The flowering spirit

"The actor and playwright Zeami (1363-1443) authored sixteen treatises outlining his theories of the art of No. These were initially secret teachings that were later coveted among the upper echelons of the samurai class, and only reached the general public in the early twentieth century. The Fusbikaden is the best known of these treatises. In this book, William Scott Wilson accompanies his translation of this classic text with a comprehensive introduction describing the historical background and the main features of No. He also includes a new translation of one of Zeami's most beautifully written plays, Atsumori, a poetic and moving account of the death of an elegant young warrior, and the redemption of his soul through the prayers of the older seasoned warrior who took his life."--BOOK JACKET