On one remarkable “Manual” of composing a Haiku poem

Abstract

The paper dwells upon the opposition of fiction and veracity in classical Japanese literature. This contraposition can be traced back to the first treatises on poetry of the Heian era. This paper unfolds concerning the situation in Japanese literature of the late middle ages and presents a peculiar text upon composing a “right” haiku poem. This text also seems to be quite late, although traditionally it is ascribed to Matsuo Bashō, the great Haikai poet of the 17^th century.