오쿠라(憶良)의 用字法

Okura’s Kanji Notation

This study analyzed the usage of wi (為) that Okura used in his poems included in Manyoshu. Okura used the letter wi 25 times in his Chinese classics, and 7 times in his poetry. The usage of wi, used 25 times in Chinese classics, was unusual in that it is barely found in other Manyo poets. On the other hand, there was no peculiarity of the usage of wi which was attested 7 times in poems. After analyzing 25 usages that were found in the Chinese classics, wi was followed 24 times by the Chinese usage which was widely adopted in both China and Korea at that time, yet just one usage involved Idu( ) that was used in old folk songs in Shilla. For the reasons given above, it can be concluded that Okura’s usage of wi was influenced by Shilla, which was geographically close to the cultural areas of Dazaifu(大宰府).