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宮沢賢治 (Miyazawa Kenji), one of my favorite Japanese writers, was born 110 years ago on August 27, 1896, deceased at the age of 37 on September 21, 1933. Miyazawa was an agricultural teacher/reformer/scientist, a macadam mine engineer, a cosmologist, an artist, a poet, a writer of children's literature, a devoted self-sacrificing Buddhist... In 1996 (the 100th anniversary of Miyazawa's birth), I purchased both the statue and the replica of his famous poem "雨ニモマケズ Succumb Not to the Rain" manuscript at 宮沢賢治記念館 Miyazawa Kenji Memorial Museum in 花巻 Hanamaki, his hometown. Below is the poem "雨ニモマケズ Succumb Not to the Rain" found posthumously in a small black notebook in one of Miyazawa's trunks: ************************************************************************************ 雨ニモマケズ Succumb Not to the Rain "不怕雨 不怕風" (Japanese > English > Chinese) 雨ニモマケズ (雨にも負けず) Succumb not to the rain 不怕雨 風ニモマケズ (風にも負けず) Succumb not to the wind 不怕風 雪ニモ夏ノ暑サニモマケヌ (雪にも夏の暑さにも負けぬ) Succumb not to the snow nor to the heat of summer 不怕大雪不怕炎炎夏日 丈夫ナカラダヲモチ (丈夫な体を持ち) Be strong in body 身子結實骨子硬 慾ハナク 決シテ瞋ラズ (慾はなく 決して怒らず) Unfettered by desire, not enticed to anger 沒有慾望 絕不生氣 イツモシヅカニワラッテヰル (いつも静かに笑っている) Cultivate a quiet joy 臉上總是恬靜地笑著 一日ニ玄米四合ト (一日に玄米四合と) Every day four bowls of brown rice 一天四合糙米淡飯 味噌ト少シノ野菜ヲタベ (味噌と少しの野菜を食べ) Some miso and a few vegetables to suffice for the day 幾匙味噌少許粗菜 アラユルコトヲ (あらゆることを) To everything 事事 ジブンヲカンジョウニ入レズニ (自分を勘定に入れずに) Without judging 不動心不動容 ヨクミキキシワカリ (よく見聞きし分かり) Watch well and listen closely 事事要耳聞要目睹 ソシテワスレズ (そして忘れず) Hold the learned lessons dear 然後刻印在我心中 野原ノ松ノ林ノ蔭ノ (野原の松の林の蔭の) In a meadow, nestled in a pine grove's shade 在那原野地松林深處 小サナ萱ブキノ小屋ニヰテ (小さな萱ぶきの小屋にいて) A thatch-roof house 蓋棟我棲身的小茅屋 東ニ病気ノコドモアレバ (東に病気の子供あれば) If, to the East, a child lies sick 村東若有病痛的小孩 行ッテ看病シテヤリ (行って看病してやり) Go forth and nurse him to health 讓我細心去照顧 西ニツカレタ母アレバ (西に疲れた母あれば) If, to the West, an old lady stands exhausted 村西若有疲累的大媽 行ッテソノ稲ノ束ヲ負ヒ (行ってその稲の束を負い) Go forth, and relieve her of burden 我去幫她背稻穀 南ニ死ニソウナ人アレバ (南に死にそうな人あれば) If, to the South, a man lies dying 村南若有臨終者 行ッテコハガラナクテモイゝトイヒ (行って怖がらなくてもいゝと言い) Go forth with words of courage to dispel his fear 趕去叫他不要怕 北ニケンクワヤソショウガアレバ (北に喧嘩や訴訟があれば) If, to the North, an argument or fight ensues 村北若有爭執或口角 ツマラナイカラヤメロトイヒ (つまらないから止めろと言い) Go forth and beg them, "Stop such a waste of effort and of spirit" 我去勸說無聊啊快住手吧 ヒド(デ)リノトキハナミダヲナガシ (日照りのときは涙を流し) In times of drought, shed tears of sympathy 大旱時節我淚眼汪汪 サムサノナツハオロオロアルキ (寒さの夏はオロオロ歩き) In summer's cold, walk in concern and empathy 冷夏之季我焦慮不安 ミンナニデクノボートヨバレ (みんなにでくの坊と呼ばれ) Called a blockhead by everyone 大家罵我是個大傻瓜 ホメラレモセズ (褒められもせず) Without being praised 雖然沒人會誇獎讚揚 クニモサレズ (苦にもされず) Without being blamed 但也不會讓人傷腦筋 サウイフモノニ (そういう者に) ワタシハナリタイ (私はなりたい) This is my goal, the person I strive to become. 我 正是想當這種人 - 宮沢賢治 Miyazawa Kenji (08/27/1896-09/21/1933) - ============================= REFERENCES: Original Japanese poem and English translation: 1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ame_ni_mo_Makezu 2. www.kenji-world.net/english/download/works/Rain.html Chinese translation: mt.leafportal.org/archives/new_001151.html =============================

OK, I hardly read the children's book author's stuff, but apparently he's big on cats.

Kougensha is a famous shop in Zaimokucho in Morioka. They have a strong connection with the regionally famous author Kenji Miyazawa. This courtyard features a memorial to him.