The Beginning of the Topic of Poem in the Early Edo Period

Abstract

As Chinese poetry gained popularity in literary circles in the Early Edo Period, Matsuo Bashō began to compose Chinese poetry-based haikai (shidai haikai), eventually including them in Minashikuri. However, Minashikuri, including Bashō’s shidai haikai, tended to follow the trends of Chinese poetry. Arano, highly regarded as one of Bashō’s key haikai, was published after Minashikuri. The shidai haikai in Arano not only followed Chinese poetic styles and trends but also attempted to develop or translate Chinese poetic content. This development introduced new avenues in the compositions of shidai haikai. The present study explores the origins of Chinese poetry-based haikai in the Early Edo Period. Despite its limitations, it is hoped that this research serves to clarify the structure of shidai haikai.

Keywords

• shidai haikai
• Matsuo Bashō and his Pupils
• Minashikuri
• Arano