@article{oai:icu.repo.nii.ac.jp:00004102,
 author = {本間, 光徳},
 issue = {46},
 journal = {ICU比較文化},
 month = {Mar},
 note = {This paper examines the imperial composition Yomonoumi－how it was
composed, and how the interpretation of it changed. Yomonoumi was originally
composed in 1904 by the Meiji Emperor immediately before the Russo-Japanese
War, and was quoted by the Showa Emperor just prior to the commencement of
hostilities against the United States and the United Kingdom in 1941.

The seas of the world
Now I think
Embrace all brothers in one heart
So I wonder
Why the wind and waves rise in discord?
(“Four Seas Brothers” by H.I.M.Meiji)

In order to understand this poem, the term yomonoumi, other poems that
include the term, and annotations of the poem are examined. The purpose of this
paper is to clarify what imperial compositions are and how they are interpreted.
Yomonoumi is a word that reflects the worldviews of many Japanese poets,
and it has been used since the Heian period. The term yomonoumi originally
meant “the surrounding sea;” however, it came to imply “the world” in the Edo
period, and retained this meaning in the Meiji period.
Emperors have often uttered their opinions through poems. Thus imperialcompositions have been media as well as literary works, especially before the
modern age. However, the value of imperial compositions as media has declined
because the Emperor agrees press interviews and publishes his statements
through the Imperial Household Agency today.
Even prior to the modern era, a kind of selection must have been made by
the poets themselves and or editors since the assumption of composing poems is
publication. The selection became sever as the political influence of the Emperors
increased in the modern era considering a social impact of the publication.
Annotations of the imperial composition Yomonoumi show tendency to justify
Japan’s act as times go. Earlier ones tend to describe the international relations
but later ones tend to curse Russia.
What we can know through imperial compositions of the Meiji Emperor is
that he did not officially entertain misgivings about the Sino-Japanese War of
1884-5, and was pleased with the victory to his great satisfaction. On the other
hand, he was apprehensive about the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-5, but expressed
his rejoice of the victory through imperial compositions with straightforwardwords.
The Showa Emperor expressed his negative opinion upon the
commencement of hostilities in 1941 by quoting the imperial composition
Yomonoumi. However, we can be fairly certain that he would publish poems of
gratification as the generalissimo if the war ended in victory.
Of course, the Emperor in person can be a pacifist irrespective of antebellum
or postbellum. However, the Emperor as an institution, or in his official capacity,
he behaves under the different principle from that of a private person. Under the
Constitution of the Empire Japan, the Emperor was the generalissimo as well as
the head of state. At the same time, he was the head of the imperial family as well
as the husband and the father at his home. The imperial composition Yomonoumiwas made as a result of struggle among these codes.
It seems reasonable to conclude that an imperial composition is made by
the Emperor in his different positions. However, the Emperor never attaches
annotations to his poems. Therefore, imperial compositions leave room for people
to surmise what to read and what to imagine. A published imperial composition
may imply the national intention that cannot be expressed clearly by the state.},
 pages = {129--183},
 title = {『御製歌「よもの海」』をめぐる考察},
 year = {2014}
}