This classic work of Japanese literature is considered the masterpiece of Japanese novelist Seken Munasanya. This Scheming World (Seken Munasanyo) was published in 1692, one year before the author’s death. It represents the culmination of Saikaku’s perceptive genius, and in structure, is one of the most consolidated of all his works. Most of the stories are told as incidents or episodes relating to New Year’s Eve, when in those days it was the custom to balance all debits and credits for the year. Saikaku portrays his characters with so lifelike a touch that, even though three centuries have passed since his time, it seems as if they were our contemporaries. Decidedly inclined towards the debtors, Saikaku has them slipping off to the homes of their favorite mistresses, leaving town on “sudden” business trips, or becoming actors for the day in order to deceive the ever–persistent year–end collectors. Some of his characters are successful, while some are beset by even more troubles in trying to avoid the collectors. The episodes are always frank, often with humor, and occasionally pathetic. But more than anything else, the seventeenth century day–to–day way of living by the commoners comes vividly to life.

The author was originally a successful merchant in the up-and-coming city of Osaka. The tragedy of losing his wife and daughter moved him to abandon his business and become a roving Buddhist monk. For twenty years he wrote haiku verse and prose, such as those selected for this book.

Ihara Saikaku "wrote of the lowest class in the Tokugawa world -- the townsmen who were rising in wealth and power but not in official status."--Back cover.

"The New Year's Eve is more precious than a thousand pieces of gold. It is the Great Divide between winter and spring, which none can pass over without copper and silver." --Ihara Saikaku Ihara Saikaku is regarded as Japan's first popular writer. The twenty lively stories in This Scheming World recount raucous events surrounding New Year's Eve--as crafty money lenders attempt to collect their money from equally crafty debtors. From the bawdy to the outrageous, these tales demonstrate how far 17th-century Japanese would go to avoid paying their debts--with hilariously unexpected and often disastrous results! These finely-crafted tales include stories of: Philanderers who slip off to hide in the homes of their mistresses Hustlers who leave town suddenly on "very important" business trips Connivers who become actors for a day to hide-in-plain-sight on stage Saikaku portrays his characters with such a deft and human touch that, even three centuries later, his stories still ring true. The new Introduction by Saikaku expert David J. Gundry explains how and why this entertaining work still resonates with modern readers today.