As I Crossed a Bridge of Dreams

Ivan Morris's translation of the Sarashina Nikki has rekindled our passion for Heian Japan. The author of this short "notebook" had a striking passion for tales or monogatari, including several lost ones. Her devotion to tales and living in the dreams of such narratives appeals to modern readers, who likewise lose themselves in literature, perhaps to the detriment of the "real world." While perhaps less witty than Sei Shonagon and with a biography less sympathetic than the author of the Kagero Nikki, we could not avoid liking Lady Sarashina as a sensitive, delicate person dedicated to literature while struggling with the "real world" of court life, religious devotion (of Buddhist and Shinto varieties), marriage, and family life. Sometimes we all just want to immerse ourselves in The Tale of Genji or other fictional works.

The Gossamer Years

Out of a desire to read more Heian-era literature from Japan, we here at the blog read a diary by an unnamed author from a minor branch of the Fujiwara family. Unlike the perhaps superior Pillow Book, The Gossamer Years tells the tale of an unhappily married woman, focusing on the sense of abandonment and resentment she feels for her husband of higher status. Since men of the aristocracy had a basically polygamous lifestyle, Kaneie, her husband, pursues other affairs and usually ignores our author, despite her raising his child. Structurally the text is more akin to a memoir, with confusing and garbles passages that have marred the translation. As one would expect from literature of its era, much of the text consists of poetic exchanges between men and women or relatives. Much of the poetry is, as admitted by the translator, far from great. One can find occasionally moving passages about the depression, suicidal thoughts, and emotional rollercoaster the author is suffering from due to her neglectful husband. As a work of literature, it seems far from the greatness of the monogatari. So its value for those of us who are still learning the basics of the Heian period history can be found in reading the source as a historical document. Our interesting narrator sheds light on gender relations, daily life, and religion for the aristocrats of the 10th century, pointing to the importance of gossip, superstition, ritual, festival, and social status. We shall endeavor to read other examples of diaries from this era for more insight.