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stated that Kenkō did not edit the 243 sections of his work, but rather wrote his thoughts on random scrap pieces of paper, which he then pasted onto the walls of his cottage. It has been hypothesized that
Imagawa Ryoshun, a friend of Kenkō's who was a poet and a general, compiled these scraps into a book, combining them with other essays of Kenkō's found in the possession of Kenkō's former servant, and arranging the material into the order they are found in today. The oldest surviving text of
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works show the potential for growth and improvement, and the impermanence of its state provides a moving framework towards appreciation towards life. Kenkō notes, “Branches about to blossom or gardens strewn with faded flowers are worthier of our admiration. In all things, it is the beginnings and ends that are interesting.”
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Kenkō's work has been held in high regard and considered a classic in Japan since the 17th century, but little is known of its composition and publication, and they remain matters of speculation. One of the most popular beliefs about it was first put forward by
Sanjonishi Sane'eda (1511-1579), who
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Within his work, Kenkō shows the relation of impermanence to the balance of things in life. Beginnings and ends relate to the impermanence of things, and it is because of impermanence that beginnings and ends are interesting and should be valued. Irregularity and incompleteness of collections and
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Kenkō clearly states his point of view regarding the nature of things in life, and regards the perishability of objects to be moving. In relation to the concept of impermanence, his works links to the fondness of the irregular and incomplete, and the beginnings and ends of things. Kenkō states:
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Kenkō relates the impermanence of life to the beauty of nature in an insightful manner. Kenkō sees the aesthetics of beauty in a different light: the beauty of nature lies in its impermanence. Within his work, Kenkō quotes the poet Ton’a:“It is only after the silk wrapper has frayed at top and
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Kenkō's work predominantly reveals these themes, providing his thoughts set out in short essays of work. Although his concept of impermanence is based upon his personal beliefs, these themes provide a basic concept relatable among many, making it an important classical literature resonating
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has come down to us from
Ryoshun's disciple Shotetsu, a fact that appears to support Sanjonishi's account. However, most modern scholars have rejected this account, being skeptical of the possibility that any individual other than Kenkō himself could have put the book together.
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In agreement with this statement, Kenkō shows his support for an appreciation for the uncertain nature of things, and proposes the idea of how nothing lasts forever is a motivation for appreciation of what one has. Kenkō himself states this in a similar manner in his work:
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prevail in the work, although it also contains passages devoted to the beauty of nature as well as some accounts of humorous incidents. The original work was not divided or numbered; the division can be traced to the 17th century.
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What a strange, demented feeling it gives me when I realize I have spent whole days before this inkstone, with nothing better to do, jotting down at random whatever nonsensical thoughts that have entered my
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in form, being composed of anecdotes, reminiscences, and
Buddhist homilies. Another influence on Kenkō was the eremitic tradition exemplified in
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comprises a preface and 243 passages, varying in length from a single line to a few pages. Kenkō, being a
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The
Tsuredzure Gusa of Yoshida No Kaneyoshi: Being the Meditations of a Recluse in the 14th Century
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The
Columbia Anthology of Japanese Essays: Zuihitsu from the Tenth to the Twenty-first Century
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bottom, and the mother-of-pearl has fallen from the roller, that a scroll looks beautiful.”
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Formless in Form: Kenkō, Tsurezuregusa, and the
Rhetoric of Japanese Fragmentary Prose
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Scanned whole book of
English translation by William N. Porter (1914)
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52:(兼好) between 1330 and 1332. The work is widely considered a gem of
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Traditional
Japanese Literature: An Anthology, Beginnings to 1600
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285:. New York: Columbia University Press. pp. 820–822.
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monk, writes about
Buddhist truths, and themes such as
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is a collection of essays written by the Japanese monk
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The work takes its title from its prefatory passage:
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Noel Pinnington, ed. Stansted: Wordsworth Editions.
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317:Essays in Idleness: The Tsurezuregusa of Kenkō
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228:Chance, Linda H. (1997).
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404:Formless in Form: Kenkō,
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378:Essays in Idleness: The
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345:Essays in Idleness: The
315:Keene, Donald (1998).
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