IchiyÅ Higuchi

Ichiyo Higuchi (Japanese樋口一叶; born May 2, 1872 in Tokyo, † November 23, 1896 Tokyo), actually Higuchi Natsu (樋口奈津), was a Japanese novelist of the Meiji period. In the waka poetry and classical literature of Nakajima Utako formed in the Roman literature of Nakarai Tosui, she stood in a friendly relation with the authors of the literary magazine Bungakukai in which they also self-published works. In addition to stories like Takekurabe (たけくらべ) Nigorie (にごりえ) or Jūsan'ya (十三夜), see below, they left a large number of significant literary diaries.

The Portrait Higuchi Ichiyōs is shown on the issued in November 2004 by the Japanese central bank, the new 5000 - yen bill (picture: see Article yen).

Life

Higuchi Ichiyo was born on 2 May in 1872 in today's Chiyoda, Tōkyō, the second daughter of the Father Higuchi Tamenosuke (樋口为之助) and the mother Ayame (多喜) derived as the fifth daughter of the family Furuya (古屋). Ichiyōs older sister was Fuji (ふじ), her older brothers were Sentaro (泉太郎) and Toranosuke (虎之助). Later, the younger sister Kuni (くに) was born.

During her girlhood and youth, she grew up in a medium-sized environment and showed interest in reading since early times. At the age of seven years they should, according to the narratives Nanso Satomi Hakkenden (南総里见八犬, GV " The story of the eight dogs from the house in Nanso Satomi "伝) have read Kyokutei Bakin completely. 1877, she was enrolled in the Hongō Elementary School, but this had to leave because she was too young. Some time later she attended the Yoshikawa private school instead. 1881 broke with Toranosuke, the younger brother, because of his extravagant lifestyle. In the same year the family moved into the neighborhood in Okachimachi Shitaya, another district of Tokyo, which is why Ichiyo was retrained on the Aoumi School in Motokuromon district in Ueno in September. But before she reached the higher classes, her mother took her, regardless of their excellent performances again from school because she believed that a woman does not need as much education.

In contrast, the father, the literary talent of his daughter to recognizing them Shigeo Wada (和田重雄), an acquaintance sent, so that they Training in classical waka poetry. In 1886, it was through the agency of another friend of his father student at Nakajima Utakos poetry school Haginoya. There, she won both the waka poetry Japanese calligraphy lessons and classical literature. Ichiyōs first own works were based on Genji Monogatari and other classical works. During the time at the Haginoya school she learned Natsuko Ito (伊东夏子) and Tanabe Tatsuko (田辺龙子), with whom they became friends, and she kept himself later as an assistant teacher there teaching.

Ichiyōs family often changed his place of residence. A total of twelve removals took place. In 1888 Sentaro, the elder brother died, and in July of the following year the father. Ichiyo, which at the time was only 17 years old, thus became the head of the family and had to pay the upkeep of the family. 1890, she lived as a student in the School Haginoya first in home Nakajima and then moved in September after Hongō - Kikuzaka where she 's livelihood with sewing and washing worked laboriously with her mother and her older sister. It is said, however, that Ichiyo despised himself, hard physical work and this matter entirely to the other two women was responsible.

When she learned that her classmate Kaho Tanabe (田辺花圃) for her novel Yabu no Uguisu (藪の鶯, GV "The Nightingale in the bush " ) had received a high author fee, Ichiyo decided to write novels. At the age of 20 she wrote Kare Obana - hitomoto (かれ尾花一もと) for which it first used the pseudonym Ichiyo. With the goal of earning a living as a writer, she was taught by the in the Asahi newspaper working as a novelist Nakarai Tosui and released her debut Yamizakura (暗桜) in the first edition of Nakarais magazine Musashino. Even after Nakarai cared about Ichiyo. However, the liaison of the two takes an early end when rumors spread about them. In response, Ichiyo wrote the novel Umoregi (うもれ木), it considers the idealistic styles Koda Rohan and with which they stylistically and symbolically separated from Nakarai. This novel was also the grounds for its notoriety.

After she had writers such as Shimazaki Toson or Tokuboku Hirata, who were familiar with European literature, to know and come to the naturalistic literature in touch, she published numerous works, such as Yuki no hi (雪の日) in the literary magazine Bungakukai. At that time she received a marriage proposal of her former fiance, the prosecutor Sakamoto Saburō, but they rejected. Since the existence of hardships took a turn, it opened in Shitaya - Ryūsenjimachi, near the Tokyo Yoshiwara pleasure quarter, a shop for household appliances and simple sweets, but in May 1894 was the store again and moved to Hongō - Maruyamafukuyamachō. These experiences they processed in their masterpiece Takekurabe. In December 1894 published in the Ōtsugomori Bungakukai and in the following year, 1895, as of January Takekurabe in seven parts. In between, she published Yukukumo, Nigorie, Jūsan'ya and others. In relation to the time in which all of these works were published, one also speaks of the "miracle of the 14 months'. As Takekurabe 1896 in Literature Club (文芸倶楽部, bungei kurabu ) appears in a band, the work of Mori Ogai, Koda Rohan is highly praised and others. Mori Ogai Ichiyo honors in the literary magazine Mesamashigusa and it comes to frequent exchanges with the authors of Bungakukai.

