Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Dōka

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A dōka (道歌, "way poem") is an ethical Japanese waka with a lesson. Well-versed poems of dōka contain the central dogma, appealing to Japanese people and easy to memorize.

Contents

Dōka and its popularity in Japanese culture

There is a wide range of Dōka and its contents are said to cover not only lessons but also worldly wisdom. The writers of Dōka　are recorded to be many, but some of them composed originally Tanka and their Tanka was interpreted by others as Dōka.

Writers of Dōka

Ninomiya Sontoku, Ikkyū, Arakida Moritake, Itō Jinsai, Musō Soseki, Shimazu Tadayoshi, Ōta Nanpo, Matsudaira Sadanobu, Tokugawa Mitsukuni, Yoshida Shōin, Chikamatsu Monzaemon, Takuan, Takizawa Bakin, Hirata Atsutane, Ōta Dōkan, Saigyō Hōshi, Kyokutei Bakin, Yamaoka Tesshū, Watanabe Kazan, Yamanoue no Okura, Fujiwara no Teika, Sen no Rikyū, Sakamoto Ryōma, Nakae Tōju, Rennyo, Minamoto no Sanetomo, Chikamatsu Monzaemon, Takuan Sōhō, Sugawara no Michizane, Nichiren, Hon'inbō Sansa Motoori Norinaga and many others.

History of Dōka

  • Anrakuan Sakuden (安楽庵策伝?, 1554 – February 7, 1642) was an Edo period Japanese priest of the Jōdo-shū (Pure Land) of Buddhism; and a poet. He wrote a book Seisuisho (醒睡笑, "Laughs to Wake You Up"), which is a collection of humorous anecdotes. In volume 3 of this book, the word Douka was first used. However, the Japanese have liked composing Tankas with lessons from time immemorial. Later, Ishida Baigan started Shingaku (心学, "heart learning") and used Dōka in his religious movement. Dōka is remembered in everyday life of Japanese.

    • Coverage of Dōka

    Sanjiro Kimura collected many Dōkas under the following classifications.

  • Morality; small kindness, honesty, robbery, faithless love, friendship, flattery, etc.
  • Art of Living; Travel, Health,etc.
  • Wisdom; Wisdom in living,etc.
  • How to live;Lies, etc.
  • Progress of People;
  • Money and Fortune;
  • Parents and Children, Siblings, Couples;
  • Life;
  • Heart and Religion;
  • Others;

    • References

    Dōka Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA