Excerpt from Bai Juyi's "Autobiography of a Master of Drunken Poetry Recitation"
The highly skilled courtier-calligrapher Fujiwara no Yukinari earned a reputation as the consolidator of wayō (Japanese-style) calligraphy. The poet Bai Juyi’s collected works had a greater influence on Murasaki’s tale than any other Chinese work. The lines from Bai’s autobiographical statement read:
Therefore, he called himself the “Master of Drunken Poetry Recitation.” Now in the third year of the Kaicheng reign era [838], he has reached the age of sixty-seven. Though his beard has turned white, his head is half bald, and his teeth are falling out, his enjoyment of wine and poetry has not diminished. Turning to his wife, he said, “Before now I have always been at ease, but from now on, I do not know if I can enjoy these pleasures in the same way.”
—Translation by John T. Carpenter
Therefore, he called himself the “Master of Drunken Poetry Recitation.” Now in the third year of the Kaicheng reign era [838], he has reached the age of sixty-seven. Though his beard has turned white, his head is half bald, and his teeth are falling out, his enjoyment of wine and poetry has not diminished. Turning to his wife, he said, “Before now I have always been at ease, but from now on, I do not know if I can enjoy these pleasures in the same way.”
—Translation by John T. Carpenter
Artwork Details
- 藤原 行成書 白居易作 「醉吟先生傳」断簡
- Title: Excerpt from Bai Juyi's "Autobiography of a Master of Drunken Poetry Recitation"
- Artist: Fujiwara no Yukinari (Kōzei) (Japanese, 972–1027)
- Period: Heian period (794–1185)
- Date: early 11th century
- Culture: Japan
- Medium: Handscroll section mounted as a hanging scroll; ink on paper
- Dimensions: Image: 10 13/16 × 3 3/8 in. (27.5 × 8.6 cm)
Overall with mounting: 53 1/8 × 11 1/16 in. (134.9 × 28.1 cm)
Overall with knobs: 53 1/8 × 12 7/8 in. (134.9 × 32.7 cm) - Classification: Calligraphy
- Credit Line: Gift of Raymond and Priscilla Vickers, 2016
- Object Number: 2016.745
- Curatorial Department: Asian Art
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Fujiwara no Yukinari (Kōzei)
11th century
Monk Saigyō
late 12th century
Musō Soseki
early to mid-14th century
Japan
1278
Unidentified artist
ca. 1383
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