In the history of Chinese literature in Japan, there are two timeless female kanshi poets, Princess Uchiko, daughter of early Heian Emperor Saga, and, in the late Edo period, Hara Saihin原采蘋, daughter of Hara Kosho, Confucian scholar of the Akizuki domain in Kyushu. From age four, Princess Uchiko served as a priestess (斎院 sai’in) at Kamo Shrine, founded by her father. Before Saga’s abdication he told her, "Devote yourself to study.” Uchiko spent 20 years at Kamo Shrine and, in her 41 years of life, left 10 poems that can be read today. Saihin’s father longed for a life as a free Chinese poet. He entrusted his dream to his talented daughter and trained her for success. He gave her a poem, "Do not return until you have succeeded," which she followed, living as a free kanshi poet her entire life. Saihin and Uchiko had much in common. They were gifted and had outstanding Chinese poet fathers, who recognized their talent and entrusted them with their hopes and dreams. Both lives were defined by their fathers. Whether they were happy or not is clear from their poems, which were full of sadness. However, they worked hard to live as their fathers wished, and left a significant historical legacy. I will discuss how their lives departed from social norms, and why they obeyed their fathers. Also, I will show how their poems reveal how these two women felt about their lives.

Authors:
Kikue Kotani, Independent Scholar, Japan

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Kikue Kotani has a PhD from Nihon University. Her definitive works on kanshi poet Hara Saihin: 女性漢詩人 原采蘋詩と生涯: 孝と自我の狭間で and 楊花飛ぶ 原采蘋評伝, and as co-author of 江戸期おんな表現者事典, a Dictionary of Edo Women Writers, have reshaped Japanese women's history.

Additional website of interest
www.harasaihin.com

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