On November 23, 1896 Higuchi Ichiyo died at the age of only 24 years of tuberculosis. Her literary work comprised little more than 14 months. After her death in 1897, a complete edition of her works appeared.

Pseudonyms

The birth name was Higuchi Higuchi Ichiyōs Natsu ( in the officially registered letters :樋口奈津). The author himself used to sign her diaries other spellings of the name Natsu (なつand夏) and very often the training Natsuko (夏子), under which they also wrote poems. Under the pseudonym Ichiyo she published short stories and novels, in which they, not even mentioned the family name ( Higuchi ), up to a busy exception. For this reason, it is often also called Higuchi Natsuko. In papers she published short stories under the pseudonyms Asaka no Numako (浅香のぬま子) and Kasugano Shikako ( Kasugano Schikako ,春日野しか子).

The name Ichiyo, the best known of pseudonyms, means a sheet and recalls the legend, according to which Bodhidharma (Japanese达磨, daruma ) on a single reed leaf crosses the Yangtze River and meditated nine years before the wall of a cave, where he ( after the Japanese announcement) that are not required in the years of sitting arms and legs lose ( see Article: Bodhidharma ).

An indication that the name Ichiyo thinks this is a leaf reed and thus refers to the ( Japanese- idea armless and legless ) Bodhidharma, see Hirata Tokuboku (平田秃木) in the Tanka ( diary entry of 19 April 1893)

「我こそはだるま大師に成りにけれとぶらはんにもあしなしにして. 」

"Verily, I am [like] Bodhidharma, the great teacher, become: if I want to go to a funeral, I will be without money ( for a memorial gift ). "

The poem testifies to the impoverishment of the poet. ashi - nashi is a word game that is both reminiscent at the Bodhidharma, can be interpreted in the sense without legs as well as in the sense without money, so the name Ichiyo can be seen as witty self-mockery.

Works

Higuchi, not the published many works in her short life, impressed by the quality of her work: She was the first professional writer of modern Japanese literature.

Novels

Yamizakura (暗桜, March 1892 in Musashino )
Tamakeyaki (たま欅, March 1892 in Musashino )
Sami Dare (五月雨July 1892 in Musashino )
Kyōzukue (経づくえSeptember 1892 in: Koyo Shimpo )
Umoregi (うもれ木November 1892 in Miyako no hana )
Akatsukizukuyo (暁月夜February 1893 in Miyako no hana )
Yuki no hi (雪の日, March 1893, in: Bungakukai )
Koto no ne (琴の音December 1893: Bungakukai )
Yamiyo (やみ夜July 1894 in: Bungakukai ), dt " In the dark of night "
Ōtsugomori (大つごもりDecember 1894 in: Bungakukai ), dt "On the last day of the year "
Takekurabe (たけくらべ, from January 1895 to January 1896 in: Bungakukai, German Title: Love the little Midori )
Nokimoru tsuki (軒もる月April 1895: Mainichi Shimbun)

Yuku kumo (ゆく雲May 1895 in: TAIYO )
Utsusemi (うつせみ, August 27 to August 31, 1895 in: Yomiuri Shimbun)
Nigorie (にごりえ, September 1895 in: Bungeikurabu ) Turbid water. Translated by Jürgen Berndt. In: Dreams of ten nights. Japanese tales of the 20th century. Edited by Eduard Klopfenstein, Theseus Verlag, Munich 1992, ISBN 3-85936-057-4, pp. 7-36.

Essays

Kari ga ne (雁がねOctober 1895: " Yomiuri Shimbun" )
Mushi no ne (虫の音October 1895: " Yomiuri Shimbun" )
Akiawase (あきあはせMay 1896: " Urawakagusa " )
Hototogisu (ほとゝぎすJuly 1896: " Bungeikurabu " )

German collective spending

In the dark of night and other stories. Translated by Michael Stein, Munich, Iudicium, 2007, ISBN 978-3-89129-196-2. Includes the stories Yamiyo, Ōtsugomori and Jūsan'ya.
Moon above the roof ridge. Manesseplatz Verlag, 2008, ISBN 978-3-7175-2162-4.