· life
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Living only for the moment,
turning our full attention to the pleasures of the moon,
the snow, the cherry blossoms and the maple leaves;
singing songs, drinking wine, diverting ourselves in just floating, floating:
caring not a whit for the pauperism staring us in the face, refusing to be disheartened,
like a gourd floating along with the river current:
this is what we call the floating world . . .

—Tales of the Floating World (Ukiyo Monogatari),
c.1661, by Asai Ryoi

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世に住めば

なにはにつけて善し悪しを見聞くこと

みな面白く 

一寸先は闇なり

なんのへちまの皮

思ひ置きは腹の病

当座当座にやらして

月・雪・花・紅葉にうちむかひ

歌をうたひ 酒のみ

浮きに浮いてなぐさみ

手前のすり切りも苦にならず

沈みいらぬこころだての

水に流るるひょうたんのごとくなる

これを浮き世と名づくるなり

浮世物語

浅井了意 (1661)