That Popular Cat-Loving Quote From Japanese Emperor Is WRONG

He did not think it was superior to all other cats...

There’s a cute quote that has found its way all over the internet from the diary of a Japanese emperor who really loved his cat. Unfortunately, a few people have informed me that the translation has more mistakes than your life history. Even the most adorable line (“I am convinced it is superior to all other cats”) is not right.

“I am convinced it is superior to all other cats.”
…He, in fact, was not convinced.

Sad to say, I’ve also been guilty of spreading the cuteably shareable quote. My seppuku will be this Saturday, but first, let’s correct the record.

Here is that mistranslated diary entry from 22-year-old Emperor Uda, the first ever mention of a cat in Japan that we know of:

On the 6th Day of the 2nd Month of the First Year of the Kampo era. Taking a moment of my free time, I wish to express my joy of the cat. It arrived by boat as a gift to the late Emperor, received from the hands of Minamoto no Kuwashi.

The color of the fur is peerless. None could find the words to describe it, although one said it was reminiscent of the deepest ink. It has an air about it, similar to Kanno. Its length is 5 sun, and its height is 6 sun. I affixed a bow about its neck, but it did not remain for long.

In rebellion, it narrows its eyes and extends its needles. It shows its back.

When it lies down, it curls in a circle like a coin. You cannot see its feet. It’s as if it were circular Bi disk. When it stands, its cry expresses profound loneliness, like a black dragon floating above the clouds.

By nature, it likes to stalk birds. It lowers its head and works its tail. It can extend its spine to raise its height by at least 2 sun. Its color allows it to disappear at night. I am convinced it is superior to all other cats.

The emperor originally wrote it in Chinese (Japanese noblemen wrote in Chinese at the time, women wrote in hiragana). Why use your own words when you can borrow the neighbor’s?

Here’s a translation of the full original text, confirmed by several native speakers (I also included the original Chinese at the end):

On the 6th day of the 2nd month of the 1st year of Kanpyō (March 11, 889).

Having some free time on my hands, I've decided to write about my cat. This black cat was presented to the previous emperor by Minamoto no Kiyoshi, Vice-Governor of Dazaifu, upon completing his term and returning to the capital.

I adore its unique fur color. While other cats have a faded black appearance, this one alone is black as ink. It looks as fierce as the famed black hound Kanro.

The cat is roughly 1 shaku 5 sun (about 45cm) in length, and 6 sun (about 18 cm) in height. When it curls up, it looks like a tiny grain of black millet; when it stretches fully, its body lengthens like a drawn bow.

Its eyes sparkle sharply like the glint of needles, and its ears stand straight and firm like unwavering spoons.

When it sits neatly, its feet and tail completely hidden, it looks like a black jewel resting within a cave. When it moves, it does so silently, like a black dragon gliding upon clouds.

It seems to enjoy practicing Taoist breathing and stretching exercises, its movements resembling exactly the Five Animal Exercises. It often keeps its head low with its tail touching the ground, but when it arches and stretches its back fully, its height reaches about 2 shaku (about 61 cm). Perhaps this skill in breathing and stretching explains why its fur is so sleek and glossy. Furthermore, its skill in swiftly catching mice at night surpasses other cats.

The previous emperor cherished this black cat for a few days before giving it to me. I have lovingly cared for it for five years now, feeding it milk gruel every morning.

I do this not merely because of its exceptional agility and skill, but because it was given to me by the previous emperor. Though it is a small creature, my affection for it is profound.

I once spoke to it, saying, “You embody both yin and yang energies, complete with all your faculties and senses. If indeed you have a heart, surely you must understand me?” The cat sighed deeply, lifted its head, and gazed up into my face. It seemed filled with deep emotion, unable to speak.

One shaku (尺) is 30.3 cm and one sun (寸) is 3.03 cm. The Five Animal Exercises is a set of exercises imitating the movements of a tiger, deer, bear, monkey, and crane.

I'm not clear on the meaning of that last sentence: “It seemed filled with deep emotion, unable to speak.” It could be the cat looked like someone who's filled with deep emotions that prevent him from speaking. Or the cat had deep emotions, but no voice to express them.

What the first translation got wrong:

• Compares the cat to Kanno (don’t know what that is). It should be Kanro (韓盧), a type of black hunting hound bred in the state of Han during China’s Warring States period.

• Says the cat is 5 sun (15 cm) long, which would make it about as fierce as a California Roll. No, it’s actually 1 shaku 5 sun (45.5 cm) long.

• The cat does not extend its needles like some furry acupuncturist. Instead, its eyes glint like needles.

• It does not curl up to look like a circular Bi disk, but a grain of black millet.

• Claims the emperor tied a bow around its neck. He did no such thing. The original text says when the cat stretches, it looks like a drawn bow, as in a bow to shoot arrows.

• Its cry does not sound like a dragon in the sky, it’s the cat’s movement that is like a dragon.

• It doesn’t like to catch birds, but mice.

• Finally, he doesn’t exactly say his cat is superior to all other cats. He says, “Furthermore, its skill in swiftly catching mice at night surpasses other cats.”

In any case, even the new translation does not change one fact: the emperor really loved his cat.

Original text:

寛平元年二月六日。朕閑時述猫消息曰。驪猫一隻。大宰少貳源精秩満来朝所献於先帝。
愛其毛色之不類。餘猫猫皆淺黑色也。此獨深黑如墨。爲其形容惡似韓盧。
長尺有五寸高六寸許。其屈也。小如秬粒。其伸也。長如張弓。
眼精晶熒如針芒之亂眩。耳鋒直竪如匙上之不搖。
其伏臥時。團圓不見足尾。宛如堀中之玄璧。其行歩時。寂寞不聞音聲。恰如雲上黑龍。
性好道引暗合五禽。常低頭尾著地。而曲聳背脊高二尺許。毛色悅澤盖由是乎。亦能捕夜鼠捷於他猫。
先帝愛翫數日之後賜之于朕。朕撫養五年于今。毎旦給之以乳粥。
豈啻取材能翹捷。誠因先帝所賜。雖微物殊有情於懐育耳。
仍曰。汝含陰陽之氣備支竅之形。心有必寧知我乎。猫乃歎息舉首仰睨吾顔。似咽心盈臆口不能言。