kwaidan-stories and studies of strange things(奇谈)-第20节
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I want to know； for example； the whole story of that Chinese maiden
whom the butterflies took to be a flower； and followed in multitude； so
fragrant and so fair was she。 Also I should like to know something more
concerning the butterflies of the Emperor Genso； or Ming Hwang； who
made them choose his loves for him。。。 He used to hold wine…parties in his
amazing garden； and ladies of exceeding beauty were in attendance； and
caged butterflies； se free among them； would fly to the fairest； and then；
upon that fairest the Imperial favor was bestowed。 But after Genso Kotei
had seen Yokihi （whom the Chinese call Yang…Kwei…Fei）； he would not
suffer the butterflies to choose for him； which was unlucky； as Yokihi got
him into serious trouble。。。 Again； I should like to know more about the
experience of that Chinese scholar； celebrated in Japan under the name
Soshu； who dreamed that he was a butterfly； and had all the sensations of a
butterfly in that dream。 For his spirit had really been wandering about in
the shape of a butterfly； and； when he awoke； the memories and the
feelings of butterfly existence remained so vivid in his mind that he could
not act like a human being。。。 Finally I should like to know the text of a
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certain Chinese official recognition of sundry butterflies as the spirits of
an Emperor and of his attendants。。。
Most of the Japanese literature about butterflies； excepting some
poetry； appears to be of Chinese origin； and even that old national
aesthetic feeling on the subject； which found such delightful expression in
Japanese art and song and custom； may have been first developed under
Chinese teaching。 Chinese precedent doubtless explains why Japanese
poets and painters chose so often for their geimyo； or professional
appellations； such names as Chomu （〃Butterfly…Dream）；〃 Icho （〃Solitary
Butterfly）；〃 etc。 And even to this day such geimyo as Chohana （〃Butterfly…
Blossom〃）； Chokichi （〃Butterfly…Luck〃）； or Chonosuke （〃Butterfly…Help〃）；
are affected by dancing…girls。 Besides artistic names having reference to
butterflies； there are still in use real personal names （yobina） of this kind；
such as Kocho； or Cho； meaning 〃Butterfly。〃 They are borne by women
only； as a rule； though there are some strange exceptions。。。 And here I
may mention that； in the province of Mutsu； there still exists the curious
old custom of calling the youngest daughter in a family Tekona； which
quaint word； obsolete elsewhere； signifies in Mutsu dialect a butterfly。 In
classic time this word signified also a beautiful woman。。。
It is possible also that some weird Japanese beliefs about butterflies
are of Chinese derivation； but these beliefs might be older than China
herself。 The most interesting one； I think； is that the soul of a living person
may wander about in the form of a butterfly。 Some pretty fancies have
been evolved out of this belief； such as the notion that if a butterfly
enters your guest…room and perches behind the bamboo screen； the person
whom you most love is coming to see you。 That a butterfly may be the
spirit of somebody is not a reason for being afraid of it。 Nevertheless there
are times when even butterflies can inspire fear by appearing in prodigious
numbers； and Japanese history records such an event。 When Taira…no…
Masakado was secretly preparing for his famous revolt； there appeared in
Kyoto so vast a swarm of butterflies that the people were frightened；
thinking the apparition to be a portent of coming evil。。。 Perhaps those
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butterflies were supposed to be the spirits of the thousands doomed to
perish in battle； and agitated on the eve of war by some mysterious
premonition of death。
However； in Japanese belief； a butterfly may be the soul of a dead
person as well as of a living person。 Indeed it is a custom of souls to take
butterfly…shape in order to announce the fact of their final departure from
the body； and for this reason any butterfly which enters a house ought to
be kindly treated。
To this belief； and to queer fancies connected with it； there are many
allusions in popular drama。 For example； there is a well…known play called
Tonde…deru…Kocho…no…Kanzashi； or； 〃The Flying Hairpin of Kocho。〃
Kocho is a beautiful person who kills herself because of false accusations
and cruel treatment。 Her would…be avenger long seeks in vain for the
author of the wrong。 But at last the dead woman's hairpin turns into a
butterfly； and serves as a guide to vengeance by hovering above the place
where the villain is hiding。
Of course those big paper butterflies （o…cho and me…cho） which
figure at weddings must not be thought of as having any ghostly
signification。 As emblems they only express the joy of living union； and
the hope that the newly married couple may pass through life together as a
pair of butterflies flit lightly through some pleasant garden； now
hovering upward； now downward； but never widely separating。
II
A small selection of hokku （1） on butterflies will help to illustrate
Japanese interest in the aesthetic side of the subject。 Some are pictures
only； tiny color…sketches made with seventeen syllables； some are
nothing more than pretty fancies； or graceful suggestions； but the reader
will find variety。 Probably he will not care much for the verses in
themselves。 The taste for Japanese poetry of the epigrammatic sort is a
taste that must be slowly acquired； and it is only by degrees； after patient
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study； that the possibilities of such composition can be fairly estimated。
Hasty criticism has declared that to put forward any serious claim on
behalf of seventeen…syllable poems 〃would be absurd。〃 But what； then； of
Crashaw's famous line upon the miracle at the marriage feast in Cana？
Nympha pudica Deum vidit； et erubuit。 ＇1＇
Only fourteen syllables and immortality。 Now with seventeen
Japanese syllables things quite as wonderful indeed； much more
wonderful have been done； not once or twice； but probably a thousand
times。。。 However； there is nothing wonderful in the following hokku；
which have been selected for more than literary reasons：
Nugi…kakuru ＇2＇ Haori sugata no Kocho kana！
＇Like a haori being taken off that is the shape of a butterfly！＇
Torisashi no Sao no jama suru Kocho kana！
＇Ah； the butterfly keeps getting in the way of the bird…catcher's pole！
＇3＇＇
Tsurigane ni Tomarite nemuru Kocho kana！
＇Perched upon the temple…bell； the butterfly sleeps：＇
Neru…uchi mo Asobu…yume wo ya Kusa no cho！
＇Even while sleeping； its dream is of play ah； the butterfly of the
grass！ ＇4＇
Oki； oki yo！ Waga tomo ni sen； Neru…kocho！
＇Wake up！ wake up！ I will make thee my comrade； thou sleeping
butterfly。 ＇5＇＇
Kago no tori Cho wo urayamu Metsuki kana！
＇Ah； the sad expression in the eyes of that caged bird！ envying the
butterfly！＇
Cho tonde Kaze naki hi to mo Miezari ki！
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＇Even though it did not appear to be a windy day； ＇6＇ the fluttering of
the butterflies ！＇
Rakkwa eda ni Kaeru to mireba Kocho kana！
＇When I saw the fallen flower return to the branch lo！ it was only a
butterfly！ ＇7＇＇
Chiru…hana ni Karusa arasou Kocho kana！
＇How
