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Primary sourceBookc. 905-920

Kokin Wakashū

Ki no Tsurayuki and compilers · c. 905-920

The first imperial waka anthology, a poetic canon that Murasaki Shikibu quoted constantly in her novel and diary.

This poetic canon was quoted constantly by Murasaki Shikibu in her novel and diary, showing her literary education.

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Open double-page spread of a Japanese manuscript with gold and silver flecks scattered on brown-orange and dark mauve paper. Black cursive kana calligraphy runs in vertical columns on both pages.
Kana Preface of the Kokin Wakashū, Gen'ei edition, c. 905-920. Tokyo National Museum.

About this source

What it is

The Kokin Wakashū ('Collection of Japanese Poems of Ancient and Modern Times') is an imperial anthology of waka poetry commissioned by Emperor Uda and completed around 905-920 under Emperor Daigo. It was compiled by four court poets led by Ki no Tsurayuki.

Why it matters

This anthology set the standard form and arrangement for Japanese poetry for centuries. Murasaki Shikibu, writing a century later, drew on it constantly as the shared poetic canon of her era; its compiler Ki no Tsurayuki's circle connects to the literary world she worked within. It shows the tradition of court poetry that educated women like Murasaki absorbed and used in their own writing.

Look closer

  • Why would an emperor want to commission an official collection of poems?
  • What does the division of poems into seasons and love suggest about what mattered to Heian court culture?
  • How might being included in this anthology have affected a poet's reputation?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Murasaki Shikibu on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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