The Dream of Akinosuke
Encyclopedia
The Dream of Akinosuke is a Japanese folktale, made famous outside of Japan
by Lafcadio Hearn
's translation of the story in Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things
.
The story is said to bring together several strands of Japanese folklore
, including the fact that even insects can manipulate the human soul. The Dream of Akinosuke also references Horai, another Japanese folktale recorded by Hearn in Kwaidan. It is evidently derived from a Japanese adaptation of the Tang dynasty
tale, The Governor of Nanke
, (南柯太守伝) by Li Gongzuo
(李公佐). However, there are some significant differences.
or land-holding farmer) living in feudal Japan. Akinosuke often takes a nap under a great cedar tree in his garden. One day, Akinosuke is sitting under this tree, eating and chatting with friends, when he suddenly becomes very tired, and falls asleep.
Upon waking, he finds himself still under the tree, but his friends have gone. Coming toward him, Akinosuke sees a great royal procession, full of richly dressed attendants. The procession approaches him, and informs him that the King of Tokoyo (a dream world that Hearn compares to Horai) requests his presence at his court. Akinosuke agrees to accompany the procession, and when he arrives at the palace, he is invited before the King. To his astonishment, the King offers Akinosuke his daughter in marriage, and the two are wed immediately.
A few days later, the King tells Akinosuke that he is being sent to be the governor of an island province. Together with his beautiful wife, Akinosuke goes to the island, and rules it for many years. The island is idyllic, with bountiful crops and no crime, and Akinosuke's wife bears him seven children.
However, one day, without warning, Akinosuke's wife becomes ill and dies. The grieving Akinosuke goes to great trouble to hold a proper funeral, and he erects a large monument in his wife's memory. After some time, a message arrives from the King, saying that Akinosuke will be sent back to where he came from, and telling him not to worry about his children, as they will be well cared for. As Akinosuke sails away from the island, it suddenly disappears, and he is shocked to find himself sitting under the cedar tree, his friends still chatting as if nothing has happened.
Akinosuke recounts his dream. One of his friends tells him that he was only asleep for a few moments, but while he was asleep, something strange happened: a yellow butterfly seemed to come from Akinosuke's mouth. The butterfly was grabbed by an ant and taken under the cedar tree. Just before Akinosuke awoke, the butterfly reappeared from under the tree. His friends wonder if the butterfly could have been Akinosuke's soul, and the group decides to investigate. Under the cedar tree, they find a great kingdom of ants, which Akinosuke realizes was the Kingdom he visited in his dream. Looking for his island home, he finds a separate nest, and investigating further, he finds a small stone that resembles a burial monument. Digging beneath it, he finds a small female ant buried in a clay coffin.
episode "The Inner Light
" is similar to this story. In this episode, Captain Picard
is incapacitated by an alien probe and lives out an entire lifetime—complete with a wife and children—in a dream world. After living many years in the dream world, his family addresses him as the stranger he truly is, telling him that what he has experienced were the last records of a world and a people on the brink of annihilation. He awakes aboard his ship to find that only a few minutes have passed. He later finds material evidence that the experience was, in fact, more than just a dream—the probe contains a flute he learned to play in his other lifetime.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
by Lafcadio Hearn
Lafcadio Hearn
Patrick Lafcadio Hearn , known also by the Japanese name , was an international writer, known best for his books about Japan, especially his collections of Japanese legends and ghost stories, such as Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things...
's translation of the story in Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things
Kwaidan: Stories and Studies of Strange Things
, often shortened to Kwaidan, is a book by Lafcadio Hearn that features several Japanese ghost stories and a brief non-fiction study on insects...
.
The story is said to bring together several strands of Japanese folklore
Japanese folklore
The folklore of Japan is heavily influenced by both Shinto and Buddhism, the two primary religions in the country. It often involves humorous or bizarre characters and situations and also includes an assortment of supernatural beings, such as bodhisattva, kami , yōkai , yūrei ,...
, including the fact that even insects can manipulate the human soul. The Dream of Akinosuke also references Horai, another Japanese folktale recorded by Hearn in Kwaidan. It is evidently derived from a Japanese adaptation of the Tang dynasty
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
tale, The Governor of Nanke
The Governor of Nanke
The Governor of Nanke is a Tang dynasty Chinese chuanqi by Li Gongzuo, set in the year 794...
