Impresie. Albastru inefabil…

ganbatte – ryota fujimoto

*******

— Do you think you will ever reach perfection?
He laughed softly.
— Perfection does not exist. But you get a little closer to it every day.

*******

Shuhari teaches us that true freedom paradoxically comes from absolute discipline. Those who try to rush the process remain on the surface. Those who accept it eventually discover that they no longer need to think.
They simply do.
And that is the moment they are truly free.

*******

That is Kaizen: a change so small it seems trivial, yet when accumulated, it ends up transforming everything.

*******

Then, one morning, a former university professor sent him a letter. One sentence in particular struck him deeply:
“What matters is not your failure, but what you choose to do with it.”
[…]
This is what is known in Japan as hansei. A word that is difficult to translate, but which comes close to “critical self-reflection.”
[…]
hansei is an opportunity to question oneself.

*******

If I had to sum up the spirit of hansei in a single sentence, it would be this: “Failure is not a wall, it is a mirror.”

*******

— If you seek perfection, you will hesitate, he said. And if you hesitate, your stroke will be dead. Here lies the true essence of Japanese perfectionism. It is not about eliminating error, but about learning how to elevate it.
[…]
When you observe a piece of calligraphy, that last stroke carries a particular force. It does not merely close the work, it reveals it. It shows whether the gesture was confident, whether the artist was in harmony with the brush, whether he had truly grasped the essence of the character he was writing.
[…]
— Slow down. Respect each stroke as if it were the only one that matters.

*******
dupa aceste cuvinte de intelepciune, poate ma incumet din nou sa incerc kanji, si reusesc sa trec peste sentimentul ca parca as avea – ce doua maini stangi?! doua picioare stangi! liniile mele sunt tremurate, inestetice, fie prea lungi, fie prea scurte, fie prea sus, fie prea jos, fie prea la dreapta, fie prea la stanga, si-mi iese un ceva monstruos, fie prea mare, fie prea mic. pana si kanji pentru unu imi iese in zigzag – o linie orizantala. atat. dar imi tremura mana de emotie, si nu pur si simplu reusesc – una dintre marile mele frustrari in acest demers de imersiune in japo.
*******

2020:
bucati de mine,
regasite in poze
in care ma pierd.

2021:
in care ma pierd:
obsesia simetriei,
amurg, ori stele?…

2022:
amurg, ori stele –
lava inchipuirii
recreand cerul…

2023:
recreand cerul,
scriu o noua harta a
viitorului.

2024:
viitorului
se soptesc secretele
trecutului din…

2025:
trecutului din
pagini de istorie,-i
ghicesc in stele…

2026:
ghicesc in stele
carari neumblate, spre-un
viitor nescris…

ganbatte – ryota fujimoto

*******

This simple word, which can be translated as “Do your best,” “Hang in there,” or “Don’t give up,” actually carries an entire mindset within it.

*******

The word itself is built around the verb ganbaru (頑張る), which means to persevere, to hold on, to give the best of oneself. But as is often the case with Japanese, its meaning cannot be reduced to a single translation.

Ganbatte is far more than “do your best.” It is an invitation to effort, a call to draw on one’s inner resources to see things through, whatever the cost. There are no excuses. There are no shortcuts. You move forward.

Ganbatte is inseparable from other concepts that shape the Japanese mindset.

First, there is gaman (我慢), the ability to endure without complaining, to grit one’s teeth in silence. It is the idea that sometimes you simply have to hold on, not give in, even when everything becomes difficult. It may seem harsh, but it is an essential virtue in a society that values resilience more than the open expression of emotion.

Then there is shōganai (しょうがない), an expression heard everywhere in Japan, which roughly means, “it is what it is, there is nothing we can do about it.” It might sound like fatalism, but in reality, it is the opposite.
Accepting what lies beyond our control allows us to focus our energy on what we can change. And that is where Ganbatte finds its full meaning.

We accept the situation, we acknowledge the obstacles, but we do not give up.

*******

Ganbatte, gaman. Determination and endurance.

*******

If you accept that “difficult” does not mean “impossible,” you will start to see opportunities where others see walls.

2020:
copac infrunzind
raze de sori si luna –
albastru nocturn.

2021:
albstru nocturn –
in joaca de-a soarele,
chicotul lunii…

2022:
chicotul lunii –
raset si intelepciuni.
copilarie.

2023:
copilarie:
cand luna-i doar ghem, ci nu
un chip romantic…

2024:
un chip romantic:
steag nipon in albstru,
pe cerul noptii.

2025:
pe cerul noptii,
bucati de vis se ascund:
lumini de stele…

2026:
lumini de stele
legandu-si lunile de
cer; si zilele?!

the tales of ise

*******
noh
A major form of Japanese musical drama, Noh has been performed since the fourteenth century, and is still regularly performed today. Traditionally, a Noh programme includes five plays with comic interludes (kyōgen); an okina Noh play, centred on a venerable old man and hence usually celebratory (see next entry), may be presented in the very beginning, especially at New Year and on other special occasions. Noh plays may be based on classic works of literature, such as the Kokinshū, The Tales of Ise and The Tale of Genji. Much of the pleasure of the plays derives from the poetic language sung in a rhythmic style and the many literary allusions.

*******
omoi/ omohi – thoughts or feelings, especially of love
The word omoi, originally spelled omohi, was commonly used in classical poetry because the last syllable of the word puns with hi (fire), so it could signify burning passion. Many love poems of the period compare the poet’s burning passion with the molten peaks of either Mount Fuji or Mount Asama, as two of the most active volcanoes in Japan.

*******
otoko naki (crying of men)
In contrast to the stoic image of the ideal male in the West, the ability of the Heian nobleman to show emotion through tears was expected, if not required. Someone unable to weep when appropriate would have been seen as unfeeling. Whereas women wept quietly, modestly hiding their faces with a sleeve, men usually vented their despair loudly, shedding great tears. ‘Man-crying’ remained common until the Meiji period (1868–1912), when it became the norm not to cry in public.

*******
gata. si parca universul meu este deja mai intunecat.
am trait pentru cateva zile in vremurile heian, unde se pare ca sufletul meu inca mai zaboveste comfortabil.
asa o traire nu ar fi fost posibila fara traducerile excelente ale poemelor, si mai ales fara notele explicative ale traducatorului – Peter MacMillan.
totul este atat de compet construit, incat notele contin si transcrierea romanizata a poeziilor – ceea ce imi pare un dar divin, pentru ca tocmai mi-am cumparat varianta in japo a cartii. desi am frunzarit-o si m-a apucat deznadejdea, va fi – poate, distractiv.

2020:
amurg si fuji –
vulcan de sentimente
coplesitoare.

2021:
coplesitoare
magma celesta, fuji
respirand in vis…

2022:
respirand in vis,
inspiri imaginar si
expiri pustiuri.

2023:
expiri pustiuri,
cand in suflet si ganduri
nu-ti respira-un vis…

2024:
nu-ti respira-un vis
daca nu ii porti umbra –
deja in suflet.

2025:
deja in suflet,
amurgul se ghiceste
si dintr-un zambet…

2026:
si dintr-un zambet
rasare soarele, dar
inca apune…

2020:
frunze sangerande –
dezoxidand sufletul.
sunt puritate.

2021:
sunt puritate –
revarsari tomnatice
botezand priviri…

2022:
botezand priviri,
sanctitatea vremii in
umbre purpurii…

2023:
umbre purpurii:
picturi ale-nserarii
pe panza toamnei…

2024:
pe panza toamnei,
cate frunze tes, oare,
cantecul de pian?!…

2025:
cantecul de pian
ce mangaie frunzele-n
ritmuri de chopin…

2026:
ritmuri de chopin:
cu timpul, toamna trece –
marsul funebru…

the tales of ise

*******

The poem expresses the poet’s delight at a scene so wonderful that even the gods of old could not have imagined it.

*******

since ancient times the god of Sumiyoshi has been revered as the deity of Japanese poetry

*******

In Japan, it was common to compose ‘death poems’ (jisei no uta); most have a Buddhist flavour and speak of the emptiness of the world, often as though composed from the standpoint of someone who has achieved enlightenment.

*******

2020:
culoare din lemn
de suflet, deseneaza
lumini si umbre.

