18･19 Collection of the Ten Thousand Leaves (Man'youshuu) The period when the capital was located in Nara is called the Nara Period. In this period, Record of Ancient Matters (Kojiki) was completed, Chronicles of Japan (Nihon Shoki) were compiled, and Records of Climate (Fudoki) were sent up from the provinces. These were an astounding accomplishment, and we must rejoice in our fortune that they are available to us after 1200 years. But that is not all. Another precious work is Collection of the Ten Thousand Leaves (Man'youshuu). There are twenty volumes to Collection of the Ten Thousand Leaves (Man'youshuu). All are songs, some in a long format, others short. Altogether, they total 4516. The ancient songs go back to the reign of Emperor Nintoku (r. early 5th century), and the last of the contemporary songs was composed in the third year of the Tenpyou Houji (759), during the reign of Emperor Junnin. The majority were composed when the capital was located in Fujiwara, and Nara. They were composed by various individuals, but the identity of the compiler(s) is not exactly known. It was not compiled by a single person at one time; there was more than one compiler, and it was done over a period of time. Probably several collections existed, which must have been intergrated into one at the end. It is surmised that Ohtomo no Yakamochi was involved with Collection of the Ten Thousand Leaves (Man'youshuu) but we cannot say that he compiled it. (Rest omitted)

　

18･19　万葉集 　 　都が奈良にありました時代を、奈良時代と云います。その奈良時代に古事記も出来れ ば、日本書紀もまとまり、諸国の風土記も作られた事は、めざましい事で、千二百年後 の今日、之を見る事の出来る幸福を喜ばなければなりません。ところがその外にも、ま だ貴重なものがあります。万葉集です。（中略） 　 　万葉集は、二十巻あります。全部歌で、長歌もあれば、短歌もありますが、それを合 わせて歌の数は、四千五百十六首になります。その古い歌は、仁徳天皇の御代にさかの ぼり、新しいものは、淳仁天皇の天平宝字三年（西暦七五九年）を最後としますが、藤 原京･平城京の歌が最も多いのです。かようにいろいろの人の歌を集めたものですが、誰 が之をまとめたのか、はっきり分かりません。一度に、一人の人が全部を集めたのでは 無くて、それぞれ心して集めたものが、いくつかあって、最後にそれが一つにまとめら れたのでしょう。大伴家持が、関係が深いのでしょうが、この人がまとめたとも云いか ねます。（以下略）

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