Pheasant (kiji)

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Pheasant (kiji)

***** Location: Asia, other areas
***** Season: All Spring
***** Category: Animal

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Explanation

The pheasant has been introduced to Japanese literature since olden times. He is mentioned in the Kojiki　古事記　 and Nihon Shoki　日本書記　 and also in the Manyoo'shuu 万葉集　Poetry Almanach.
It is the national bird of Japan.

He represents a good omen, prowess and daring, since he eats poisonous snakes too. He is also said to be very dilligent and able to predict an earthquake. He is one of the companions of the fortious hero Momotaroo, the Peach Boy, on the way to defeat the demons.

He is also well loved by the gourmets, since his meat is delicious. In my part of the mountains, hunters often go to the forest before dinner and then delight in a barbeque, noodle soup or other local pheasant specialities.

The most common in Japan is maybe the Ring-necked Pheasant (Chinese Pheasant), Phasianus colchicus. He can be found all year long, but in spring his voice is most often heared, so it is a kigo for haiku.

Gabi Greve

pheasant, kiji　雉
..... kigisu, kigishi　雉子
hollering of the pheasant, kiji no hororo　雉のほろろ

"mountain bird", yamadori 山鳥
... bigger than the pheasant.

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There are about 50 species of Pheasants.
Practically all of them are native to Central Asia, Ukraine, and China. They have been introduced and widely established in various areas. Romans brought Pheasants into Europe. According to mythology Argonauts took them from the river Phasis in Colchis. Egyptian Pharaohs kept Pheasants; Alexander the Great brought them to Greece from Asia.

Some species first came into North America and then to Europe. At present Pheasants are found in a variety of habitats from the snowy Himalayas to the jungles of Indonesia.
Pheasant is the state bird of South Dakota.
http://www.pheasant-birds.com/

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Worldwide use

Europa

In Europe, pheasant hunting is only for the Royals. The pheasants are driven to the hunters. "Common Folks" walk the fields and flush the birds so that they fly over the "Royals" shooting stations.
http://pheasantridgepreserve.com/hunts.shtml

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Germany

Fasan

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North America

A kiji is a pheasant, the Asian ones come in a variety of colors and sizes, some with magnificent long tails, though no where near the peacock in size. When I was a zookeeper, Asian pheasants were also in my care. They were not particularly noisy at the zoo, but they did make noise.

There are no North American native pheasant species. The ring-necked pheasant which many regard as an 'American pheasant' was introduced from Asia in the 1800s.
http://hoglezoo.org/animals/printable.php?id=133

M. Kei
Editor of the Chesapeake Bay Saijiki

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Things found on the way


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HAIKU

丘の雉鷺の身持をうらやむか
oka no kiji sagi no mimochi o urayamu ka

hilltop pheasant
are you jealous of the heron's
style?

Issa

Issa has about 70 haiku about the pheasant.

Check out the Database of David Lanoue !

More about the Pheasant in Japanese Literature.

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fasan hebt die brust
im acker verschollen ist
wollhaar färbt nachtrot

Katharina
http://22334.dynamicboard.de/t1088f26-Haiku-1.html

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the pheasant flies but
beauty's feathered sheen still shines
in the seer's eye

Kalamu ya Salaam

This example is a haiku which leans heavily on the use of the long "ssss" sound and on its complement, the long "ffff" sound, both of which contrast with the short and abrupt "but" and "eye." Notice, even though "but" and "eye" fall at end points, the rhyme is set up with the half rhyme of "flies" and "eye." If you recite it alould you will immediately hear the connections.
My experimentation has been to go beyond what the poem means and also dig deeply into how the poem sounds. Most haiku do not focus on the sounding element precisely because most haiku don't use a Black aesthetic.

Read this interesting article (L)
http://www.nathanielturner.com/onwritinghaiku.htm

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Related words

***** Peacock, kujaku　孔雀　

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