In the Wake of Basho Bestiary in the Rock Garden-1

Из Басё. Цикл Бестиарий в саду камней - Камень 1
In the Wake of Basho. Album: Bestiary in the Rock Garden.  Rock 1.



Тяжелое предчувствие
Deadly premonition
_________________________

Свинцовое зеркало залива на исходе короткого серого дня. Зыбь. Всплеск.
Жадно рыбу пеликан заглатывает. И снова на взлет.
Спешу надышаться перед смертью ...

The leaden mirror of the bay at the end of a short grey day. Ripples. Splash.
An insatiable pelican devours a fish. Ready for takeoff anew.
I am make up for lost time, breathing deeply bevore I die ...




Больно
Sore
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Красный морской окунь с вырванными острым, как бритва, крючком кишками.
Бьется в смертельной агонии на мокром песке, как после канси.
Чем, скажи, не заслужил я любви твоей ?

A red rockfish on the wet sand, its viscera ripped out by a razorsharp hook.
Violently shaking in death agony, as it were after a painful kanshi.
Tell me why have you not graced me with your love ?



Новогоднее
New Year’s
___________________

Банановая пальма в тяжелой снежной шапке. Стыло.
Красный кардинал у Будды на плече. Устал.
Неужели еще один век прошел ?

A banana palm tree wears a heavy hat made of snow. Freezing.
The red cardinal rests on Buddha’s shoulder. Weary.
One more century is gone, is that so ?


Notes:
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Харуки Оками - это вымышленный персонаж. В его жизни собирательно отражена судьба того поколения японцев, которые попали под пресс  религиозных преследований христиан-католиков в самом начале эпохи Эдо, и которые вынуждены были покинуть родину или уйти в глубокое подполье, чтобы сохранить веру и жизнь.

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Эпоха Эдо (1600-1868). Начало сёгуната Токугава – Иэясу захватывает власть и переносит столицу в г. Эдо (Токио). Начало преследований христиан. Япония практически полностью отгораживается от внешнего мира. «Чёрные корабли» приходят к берегам Японии.

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Along with painting he enjoyed the pleasures of poetry. It is uncertain whether Matsuo Basho was his friend and inspiration or his teacher. Along with poetry he also enjoyed the excitements of Yoshiwara, a distinct of a particular and worldly fame ( Floating world as opposed to "Sorrowful World"  the earthly plane of death and rebirth from which Buddhists sought release.
The term " Floating world " is also an ironic allusion to the homophone "Sorrowful World". 


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Red rockfish (Akodai) Edo period
Matsubara's red rockfish
Окунь Матсубары
Хвостокол Мацубары


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Специализированной формой сэппуку в феодальные времена считалось «канси» («kanshi»,  «смерть по убеждению»), когда вассал мог совершить самоубийство в знак протеста против решения господина. Вассал делал один глубокий горизонтальный надрез в области желудка, после чего быстро перевязывал рану. Затем он представал перед лицом своего господина, выражал ему свой протест и открывал рану, которая, разумеется, была смертельной.
http://leit.ru/modules.php?name=Pages&pa=showpage&pid=1413

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In early 1686 MATSUO BASHO  composed one of his best-remembered haiku:
furu ike ya / kawazu tobikomu / mizu no oto
an ancient pond /
a frog jumps in /
the splash of water

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Genroku 8  ( 1695 )
восьмой год эпохи Генроку, начавшейся в 1688 году 
Year 1695 (MDCXCV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar and a common year starting on Tuesday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar. It was also a particularly cold and wet year. Contemporary records claim that wine froze in the glasses in the Palace of Versailles.
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Actually the name Basho, literally means "Banana", is referring to the banana tree that has been planted in his yard by one of his disciples in 1681

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JAPANESE CULTURE - famous person in history: MATSUO BASHO.
___________________________________________________________