, (南柯太守伝) by Li Gongzuo
Li Gongzuo
Li Gongzuo was a Chinese writer from Lanzhou during the Tang dynasty. He wrote The Governor of Nanke .-References:...
(李公佐). However, there are some significant differences.
Legend summary
The Dream of Akinosuke tells of Akinosuke, a gōshi (yeomanYeoman
Yeoman refers chiefly to a free man owning his own farm, especially from the Elizabethan era to the 17th century. Work requiring a great deal of effort or labor, such as would be done by a yeoman farmer, came to be described as "yeoman's work"...
or land-holding farmer) living in feudal Japan. Akinosuke often takes a nap under a great cedar tree in his garden. One day, Akinosuke is sitting under this tree, eating and chatting with friends, when he suddenly becomes very tired, and falls asleep.
Upon waking, he finds himself still under the tree, but his friends have gone. Coming toward him, Akinosuke sees a great royal procession, full of richly dressed attendants. The procession approaches him, and informs him that the King of Tokoyo (a dream world that Hearn compares to Horai) requests his presence at his court. Akinosuke agrees to accompany the procession, and when he arrives at the palace, he is invited before the King. To his astonishment, the King offers Akinosuke his daughter in marriage, and the two are wed immediately.
A few days later, the King tells Akinosuke that he is being sent to be the governor of an island province. Together with his beautiful wife, Akinosuke goes to the island, and rules it for many years. The island is idyllic, with bountiful crops and no crime, and Akinosuke's wife bears him seven children.
However, one day, without warning, Akinosuke's wife becomes ill and dies. The grieving Akinosuke goes to great trouble to hold a proper funeral, and he erects a large monument in his wife's memory. After some time, a message arrives from the King, saying that Akinosuke will be sent back to where he came from, and telling him not to worry about his children, as they will be well cared for. As Akinosuke sails away from the island, it suddenly disappears, and he is shocked to find himself sitting under the cedar tree, his friends still chatting as if nothing has happened.
Akinosuke recounts his dream. One of his friends tells him that he was only asleep for a few moments, but while he was asleep, something strange happened: a yellow butterfly seemed to come from Akinosuke's mouth. The butterfly was grabbed by an ant and taken under the cedar tree. Just before Akinosuke awoke, the butterfly reappeared from under the tree. His friends wonder if the butterfly could have been Akinosuke's soul, and the group decides to investigate. Under the cedar tree, they find a great kingdom of ants, which Akinosuke realizes was the Kingdom he visited in his dream. Looking for his island home, he finds a separate nest, and investigating further, he finds a small stone that resembles a burial monument. Digging beneath it, he finds a small female ant buried in a clay coffin.
Cultural references
The plot of the Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation
Star Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
episode "The Inner Light
The Inner Light (TNG episode)
"The Inner Light" is the 25th episode of the fifth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. The episode was written by freelance writer Morgan Gendel based on his original pitch; Gendel is credited as writer of the story and co-writer of the teleplay...
" is similar to this story. In this episode, Captain Picard
Jean-Luc Picard
Captain Jean-Luc Picard is a Star Trek character portrayed by Patrick Stewart. He appears in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation and the feature films Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek Nemesis...
is incapacitated by an alien probe and lives out an entire lifetime—complete with a wife and children—in a dream world. After living many years in the dream world, his family addresses him as the stranger he truly is, telling him that what he has experienced were the last records of a world and a people on the brink of annihilation. He awakes aboard his ship to find that only a few minutes have passed. He later finds material evidence that the experience was, in fact, more than just a dream—the probe contains a flute he learned to play in his other lifetime.
See also
- Kwaidan
- Japanese mythologyJapanese mythologyJapanese mythology is a system of beliefs that embraces Shinto and Buddhist traditions as well as agriculturally based folk religion. The Shinto pantheon comprises innumerable kami...
- Rip van WinkleRip Van Winkle"Rip Van Winkle" is a short story by the American author Washington Irving published in 1819, as well as the name of the story's fictional protagonist. Written while Irving was living in Birmingham, England, it was part of a collection entitled The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon...