Thanks to being thoroughly drilled in classical grammar, I was able to read and enjoy the original text of Tsurezuregusa in my second year of high school

(Added on 2023.11.21)

Introduction

It took about an hour and twenty minutes to get to high school from home. Most of my reading at the time was done while standing on the train, holding onto a strap. Thanks to that, I became able to enter the world of books even amidst the hustle and bustle.

In particular, the rhythm of classical sentences went well with the clattering sound of the streetcar wheels, making for a moment of fleeting bliss.

Today is a story about that.

Two or three books a month

Unlike elementary and junior high school, commuting to high school required a great deal of effort. One hour and twenty minutes each way. Walking, bus, streetcar, walking. If I got caught in an unexpected traffic jam, it would easily add 20 or 30 minutes, so I had to allow for that. Thanks to that, I woke up at 5:00, got ready in 30 minutes, and left the house. Even so, there were times when I had to run to the school building on the hill to barely avoid being late.

Club activities were held until late, with only a few days off a year, and I would get home between 8:00 and 9:00 PM. Because my life was so pressed for time, the commute on transportation I was used to was free and precious. I used it exclusively for reading what I liked or memorizing English vocabulary.

As I got used to reading on the train and consistently turned pages, I realized that the number of pages divided by two was roughly equal to the travel time in minutes. It became a benchmark, like, 'Oh, there's a traffic jam today,' or 'I'll be able to get there by 8:00.'

Classical literature class

The teacher in charge of classical literature at my high school said that when he was young, he worked in the coal mines of Chikuho. I don't know if that's why, but he had a very short temper, and if students couldn't answer his questions instantly, he would resort to physical violence without hesitation.

When that teacher entered the classroom at the start of class, the atmosphere would change completely, and a tense, strained feeling would continue until the end. Thanks to learning classical grammar thoroughly (literally) in such an environment, by the beginning of my second year, I was able to break down each word into its parts of speech and interpret them accurately.

Thanks to this, interpreting materials for Japanese history also became easy. I secured nearly perfect scores in both classical Japanese and classical Chinese by the time of the entrance exams, making them a source of points.

Encounter with Tsurezuregusa

Once, I happened to find a paperback copy of Tsurezuregusa at a bookstore and read it in the original text. After reading a few dozen pages, I regretted that I should have read it sooner. Even in the noisy train, I was able to grasp almost all of the content in the original text. I finished reading it easily on the train while savoring it.

I wonder how many times I have reread Kenko Yoshida's writing from the end of the Kamakura period to the Northern and Southern Courts period. It was a time of bliss. Compared to the prose of the Heian period, the prose that followed is easier to read. Of course, there are also pseudo-classical styles in the later Edo period that imitate Heian prose. If I had realized this sooner, I could have secured time on the train to read more difficult works like The Tale of Genji.

The goodness of rhythm

Many of these classics that remain in the modern age are masterpieces. Of course, that is why they have been copied and passed down continuously. It is pleasant to read. I reread the parts I like. This also applies to waka poetry such as the Manyoshu and the Kokin Wakashu. The sound of the vowels that pop in between is good, and I can feel that this is a characteristic of the Japanese language.

In the Kamakura period, there must have been arts and storytelling performances for the many common people who could not read. Biwa hoshi (lute-playing monks) were particularly famous. The Tale of the Heike might be a prime example of that. I feel the same way even now when I teach students at a learning support classroom. I wonder if the students can feel even a little bit of that.

Conclusion

It was a makeshift reading experience on the train, but it was a valuable time. I really think it is best to refine one's sensibilities while young. I want to provide as many opportunities as possible to encounter good things. Even if they don't quite understand it at the time, there will come a moment later on when the beauty of it will gradually sink in.

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