Kokinshu: A Collection of Poems Ancient and Modern » (1st Edition)

This is the first complete translation of the tenth-century work Kokinshu, one of the three most important anthologies of the Japanese classical tradition. This edition presents the entire work, including clearly annotated translations not only of the 1,111 poems, but also of the original Japanese and Chinese prefaces. Royally commissioned in order to return Japanese poetry to the public arena after a renewed interest in Chinese literature, the Kokinshu's compilers linked the poems by topic, theme, imagery, and chronological and narrative progression to form an integrated anthology; thus, the Kokinshu is meant to be read as a single unit. Indexed. "Rodd's translation of the Kokinshu, with its grace and elegance unimpaired, enables the Western reader to appreciate a collection that was long the central pillar of Japanese literature." --Donald Keene