" He was a Haiku poet of the Edo period who brought haiku from a mere past time of townsmen up to the level of an art in which the beauty and richness of the Japanese language are sought. He spent most of his lifetime traveling around the country. After practicing rigorous self-discipline, he established aesthetics of his own. Admired as "Hei-sei" (haiku master), Matsuo Basho is one of the great literary figures of Japan. He studied haiku in a humble "Basho-an". The name "basho" comes from a plant kind of like a banana tree, which was planted in the garden of his cottage.
Haiku is probably the world's shortest form of poetry consisting of only 17 syllables in five-seven-five pattern. Basho found the infinite, in this form of poem reduced to the possible limit. One of his masterpieces is this:"Fu -ru-I-ke-ya Ka-wa-zu-to-bi-ko-mu Mi-zu-no-o-to"(a frog jumped in an old pond, breaking the silence which has reigned all round)
At the age of 45, Basho, together with one of his pupils, started for a long journey round the north eastern part of Honshu, for he had thought of life in terms of a journey (not a box of Chocolates). "Oku- no Hosomichi", a collection of his most famous haiku, was a precious souvenir from Basho.
When Basho visited the place where he was told Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune had died, he shed tears for the sad fate of Yoshitsune and his followers. There Basho composed the following famous Haiku: "Na-tsu-ku-sa-ya Tsu-wa-mo-no-do-mo-ga Yu-me-no-a-to".(Summer grass. The dreams of great warriors, are all that remain)
Basho and his companion once stopped in a wretched inn where they had to sleep on a thin straw mat laid over a dirt floor. Annoyed by fleas and mosquitoes, Basho could hardly sleep. Worse still his chronic disease, tormented him so severely that he almost fainted. However, he never stayed in the same place because he wished to die while travelling.
In his evening years, Basho frequented the house called 'Rakushisha'. His death haiku poem was this:"Ta-bi-ni-yan-de Yu-me-wa-ka-reno-o Ka-ke-me-gu-ru"(Sick on a journey, my dreams wander on, across a desolate plain.)Basho composed this haiku just before he died from food poisoning on his way to Kyushu. "
This information was kindly lifted from the "Who's who of Japan" produced by JTB.

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Lead
Lead bullets

In Japan, muskets were introduced in 1543 by Portuguese merchantmen and by the 1560s were being mass-produced locally. Japan then was in the midst of civil war. Oda Nobunaga revolutionized musket tactics in Japan by splitting loaders and shooters and assigning three guns to a shooter at the Battle of Nagashino in 1575. (Popular records stating he used a Maurice-style three-line formation are incorrect according to onsite evidence.[citation needed]) The total victory he won at this battle led other daimyo to acquire muskets in large quantities, and they proved highly effective during the Japanese invasion of Korea in the 1590s ordered by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. At the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, nearly 20,000 muskets were used, comparable to if not greater than the numbers employed on contemporary European battlefields. While many believe that during the Sakoku the political power of the samurai led to muskets being banned in Japan, this is a misconception brought on by romantic views. In actuality, the Japanese were fully capable of manufacturing their own muskets, and the shogunate even created several political positions to oversee their manufacture and inventory. However, it is indeed true that the feudal Daimyo, other than the Shogun himself, were forbidden from manufacturing or stockpiling firearms.
As booty from the Japanese invaders, muskets were introduced to Korea (Joseon dynasty). In the Manchu invasion of Korea (both in 1627 and in 1636) the musket troop of Joseon dynasty army impressed the Manchu army which consisted mostly of cavalry, despite the eventual total defeat of Joseon. Afterwards, the Manchu Qing dynasty asked the Joseon dynasty for its musket troop when there was a border conflict with Russia. In 1654 and 1658, hundreds of Joseon musket troops were dispatched by the request of the Qing Dynasty engaged Russians near Khabarovsk (Battle of Hutong).

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Religion
 
Main article: William Shakespeare's religion
 
Some scholars claim that members of Shakespeare's family were Catholics, at a time when Catholic practice was against the law.[180] Shakespeare's mother, Mary Arden, certainly came from a pious Catholic family. The strongest evidence might be a Catholic statement of faith signed by John Shakespeare, found in 1757 in the rafters of his former house in Henley Street. The document is now lost, however, and scholars differ as to its authenticity.[181] In 1591 the authorities reported that John Shakespeare had missed church "for fear of process for debt", a common Catholic excuse.[182] In 1606 the name of William's daughter Susanna appears on a list of those who failed to attend Easter communion in Stratford.[182] Scholars find evidence both for and against Shakespeare's Catholicism in his plays, but the truth may be impossible to prove either way.[183]
 
Sexuality
 
Main article: Sexuality of William Shakespeare
 
Few details of Shakespeare's sexuality are known. At 18, he married the 26-year-old Anne Hathaway, who was pregnant. Susanna, the first of their three children, was born six months later on 26 May 1583. Over the centuries some readers have posited that Shakespeare's sonnets are autobiographical,[184] and point to them as evidence of his love for a young man. Others read the same passages as the expression of intense friendship rather than sexual love.[185] The 26 so-called "Dark Lady" sonnets, addressed to a married woman, are taken as evidence of heterosexual liaisons.

