Читать книгу Japanese Literature - Various - Страница 11

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[2] The beautiful tree, called Kiri, has been named Paulownia Imperialis, by botanists.

[3] Official titles held by Court ladies.

[4] The name of a Court office.

[5] A celebrated and beautiful favorite of an Emperor of the Thang dynasty in China, whose administration was disturbed by a rebellion, said to have been caused by the neglect of his duties for her sake.

[6] A Niogo who resided in a part of the Imperial palace called "Koki-den."

[7] The Hakamagi is the investiture of boys with trousers, when they pass from childhood to boyhood. In ordinary cases, this is done when about five years old, but in the Royal Family, it usually takes place earlier.

[8] A carriage drawn by hands. Its use in the Court-yard of the Palace was only allowed to persons of distinction.

[9] Cremation was very common in these days.

[10] A Court lady, whose name was Yugei, holding an office called "Miôbu."

[11] Miyagi is the name of a field which is famous for the Hagi or Lespedeza, a small and pretty shrub, which blooms in the Autumn. In poetry it is associated with deer, and a male and female deer are often compared to a lover and his love, and their young to their children.

[12] In Japan there is a great number of "mushi" or insects, which sing in herbage grass, especially in the evenings of Autumn. They are constantly alluded to in poetry.

[13] In Japanese poetry, persons connected with the Court, are spoken of as "the people above the clouds."

[14] A famous Chinese poem, by Hak-rak-ten. The heroine of the poem was Yô-ki-hi, to whom we have made reference before. The story is, that after death she became a fairy, and the Emperor sent a magician to find her. The works of the poet Peh-lo-tien, as it is pronounced by modern Chinese, were the only poems in vogue at that time. Hence, perhaps, the reason of its being frequently quoted.

[15] There were two divisions of the Imperial guard, right and left.

[16] The general name for a species of musical instrument resembling the zither, but longer.

[17] In these days Imperial Princes were often created founders of new families, and with some given name, the Gen being one most frequently used. These Princes had no longer a claim to the throne.

[18] The ceremony of placing a crown or coronet upon the head of a boy. This was an ancient custom observed by the upper and middle classes both in Japan and China, to mark the transition from boyhood to youth.

[19] Before the crown was placed upon the head at the Gembuk, the hair was gathered up in a conical form from all sides of the head, and then fastened securely in that form with a knot of silken cords of which the color was always purple.

[20] The color of purple typifies, and is emblematical of, love.

[21] A body of men who resembled "Gentlemen-at-arms," and a part of whose duty it was to attend to the falcons.