Kenchumikkan (顕註密勘)

"Kenchumikkan" is a book written by FUJIWARA no Teika in the early Kamakura Period, which is a collection of commentaries on "Kokin Wakashu" (Collection of Ancient and Modern Japanese Poetry). The book consists of three series in eight volumes. The book is also called "Kokinhichusho." The book has a date of April 24, 1221.

Summary

The book was written by FUJIWARA no Teika of the Mikohidari family who had had a chance to secretly read commentaries on "Kokin Wakashu" originally made by Kensho of the rival Rokujo Toke (Rokujo Fujiwara family), who transcribed the commentaries in its first volume of the Spring Poetry part and added his own reviews (based on the Mikohidari family's poetry school established by FUJIWARA no Toshinari) as 'mikkan' (personal views), to thereby complete his own version. Although there is no significant difference between Kensho's views and Teika's, some parts reflect differences in the bases of viewpoints between the Rokujo Toke who favored the historical authenticity and the Mikohidari family who favored the artistic interpretation.

Teika left a note in the end of the book, 'Make sure not to take this book outside the window' which instructed his future generations never to allow the book to be taken out of the house.

The book, however, became a book showing the differences between the theories of the Rokujo Toke and the Mikohidari family and then it was publicly printed in the Edo Period.

[Original Japanese]