2021:
lumini si umbre,
camerele inimii
le decoreaza…

2022:
le decoreaza
slefuirea sinelui,
patina vremii…

2023:
patina vremii
slefuieste erele,
in istorie…

2024:
in istorie,
prezent continuu – fluid
ca o pisica.

2025:
ca o pisica,
in forme nestiute –
raze de soare…

2026:
raze de soare,
prin fereastra pictata,
o alta lume…

the tales of ise

*******

The Nunobiki Falls are a renowned series of waterfalls in the mountains east of Kobe. The name ‘Nunobiki’ (literally, ‘cloth-pulling’) likens the cascades to cloth being stretched out to be bleached.

2020:
iubirea este
serbet de padure cu
spuma de azur…

2021:
spuma de azur –
oglindeste capete
de indragostiti…

2022:
de indragostiti,
un Univers intreg se
indragosteste.

2023:
indragosteste
versurile inimii
de poezie

2024:
de poezie
se trezeste fiorul
infometat de…

2025:
infometat de
dragoste, lacul ce ia –
forma inimii…

2026:
forma inimii:
in suflet mereu verde,
oaza albstra…

the tales of ise

*******

forbidden colours: These refer to colours that only people of special rank, or those with permission to do so, could wear. Since the lady was a favourite of the emperor, she would have been allowed to wear deep red and purple.
[…]
It was customary to avoid mentioning the actual names of emperors and members of the high nobility. As a result, they were often referred to by the name of the place where they lived or had been buried.

the tales of ise

*******

In China, the chrysanthemum was associated with the realm of the immortals and therefore had the image of perpetual youth and longevity, associations that were carried over with the flower when it was brought to Japan in the Heian period.

*******

The ‘path of dreams’ (yumeji) traditionally leads to the home of one’s beloved.
In Heian romance, if a man is unable to reach a lady even in his dreams, it means that she is not thinking of him.

*******

The poem employs the frequently used expression koto no ha (leaves of words), translated here as ‘the things you said’.

2020:
regele midas
metamorfozandu-se:
aur de toamna…

2021:
aur de toamna
sufletul inserarii
pe frunze sufla…

2022:
pe frunze sufla
poleiala arzanda
de lumanare…

2023:
de lumanare,
ramuri aprinzandu-se:
botezul vremii…

2024:
botezul vremii:
cand speranta primeste
nume nepurtat…

2025:
nume nepurtat:
oare in japonia,
cum m-as fi chemat?!…

2026:
cum m-as fi chemat?
cu plecaciune, japo, –
“covor de aur”…

the tales of ise

*******

As the only two known active volcanoes at that time, Mount Fuji and Mount Asama were often employed in love poetry to express burning passion.

*******

its acrostic or hidden word (mono no na no uta) in which each line starts with a syllable (ka-ki-tsu-ba-ta) that spells out ‘iris’.

*******

There are many similar instances in both Chinese and Japanese literature of songs or poems being written upon departure on a wall, pillar or other such surface within a house.

2020:
portal catre vis –
plutesc pe nori de toamna,
ma ning cu zambet…

2021:
ma ning cu zambet –
culori autumnale
le gust pe buze…

2022:
le gust pe buze –
ofrande catre soare;
sorb nectar divin!…

2023:
sorb nectar divin:
cutie cu emotii
de frunze moarte…

2024:
de frunze moarte
se acopera cerul:
padure-n doliu.

2025:
padure-n doliu:
toamna isi poarta portul
de voal aramiu…

2026:
de voal aramiu,
se agata frunze, sau.
poate stele?!…

the tales of ise

*******

Long ago, the man became ill and sensed that his death was approaching.

I knew I’d have to walk on the path
we all must finally take,
but I had no idea
it would be tomorrow,
much less today.

2020:
creion de creta
desenand inaltimea
serenitatii…

2021:
serenitatii
ii deschid cale nori si
ziua de “ieri”…

2022:
ziua de “ieri” –
ca de pe-un varf de munte
sa-ti fie prisma.

2023:
sa-ti fie prisma –
dimensiunea visului
traind in tine…

2024:
traind in tine,
permite Iubirii sa –
te defineasca…

2025:
sa (te) defineasca
“in al noualea cer” si
“cu capul in nori”…

2026:
cu capul in nori,
si mereu zambind vietii.
dragutul fuji…

the tales of ise

*******

Unheard of, even in the age
of the raging gods—
the Tatsuta River
dyeing its own waters
autumnal reds.

