Assignment:
Section: THE HUMAN BEING AND THE LIFE CYCLE
Cherry Tree in Morning Sun by Hashimoto Meiji (Color on paper, 1970) The eastern passageway leading to the Imperial Palace's seiden (state hall) has cedar sliding doors with two works called Sakura and Kaede (Maples). Hashimoto Meiji was the painter of Sakura which he based on his sketches of Miharu Takizakura, the thousand year old weeping blossom in Tamura, Fukushima.
Read about the history of cherry blossoms in the Washington, DC area.
Watch the video Sakura 4:16
1. Why is death a "rhythmic" lover? Why is the earth his couch? How is spring an answer "true" to death?
2. Do either of these naturalistic accounts of the cycle of life and death adequately address the fear of death, the loss of a loved one, or the desire for immortality? What does your answer imply for the meaning of any individual's life?
3. Why might Skikibu see in the example of the mountain cherry an explanation of our own suffering? Does this make sense?
4. Soku finds in the same image a model for noble self-sacrifice. How does this differ from Shikibu's vision? Are the two poems at odds with one another or do they share a common understanding?
5. Does having the painting for illustration improve the experience of reading the poems?
6. How does the music for Sakura fit with or enhance the poetry? What mood does it represent to you?