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The Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is a North American bird in the genus Cardinalis; it is also known colloquially as the redbird or common cardinal. The common name, as well as the scientific name, of the Northern Cardinal refers to the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church, who wear distinctive red robes and caps.[5] The term "Northern" in the common name refers to its range, as it is the northernmost cardinal species.[5] It can be found in southern Canada, through the eastern United States from Maine to Texas and south through Mexico. It has a distinctive crest on the head and a mask on the face which is black in the male and gray in the female. The male is a vibrant red, while the female is a dull red-brown shade. The male behaves territorially, marking out his territory with song. During courtship, the male feeds seed to the female beak-to-beak. It was once prized as a pet, but its sale as cage birds is now banned in the United States by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
The Northern Cardinal is a territorial song bird. The male sings in a loud, clear whistle from the top of a tree or another high location to defend his territory. He will chase off other males entering his territory. He may mistake his image on various reflective surfaces as an invading male, and will fight his reflection relentlessly. The Northern Cardinal learns its songs, and as a result the songs vary regionally. It is able to easily distinguish the sex of another singing Northern Cardinal by its song alone.[13] Mated pairs often travel together.[14]
Male often feeds the female as part of their courtship behavior
The Northern Cardinal has a distinctive alarm call, a short metallic 'chip' sound. This call often is given when predators approach the nest, in order to give warning to the female and nestlings.[4] In some cases it will also utter a series of chipping notes. The frequency and volume of these notes increases as the threat becomes greater.[4] This chipping noise is also used by a Cardinal pair to locate each other, especially during dusk hours when visibility wanes.
Northern Cardinals are preyed upon by a wide variety of predators native to North America, including falcons, all Accipiter hawks, shrikes, and several owls, including long-eared owls, and eastern screech owls. Predators of chicks and eggs include: milk snakes, coluber constrictors, blue jays, eastern gray squirrels, fox squirrels, eastern chipmunks,[7] and domestic cat.
In the United States, the Northern Cardinal is the mascot of a number of athletic teams. In professional sports, it is the mascot of the St. Louis Cardinals of Major League Baseball's National League and the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. In college athletics, it is the mascot of many schools, including the University of Louisville, the State University of New York at Plattsburgh, Ball State University, Illinois State University, Lamar University, the Catholic University of America, Wesleyan University, Wheeling Jesuit University, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, North Idaho College and Saint John Fisher College and Cousins Middle School of the NewRock Athletic League. It is also the state bird of seven states, more than any other species: North Carolina, West Virginia, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Virginia. It was also a candidate to become the state bird of Delaware, but lost to the Blue Hen of Delaware

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Красный кардинал
Black mask. Black ships ?
___________________________

The Black Ships (in Japanese, , kurofune, Edo Period term) was the name given to Western vessels arriving in Japan in the 16th and 19th centuries.
In 1543 Portuguese initiated the first contacts, establishing a trade route linking Goa to Nagasaki. The large carracks engaged in this trade had the hull painted black with pitch, and the term came to represent all western vessels. In 1639, after suppressing a rebellion blamed on the Christian influence, the ruling Tokugawa shogunate retreated into an isolationist policy, the Sakoku. During this “locked state,” contact with Japan by Westerners was restricted to Dejima island at Nagasaki.
In 1844, William II of the Netherlands urged Japan to open, but was rejected. On July 8, 1853, the U.S. Navy with four warships steamed into the bay at Edo, requesting that Japan open to trade with the West. Their arrival marked the reopening of the country after more than two hundred years of self-imposed isolation.
In particular, Kurofune refers to Mississippi, Plymouth, Saratoga, and Susquehanna, that arrived on July 14, 1853 at Uraga Harbor (part of present-day Yokosuka) in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan under the command of United States Commodore Matthew Perry.[1] Black refers to the black color of the older sailing vessels, and the black smoke from the coal-fired power plants of the American ships. In this sense, the Kurofune became a symbol of the ending of isolation.
In 1543 Portuguese traders arrived in Japan initiating the first contacts with the West. Soon they established a trade route linking their headquarters in Goa, via Malacca to Nagasaki. Large carracks engaged in the flourishing "Nanban trade", introducing modern firearms to Japan, arquebuses, a major innovation of the Sengoku period a time of intense internal warfare, and also refined sugar, optics and other inventions. Later, they engaged in triangular trade, exchanging silver from Japan with silk from China via Macau.[2]
Large carracks of 1200 to 1600 tons[3] - named nau do trato, silver naus, and China's naus by the Portuguese[4] - engaged in this trade had the hull painted black with pitch, and the term[5] came to name all western vessels. The name was inscribed in the Nippo Jisho, the first western Japanese dictionary compiled in 1603.
In 1549 missionary Francis Xavier started a Jesuit mission in Japan. Christianity spread, mingled with the new trade, making some 300,000 converts among peasants and some daimy; (warlords). In 1637 the Shimabara Rebellion blamed on the Christian influence was suppressed. Portuguese traders and Jesuit missionaries faced progressively tighter restrictions, and were confined to the island of Dejima before being expelled in 1639.
The Tokugawa shogunate retreated back into a policy of isolationism, the Sakoku ("locked country") forbidding contact with most outside countries. Only a limited-scale trade and diplomatic relations with China, Korea, the Ryukyu Islands and the Netherlands was maintained.[6] The Sakoku policy remained in effect until 1853 with the arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry and the opening of Japan.



