落花的詩歌

The Poetry and the 31-syllable Japanese Poem of 'Falling of Blossom'

吟詠「落花」到底是從何時開始，或許可以在藤原公任《和漢朗詠集》中的「部立て」（分類）裡找到線索。藤原公任博學多才，宮廷禮儀、詩文、和歌、管弦等無不精通，為當時文化界的第一流人物，無人可與之比擬，卻因道長一輩庶子系統的緣故，不得不辭退政治要位，而淪落為失意文人。因此，可以想像公任在讀白居易被貶為江州司馬時，旋即創作〈惜落花•贈崔二十四〉一詩的共鳴心情，而他的落花詩也是符合其主張「言葉妙にして、あまりの心さへあるなり」（《九品和歌》上品）（「語盡其妙，尚有餘情」）的和歌理論。在中國，落花詩是如何誕生的呢？落花詩萌芽自盛唐詩，至中唐白居易首先以「落花」為詩題，開始創作落花詩。以其《白氏文集》的影響力，對日本以及中唐以後的文化產生了相當大的作用。白居易的前輩，即盛唐詩人李白、杜甫、王維、岑參等，都有不少歌詠晚春景色的落花的作品。從這些詠落花的詩，便能想像出落花詩成立的背景。到了晚唐，這種現象愈來愈多，也可從晚唐的代表詩人李商隱的〈落花〉與杜牧〈和嚴惲秀才落花〉的詩題裡，得到驗證。因中唐時代的白居易開始創作「落花」或「惜落花」的詩題，所以堪稱為落花詩的始祖。

When the poetry of ”falling of blossom” originate? You can find the answer to the question in Japan. It resides in a chapter introduction of ”The Collection of Japanese and Chinese Text Recitation” by Kinto Fujiwara. Kinto Fujiwara was a well-educated, multi-talented intellectual who lived in 11th century in Japan. He was highly regarded as as an individual thoroughly versed in imperial palace etiquette, with top-notch skills in poetry, singing and playing musical instruments. Few could equal his talents in those days. However, he had to retire from an important political position because of an upheaval of political power within Michinaga Fujiwara's family. The remainder of his life was tinged with disappointment. Not long after he was demoted and sent away to Jiangzhou of Bai Juyi, he wrote a poem, ”Saddened with falling of blossom, sending to 24.” It is easy to conclude that the poem expressed his sentiments. ”Falling of the blossom of BaiejJuyi” corresponds to the 31-syllable Japanese poem theory that insists upon ”subtleties of words that would spare heart.” How did the ”falling of blossom poetry” originate in China? It first saw light of the day during the height of Tang period Chinese poetry. Bai Juyi was the first person who composed falling of blossom poetry with the subject called ”falling blossom.” The impact of this school of poetry on the Middle Tang period Chinese culture was so powerful that its influence reached Japan. Many senior poets of Tang of Bai Juyi (such as Li Bo/Du Fu/Wang Wei/Censhen) composed poems of falling of blossom as a background of late spring. It is easy to imagine that various poems focusing on the falling of the blossom during the height of the Tang period represent the background of the establishment of this genre of poetry. The movement gains even more strength during the latter part of the Tang period. You can find the evidence among the most celebrated poets of the late Tang period; 李商隱's ”falling of blossom” and 杜牧's poems. Thus it can be concluded that the beginning of the falling of the blossom poem was the Bai Juyi's poem titled ”Falling of the blossom” and ”Saddened by the falling blossom,” composed during the middle Tang period.