Japan poetry and a life blighted by ill-health: Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902)

Lee Jay Walker

Modern Tokyo Times

The final years of the life of Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902) were filled with pain and long-lasting suffering. Ultimately, his life was cut short from the ravages of tuberculosis and other ailments that stemmed from this.

Shiki understood the frailty of life concerning the death of his alcoholic father when he was a small child. Also, unlike his alcoholic father, his grandfather was a Confucian scholar who installed a different way of life. Therefore, Shiki understood the chaotic nature of life when only a young child.

His childhood at a time when the Meiji Restoration of 1868 was altering the political, religious, and social landscape generated a wealth of emotions and passions. In time, this would bless his poetry.

From 1888/1889 onwards, the shadow of tuberculosis blighted his life. Yet, despite the pernicious shadow of death for someone so young and the pain he felt in the last 7 to 8 years of life he bravely endured and focused on poetry and other important matters.

Despite horrendous adversity concerning his health and the economic angle of supporting people he still emerges to be one of the masters of haiku. Hence, his name echoes alongside the esteemed names of Matsuo Basho, Kobayashi Issa, and Yosa Buson.

Shiki wrote, Until now I had mistaken the Enlightenment of Zen: I was wrong to think it meant being able to die serenely under any conditions. It means being able to live serenely under any conditions.

His short life created more decades of poetry than his actual age when he passed away from this earth. Hence, his legacy remains potent today.

Art by Sawako Utsumi

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-persimmon-tree-and-the-reflection-of-time-sawako-utsumi.html

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/stunning-bleak-midwinter-art-of-northern-japan-sawako-utsumi.html

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-desolate-japanese-buddhist-path-sawako-utsumi.html

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/the-persimmon-tree-and-time-reflected-in-new-light-sawako-utsumi.html

http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/sawako-utsumi.html Sawako Utsumi and where you can buy her art, postcards, bags, and other products. Also, individuals can contact her for individual requests.

http://sawakoart.com

[Masaoka Shiki: His Life and Worksby Janine Beichman, p. 129.] Translation by Janine Beichman

PLEASE DONATE TO HELP MODERN TOKYO TIMES

Modern Tokyo News is part of the Modern Tokyo Times group

DONATIONS to SUPPORT MODERN TOKYO TIMES please pay PayPal and DONATE tosawakoart@gmail.com

http://moderntokyotimes.comModern Tokyo Times International News and Japan News

http://sawakoart.com Sawako Utsumi personal website and Modern Tokyo Times artist

https://moderntokyonews.comModern Tokyo News Tokyo News and International News

PLEASE JOIN ON TWITTER

https://twitter.com/MTT_NewsModern Tokyo Times

PLEASE JOIN ON FACEBOOK

https://www.facebook.com/moderntokyotimes

More:
Japan poetry and a life blighted by ill-health: Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902) - Modern Tokyo Times