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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
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)