat on the ground, as the emperor and empress are sheltered inside watching the wisteria blossoms scattering down on them like snow. Another charming aristocratic diversion. And seeing them is as lovely as being them, since the emperor and empress turn to smile to each other, delighted, several times during the scene.

The aristocrats in the garden, which include several of the great literary superstars of the age, are playing a favorite Heian period game called Kai-awase 貝合わせ. Kai means shell, in this case a kind of clam, each having a beautiful picture painted on the inside—and awase means to match. Mainly a type of memory game where a person turns over one shell (which is face-down obscuring the picture), and then tries by luck and skill to find its matching clam to make a pair.

2.

Wildfires in California.

Yesterday, catching up on the Taiga Drama (I am on Episode 38) was a wonderful way to forget all the trouble outside the door. Thankfully, we are not in the evacuation zone, but are close enough to be in the red flag area, making smoke a serious issue. To avoid it, I have been ensconced in a room by an air purifier.

It has been about seventy-two hours— emergency alerts waking us from sleep and scares about the water making things feel worse. But that said, I am incredibly grateful to be safe, when so many have lost everything. The fire happened so fast—the winds whipped up to 80 mph where we are in Pasadena and within hours Altadena was burning. It has been awful.

I do have a bag packed —and for now am waiting and hoping for the best—happy that the fire fighters are making slow progress and the winds have not started back up again yet.

3.

In the drama, my personal favorite Heian period poet Izumi Shikibu joins the imperial salon in the Fujitsubo. I love Izumi Shikibu, and I think I have mentioned that her Diary was one of my two main areas of focus in grad school (I stopped at an MA but classical Japanese was part of the degree).

Here is a poem I love.

arazaramu
kono yo no hoka no
omoide ni
ima hitotabi no
au koto mo gana

あらざらむ
この世の外の
思ひ出に
今ひとたびの
逢ふこともがな

Before long, I will be gone
How I want to see you
Just one more time before I die
If only as a memory
To take with me to that other world

I am again reminded of David Eagleman’s wonderful book, In Sum: Forty Tales of the Afterlives, in which the author describes many possible scenarios of the afterlife. As I have written about so many time here, one scenario in from his book in particular has haunted me. In it, a person is made to dwell for eternity in their favorite memory.

David Eagleman, in an interview he did on BBC Radio, suggested that most people would not choose a love affair as their one eternal moment; for most people would prefer to dwell in something less intense and more pleasantly banal, he said–like sitting on a bench with their best friend in a garden.

I know what moment I would choose, do you?

4.

What I really love about Izumi Shikibu’s poem is she is not asking “what memory would you choose?” But rather, what last memory would you make to take with you…. Or what favorite memory would you recreate to take with you to the after world…

For me, I might be tempted to try to recreate my forever memory —one of my two choices for a memory to dwell in forever, which was a walk along the Seine… this is actually my husband’s forever moment that I am borrowing, when he was walking ahead and turned back to see my son and I walking together and laughing, my son’s massive arm over my shoulders. He said he never saw me look so happy and at peace. It is true!!! And then he was himself flooded with joy, he said.

Another very special memory was being at the Salzburg Music festival. It was a life dream come true and there were so many exquisite moments—so that would be my second choice…. Joy to last an eternity!

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Anyway, I hope everyone is enjoying the New Year!!

Inspired by Tony’s Reading List, I started this fantastic book about Yosano Akiko and her famous Japanese modern language translation of the Genji. Hoping to write a bit about it next time—here is an online copy of the book.

Below is a photo from my third Ikebana lesson, which I am enjoying so much. I love Chrysanthemums so much and love my lessons. Also some of my chopstick holders I use at New Year which evoke the shell game!