Part of Ten Styles of Japanese Poetry

This segment is from the oldest extant transcription of the [Wakatai jisshu], a treatise on poetry from the Heian period (794-1192). The calligraphy shows rhythmical brushwork. Japan’s imperial family and nobility considered poetry an essential cultural pursuit. They competed in poetry contests, communicated with their lovers through poems, and spent countless hours studying and practicing this literary art. In the mid-900s, a master poet named Mibu no Tadamine wrote an influential guide titled [Ten Styles of Japanese Poetry].

The original version no longer exists, making the oldest surviving copy, displayed here, a priceless resource for the study of early Japanese poetry. As the guide shows, the beauty of the calligraphy and paper was as important as the poetry itself. During the papermaking process, an artisan incorporated purple and indigo fibers to create a rhythmic pattern of stylized clouds. Over this, the calligrapher transcribed the guide in elegant script using a soft-tipped brush.

— Museum description: Tokyo National Museum (CC BY 4.0), via ColBase / Japan Search.