The Same Moon Shines on All

Yanagawa Seigan (17891858) and his wife Kran (180479) were two of the great poets of nineteenth-century Japan. They practiced the art of traditional Sinitic poetryworks written in literary Sinitic, or classical Chinese, a language of enduring importance far beyond Chinas borders. Together, they led itinerant lives, traveling around Japan teaching poetry and selling calligraphy. Seigan established Edo-period Japans largest poetry society and attained nationwide renown as a literary figure, as well as taking part in stealthy political activities in the years before the Meiji Restoration. Kran was one of the most accomplished female composers of Sinitic poetry in Japanese history. After her husbands death, she was arrested and imprisoned for six months as part of a crackdown on political reform. Seigan and Krans works at once display mastery of a poetic tradition and depict Japan on the brink of monumental change. The Same Moon Shines on All explores the world of Seigan and Kran, pairing an in-depth account of their lives and times with an inviting selection of their poetry. The book features eminent Sinologist Jonathan Chavess translations of more than 130 poems by Seigan and more than 50 by Kran, each annotated and followed by the original Chinese text. An introduction by Matthew Fraleigh, a specialist in Japans Sinitic literature, offers insight into the historical and literary context as well as the poems themselves. Approachable and delightful, this book makes the riches of Japanese Sinitic poetry available to a range of readers.