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Musashi's "Gorinsho" - Draft Reading Interest?

Blogs > Truenappa
Post a Reply
Niten
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
United States598 Posts
April 20 2010 17:47 GMT
#1
So... for my Master's thesis at my university I've made my project retranslating Miyamoto Musashi's "Book of Five Rings" as it's known in English (though actually the text was unnamed). Basically, I'm wondering if TL netizens might be interested in helping me out by reading draft versions of the different scrolls for style, clarity, etc. If there's interest as expressed in the poll, then I'd like to post things here. I've put in a primer to my project after the poll.

Poll: Would you be interested in reading this awesomeness??

GoGoGo!! Gimme sumthin to read. (11)
 
85%

No, not really. (2)
 
15%

Other - Explained in post. (0)
 
0%

13 total votes

Your vote: Would you be interested in reading this awesomeness??

(Vote): GoGoGo!! Gimme sumthin to read.
(Vote): No, not really.
(Vote): Other - Explained in post.




My MA project is on Miyamoto Musashi's "Book of Five Rings," the Gorinsho, a medieval document where Musashi critiques Edo-period Japanese martial ways and explains key points of his own school, Niten-ichi-ryu.

The HMK (Harima Musashi Kenkyukai) is a research group in Japan doing amazing work on the Gorinsho. Their great addition to Gorinsho scholarship lies in their comparative analysis of existing manuscripts (MS) and the conclusions they've come to as a result. The most critical of which is their separation of MS lines. They are the only ones to even consider comparing the existing manuscripts.

I'm not an expert at all this yet, but the largest and most important distinction is between the Chikuzen-line and Higo-line manuscripts. The Chikuzen-line follows the transmission history of MSs based on the historical documentation of the Gorinsho's transmission from the colophon at the end of each scroll, which is why this line follows the people whom received and transmitted the text. Early on in its transmission, this follows the heads of the 二天一流 (Niten-ichi-ryu) sword school.

The Higo-line, according to the HMK's comparative textual analysis, is the product of a leaked early Chikuzen-line MS. It was subsequently copied, and recopied, and these MS's tracing is based on the HMK's comparative analysis of those MS which all share similar characteristics (lack of transmission documentation, clear copy errors, peculiar omissions). The Hosokawa MS appears late on in this line.

This Hosokawa MS, treated and annotated, appears in the Japanese collection of martial writings, the Bushido Zensho (writings on Bushido, 1942-43). It also appears in another collection of Japanese writings, the Nihon Shisou Taikei (related works of Japanese thought, 1972). It is, as I understand it, the source text for all the modern Japanese translations. Out of the 15 English Gorinsho translations and interpretations, 4 (possibly 6) of them, I believe, were translated from the classical Japanese, and all of these used the Hosokawa MS as their source text (Harris, Wilson, Ochiai, Tokitsu, Cleary?, Bradford Brown?, Ashikaga?).

The rest of these English "translations" purport themselves to be modern-day interpretations, translations, or something in between. I've found that later published books draw from earlier translations/interpretations in making their own new, but different, interpretation. I believe there is a scandal here, a gross distortion of meaning, that I can trace starting from the HMK's genealogy and going through the English translations and interpretations. For example, I have evidence showing that Kaufman borrowed from Harris and Cleary (and likely the other two available to him) in creating his "martial artist's definitive interpretation," and that Krause's "Book of Five Rings for Executives" used Kaufman and Cleary. I also have evidence of Moore and Gough borrowing (at least) from Harris. I won't go into the rest or in more detail here, but the result is essentially a 365 year old game of "telephone."

The point is I can trace the genealogy of these English translations back to their classical routes, which is then found out to be a leaked and copied MS full of mistakes. I can expose this scandal of translation while simultaneously offering my own translation of the HMK's MS (the rough version of which I'm posting here), which was compiled through comparative analysis of Higo and Chikuzen MSs (though with obvious weight given to the Chikuzen-line). My project is thus to expose the scandal while offering my own translation of the HMK's manuscript.


Korra: "Ok, I know that I'm not good at emotions, but that's what Tenzin's gonna teach me, right? He's gonna teach me to be happy and gentle and spiritual, and the rest of that bullsh**t."
Djabanete
Profile Blog Joined May 2008
United States2786 Posts
April 20 2010 18:34 GMT
#2
First of all, I agree with your signature. If you have any thoughts on the Cleary translation (the one I own) I'd be interested in hearing them.

I'd be happy to help out by reading a scroll or two every now and then. Have at it!
May the BeSt man win.
ella_guru
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
Canada1741 Posts
April 20 2010 18:50 GMT
#3
_definitely_

I love martial arts, and like all, I love dedicated, humble individuals.

Please do this.
Each day gets better : )
tarpman
Profile Joined February 2009
Canada718 Posts
April 20 2010 21:28 GMT
#4
very, very interesting project. I've actually been working my way through what appears to be Bradford Brown's translation ("The Book of Five Rings: The Real Art of Japanese Management"). I'd love to see yours and have a look at some of the differences.

This also explains your signature, which I fully agree with
Saving the world, one kilobyte at a time.
saritenite
Profile Blog Joined May 2009
Singapore1680 Posts
April 21 2010 04:28 GMT
#5
Holy shit, I'm reading the manga Vagabond. It's about him.

Not quite sure whether it's historically correct, but it's a fine manga.

And sure, I'll help read it (:
Ilikestarcraft
Profile Blog Joined November 2004
Korea (South)17727 Posts
April 21 2010 14:10 GMT
#6
of course i would love to read it
"Nana is a goddess. Or at very least, Nana is my goddess." - KazeHydra
Niten
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
United States598 Posts
April 21 2010 20:30 GMT
#7
I'm so glad there's a positive reaction to this!!

So here's the deal: I am halfway done with my Fire scroll's alpha translation (at page 90 / 130). Once I've gotten through them all roughly (Wind is short and Void is like a page), I'll rework through them alongside the classical to get things much tighter then they are now. I was rereading my Earth and I was noticing things like crazy that I'll change. This is how the translation process, for me anyway, works -- I rough it out, and then go back over again and again until it gleams with polish so bright it's blinding.

Anyway, once I get "beta" versions of the scrolls ready, I'll be ready for feedback and post them as new blog posts.

Thank you SOOOO much everyone and I'm looking forward to your feedback!
よろしくお願いします - yorishiku onegaishimasu
Korra: "Ok, I know that I'm not good at emotions, but that's what Tenzin's gonna teach me, right? He's gonna teach me to be happy and gentle and spiritual, and the rest of that bullsh**t."
ella_guru
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
Canada1741 Posts
April 21 2010 23:12 GMT
#8
Yea it's going to be great man. Musashi is one of those guys no one is ever apathetic about upon hearing, he's just way too cool in every way.


Strong
Sensitive
Humble
Violent
Poet

= Baller
Each day gets better : )
tarpman
Profile Joined February 2009
Canada718 Posts
April 26 2010 15:22 GMT
#9
Truenappa, your enthusiasm really shows through in that last post. Great to see, and it put a smile on my face. Thanks.
Saving the world, one kilobyte at a time.
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