Letter from Basho to Shado, written by Matsuo Basho
This is a letter from Basho addressed to his disciple, Shado. It contains advice to Shado, among other things.
Shado was a doctor in Zeze, Omi Province (present-day Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture). Shado moved to Osaka (present-day Osaka City) and began to call himself a haikai poet and take disciples, which caused a rift with Shido, another of Basho's disciples who was in Osaka.
The content of the letter is Basho admonishing Shado for such behavior. It contains stern expressions rarely seen in Basho's letters, such as “You think too much of yourself” and “If you will not do as I say, I will break off our relationship,” making it truly interesting content.
Letter from Basho to Shado
In his letter, Basho reproaches Shado for his course of action. This letter, which contains phrases such as “You think too much of yourself,” and “If you will not do as I say, I will break off our relationship,” is notable for the harshness of Basho’s tone, something seldom seen in his other letters.