31/01/01

Important Announcement

Masaoka Shiki Revisited: A Year-Long Celebration
of the Centenary of His Death

About 1 a.m. 19th of September 1902, or Meiji 35, Masaoka Shiki breathed his
last. Thus ended the life of one of the most important literary figures of
Meiji Japan. It was, however, a beginning of the long period of this
extraordinary individual's influence perpetuating itself within his homeland
and across the world. That period is still continuing.

He was born on 14th October 1867 (17th September according to the lunar
calendar) and was therefore nearly 35 (36 according to the Japanese system).
Short life though it was for such a talented person, his life was "well lived",
as we all know.

According to Western system, the 100th anniversary of his death falls in next
year. However, according to the Japanese one, it falls in this year and many
events are planned in Japan to celebrate it. 

The World Haiku Club is pleased to announce that our own celebrations, under
the overall title of "Masaoka Shiki Revisited", will be taking place all
through the year both in real and "virtual" worlds.

There will be a short essay contest on the haiku poems written by Shiki
(details to be announced shortly). Its winners will be announced at the
"Epilogue to the World Haiku Festival 2000" to be held in London in May, when
on the same day another world-wide simultaneous kukai will take place on the
Internet. There will be a series of articles under the common title of "Masaoka
Shiki: Reappraisal", which will be posted on WHChaikuforum and on WHCacademia.
There will be presentation concerning Shiki during the "Epilogue to the World
Haiku Festival 2000" Conference. 

Also, a commemorative event is planned on 19th September, the 100th Anniversary
day itself. Discussions will be encouraged about this great man on the
WHChaikuforum and on other lists. There is a plan for our members to attempt at
composing haiku poems (and tanka) in the spirit of Shiki, if only to understand
his works better. There are many other ideas and plans as part of the
celebrations. These will be introduced as the year progresses.

This is an important initiative not least because we, contemporary haijin, owe
so much to this single person and yet we cannot claim that we have fully
understood him, his work, and above all, the full implications of what he
achieved and what he could not finish. It is in the same spirit of the World
Haiku Festival itself: reassessing, re-examining, challenging and questioning
what we are doing to see if we are doing the right thing or if we could do
better. Reviewing Masaoka Shiki is an opportunity to assist such an endeavour.

With very best wishes,

Susumu