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What is the meaning of the cardinal bird as a totem?

The cardinal is a power-packed bird that transforms and awakens us. Its color and voice are its two strongest characteristics. It is a member of the finch family and is often recognized by its brilliant red color.
The eggs laid by the female hatch in about twelve days. This, along with the cardinal's year-round residency, reflects the rhythm of the number twelve. The number twelve often has important significance for those with this totem. It can indicate a turn of events or a life changing situation. When the cardinal flies into your life expect a change to occur within 12 days, 12 weeks, 12 months or at the hour of 12. Because this bird is a year-round resident, its medicine is available at all times and should be used by those with this totem whenever a need arises.
Cardinals have a loud whistle, a whistle that penetrates the air with sharp distinct tones. They demand our attention, urging us to hear what is carried through the air. Both male and female cardinals join in the whistling. This reflects the need to integrate our male and female characteristics into our day to day life. Feminine energy is linked to intuition; Male energy to perseverance. If both are operating within our life, our intuitive knowledge has the perseverance and strength necessary to manifest our goals and dreams.
Cardinals eat many decaying weeds and injurious insects. When a cardinal appears in your life it is telling you to pay attention to your eating habits. Are you eating things that might be injurious to your health? Is your diet nutritionally balanced? Extra care should be given to the blood and circulatory system. Past life ties to overindulgence or the consumption of poisonous substances is often linked to cardinal medicine people.
The bright red color of the cardinal is very symbolic. Red represents the blood or life force of the Mystic Christ. In yoga circles this vital force is known as the kundalini. The kundalini lies dormant within us until activated by a disciplined spiritual practice. Once activated spiritual power can be attained. The cardinal offers safe passage into the world of personal power for those who ask for its help.
When a person with cardinal medicine steps onto a spiritual path there will be no turning back. Everything else in their life will seem insignificant. Extra care must be taken here to insure personal happiness, particularly in the area of one-to-one relationships. Balancing spiritual ideals and physical pleasure will need to be instated in ones life so harmony on all levels is known.
Cardinals are named for the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church with their bright red robes. A great love or a strong dislike for religion and churches is common amongst cardinal medicine people and can indicate a past life connection with one or both.
The cardinals voice is strong and clear and reflects an air of importance. This power-packed bird can teach you how to express your truth, develop confidence, and walk your talk. If you respect its teachings it will lead you home.

Read more: vA

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NUMBER 1
The number one often symbolizes the primal being or creation. It is sometimes seen as a symbol of God. One also symbolizes humankind (reflecting our upright stance.) In modern western culture to be "number one" is to be the best.
NUMBER 2
Pythagoras believed that the number two signified diversity. In fact, Pythagoras regarded the number two as the first true number because it represented plurality. Two is the symbol of disorder, separation, opposition and conflict. But two is also a symbol of equilibrium, order and balance in philosophies such as Taoism, where yin and yang represent the two opposite but complementary forces that govern the entire universe. Two is a lucky number in Chinese culture, on the basis that good things come in pairs.
NUMBER 3
Three is a sacred number in most religions. The Ancient Egyptians had a powerful trinity of gods as did the Ancient Greeks and Romans. Hindus worship a trinity known as the Trimurti ("three forms"). Christians believe in a Holy Trinity. In Islam three symbolizes the human soul. To Pythagoras three symbolized perfect harmony, being the sum of unity (one) and diversity (two). The universal meaning of The universal meaning of three probably relates to man, woman and child—the fulfillment of birth and productivity. As a symbol of fulfillment, three often occurs in fairy tales as the number of tests to be passed or riddles to be solved.

© Copyright: Юрий Слободенюк, 2011
Свидетельство о публикации №11112276507


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