*******

Which did you think
you would have to mourn first—
cherry blossoms or the one
whose life was even shorter
than the petals’?

2020:
sete de vis in
albstru inefabil.
ori realitate?…

2021:
ori realitate
devenita albastrul
inchipuirii?!…

2022:
inchipuirii –
libertatea zborului
neconditionat.

2023:
neconditionat,
avantul inaltator
se albastreste…

2024:
se albastreste
culoarea ochilor ce
ratacesc privind.

2025:
ratacesc privind
amintiri ce-mi revin din –
vieti viitoare…

2026:
vieti viitoare:
mi le pictez in nuante
japo-ferice…

2020:
fluturi in stomac –
amurgul frunzelor in
ceata de toamna…

2021:
ceata de toamna,
sau suflet regasit in
fotografie?…

2022:
fotografie:
vremelnicul nemiscat
intr-o secunda.

2023:
intr-o secunda,
sperantele gramada –
intr-o schimbare…

2024:
intr-o schimbare –
chiar mica, dar constanta,
sta Diferenta.

2025:
sta Diferenta
pe talere egale:
o perspectiva.

2026:
o perspectiva:
poeme in culori, pe
pagini de frunze…

the tales of ise

*******

Is it dew falling from heaven
that drenches my sleeves?
No matter how I tread,
I cannot reach you,
even on this path of dreams.

*******

The equerry’s poem:

If only there were
no cherry blossoms in this world,
what calm would reign
in the heart of spring.

Then someone else recited:

It is because
the blossoms scatter
that they are splendid.
In this world of sorrow,
what lasts for long?

the tales of ise

*******

And he cut off a piece from the hem of his hunting robe, dashed off a poem on it, and had it sent in to them.

*******

Could that be the same moon?
Could this be the spring of old?
Only I am as I have always been,
but without you here

*******

Has the autumn come?
There are so many drops
I confuse them with the dew,
but falling on my sleeves
are floods of joyful tears.

*******

Though the end of spring was approaching, he picked a branch of beautiful red maple leaves on his way and sent them back to the lady with a poem.

I send you this to show
that though it may still be spring,
the leaves have taken on
an autumn red
deep as my love for you.

She timed her answer to arrive after he had returned to the capital.

Your love has faded as quickly
as autumn colours change.
Where you live,
is there no such thing
as spring?

*******
nu.mai.pot. plutesc pe nori de poezie. camera mea e poezie. peretii sunt poezie. aerul de-l respir, e poezie. citind acest volum, totul pare imbuibat in poezie, si totul devine Poezie…

2020:
raze de luna
evadand in clipire –
desprind lumina.

2021:
desprind lumina
in zambet, si o ascund
in felinare…

2022:
in felinare
sclipirile dainuie –
vis de licurici.

2023:
vis de licurici:
inflorind din greseala
ca flori de cires…

2024:
ca flori de cires,
casuta de lemn pare
o Primavara.

2025:
o Primavara
pe strazile din Kyoto:
pasi purtati prin vis…

2026:
pasi purtati prin vis,
nu va opriti umbletul:
sisif-calator…

the tales of ise

*******

One of the key aspects of the Tales is the celebration of language.
[…]
Another important element is the belief in ancient Japan that words contained spirits and were therefore sacred, hence uttering celebratory words could lead to fortuitous events coming to pass. Known as kotodama shinko, this distinctive feature of the Tales also underpins the concept of kotohogu, uttering words of felicitation either before or after an auspicious event.

*******

One of the most difficult phrases to translate in the Tales is mukashi otoko arikeri (literally, ‘long ago, there was a man’). Donald Keene once joked to me that he gave up translating the Tales when he realized how difficult it would be to translate this apparently simple phrase, which opens many of the episodes. The words in Japanese conjure up an entire world of both poetry and romance, and for many in Japan it is synonymous with both the Tales and Narihira, the hero.

*******
kotodama – unul dintre cuvintele mele japo preferate de pana acum. pentru concept, idee, credinta si sentimentele din mine…