Gosenshu Introduction

The Gosen wakashu (GSS) is the second imperially commissioned anthology of Japanese poetry. It has long suffered in comparison with its predecessor, the Kokin wakashu (KKS), which quickly became the foundation of proper poetry.

The Composition of the GSS

We know frustratingly little about the circumstances surrounding the GSS' compilation. The collection itself has no preface, and all the sources of information about it date much later than the collection itself. Honcho monzui, a large collection of Chinese poetry and prose dating to the mid-11th century, says that in 951, Emperor Murakami charged five men to compile a new poetry collection and to gloss the text of the Man'yoshu. But neither this (nor any other contemporary source) say anything about when the work was completed, or when it was presented to the Emperor.

Nevertheless, it is clear from sources such as the Tale of Genji and the Tale of Flowering Fortunes that by the first decade of the 11th century, the GSS was established as one of the three imperial collections alongside the KKS and the Shui wakashu. This does not zero in on a completion date for the GSS, but it does show that it was recognized early on as having an official status equal to the KKS.