Japanese

and
Chinese
LITERATURE

Objectives:
To know about the history of Japanese Literature
1.1Ancient literature (until 794)
1.2Classical literature (7941185)
1.3Medieval literature (11851603)
1.4Early-modern literature (16031868)
1.5Modern literature (18681945)

Significant authors and works

1.1Ancient literature
1.2Classical literature
1.3Medieval literature
1.4Early-modern literature
1.5Modern literature

Japanese Literature
is one of the major
literatures of the
world comparable to
the English
literature in age and
variety.

Japanese Literature

Japanese literature were heavily influenced by cultural

contact with China and Chinese literature, often written
in Classical Chinese.Indian literature also had an
influence through the Diffusion of Buddhism in Japan.
Eventually, Japanese literature developed into a
separate style in its own right as Japanese writers
began writing their own works about Japan, although the
influence of Chinese literature and Classical Chinese
remained until the end of the Edo period. Since Japan
reopened its ports to Western trading and diplomacy in
the 19th century, Western and Eastern literature have
strongly affected each other and continue to do so.

History

Japanese Literature can be divided into four main

periods:

ancient, (until 794)

classical, (7941185)
medieval (11851603)
Modern (18681945)

Ancient literature (until 794)

Before the introduction of kanji from China,

Japanese had no writing system. At first, Chinese
characters were used in Japanese syntactical
formats, and the result was sentences that look like
Chinese but were read phonetically as Japanese.
Chinese characters were further adapted, creating
what is known as man'ygana the earliest form
of kana, or syllabic writing.

The earliest works were created in the Nara

period. These include the Kojiki (712), a historical
record that also chronicles ancient Japanese
mythology and folk songs; the Nihon Shoki (720),
a chronicle written in Chinese that is significantly
more detailed than the Kojiki; and
the Man'ysh (759), a poetry anthology. One of
the stories they describe is the tale of Urashima
Tar, which has been identified as the earliest
example of a story involving time travel.

Classical literature (7941185)

Classical Japanese literature generally refers to

literature produced during the Heian period, referred
to as the golden era of art and literature. Genji
Monogatari (early 11th century) by a woman
named Murasaki Shikibu is considered the preeminent masterpiece of Heian fiction and an early
example of a work of fiction in the form of a novel.

Other important writings of this period include

the Kokin Wakash (905), a waka-poetry anthology,
and Makura no Sshi (990s), the latter written by
Murasaki Shikibu's contemporary and rival, Sei
Shnagon, as an essay about the life, loves, and
pastimes of nobles in the Emperor's court.
The iroha poem, now one of two standard orderings
for the Japanese syllabary, was also developed
during the early part of this period.

Medieval literature (11851603)

During this period, Japan experienced many civil

wars which led to the development of a warrior
class, and subsequent war tales, histories, and
related stories. Work from this period is notable for
its insights into life and death, simple lifestyles, and
redemption through killing. A representative work
is The Tale of the Heike (1371), an epic account of
the struggle between the Minamoto and Taira clans
for control of Japan at the end of the twelfth
century. Other important tales of the period
include Kamo no Chmei's Hjki(1212)
and Yoshida Kenks Tsurezuregusa (1331).

Other notable genres in this period were renga,

or linked verse, and Noh theater. Both were
rapidly developed in the middle of the 14th
century, the early Muromachi period.

Early-modern literature (16031868)

Literature during this time was written during the largely

peaceful Tokugawa Period (commonly referred to as
the Edo Period). Due in large part to the rise of the
working and middle classes in the new capital
of Edo forms of popular drama developed which would
later evolve into kabuki. The jruri and kabuki
dramatist Chikamatsu Monzaemon became popular at
the end of the 17th century, and he is also known as the
Japan's Shakespeare. Matsuo Bash wrote Oku no
Hosomichi (1702), a travel diary. Hokusai, perhaps
Japan's most famous woodblock print artist, also
illustrated fiction as well as his famous 36 Views of
Mount Fuji .Jippensha Ikku is also known as
Japan's Mark Twain.

Modern literature (18681945)

The Meiji period marks the re-opening of Japan to the

West, and a period of rapid industrialization. The
introduction of European literature brought free verse
into the poetic repertoire. It became widely used for
longer works embodying new intellectual themes.
Young Japanese prose writers and dramatists
struggled with a whole galaxy of new ideas and
artistic schools, but novelists were the first to
assimilate some of these concepts successfully.

Significant Authors and works

Of
Japanese Literature

Ancient literature

Kakinomoto no Hitomaro (c.660c.720):

numerous chka and tanka in the Man'ysh

was a Japanese waka poet and aristocrat of the late Asuka

period.

tomo no Yakamochi (c.718785): possible compiler

of the Man'ysh

was a Japanese statesman and waka poet in the Nara period.

He is a member of the Thirty-six Poetry Immortals.

Classical literature

Sei Shnagon (c.~966c.1017): The Pillow Book

Was a Japanese author, poet and a court lady who served
the Empress Teishi (Sadako) around the year 1000 during the
middle Heian period. She is best known as the author of The
Pillow Book.

Murasaki Shikibu (c.973c.1025): The Tale of Genji

Was a Japanese novelist, poet and lady-in-waiting at

the Imperial court during the Heian period. She is best known
as the author of The Tale of Genji, written
in Japanese between about 1000 and 1012.

Medieval literature

Yoshida Kenk (c.12831352):

was a Japanese author and Buddhist monk. His most famous

work isTsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness), one of the most
studied works of medieval Japanese literature. Kenko wrote
during theMuromachi and Kamakura periods.

Miyamoto Musashi(c.1584-1645): The Book of

Five Rings.

was an expert Japanese swordsman and rnin. Musashi, as

he was often simply known, became renowned through stories
of his excellent, and unique double bladed swordsmanship and
undefeated record in his 60 duels.

Early-modern literature
Ihara Saikaku (16421693)
Matsuo Bash (16441694)
Chikamatsu Monzaemon (16531725)
Ueda Akinari (17341809)
Yokoi Yay (17021783)
Sant Kyden (17611816)
Jippensha Ikku (17651831)
Kyokutei Bakin (17671848)

Nakane Ktei(18391913)
Edo Meisho Zue (travelogue, 1834)

Hokuetsu Seppu (work of human geography, 1837)

Koizumi Yakumo (1850-1904)

Chinese Literture
extends thousands of years, from the earliest
recorded dynastic court archives to the
mature vernacular fiction novels that arose during
the Ming Dynasty to entertain the masses of literate
Chinese. The introduction of widespread woodblock
printing during the Tang Dynasty (618907) and the
invention of movable type printing by Bi
Sheng (9901051) during the Song Dynasty (960
1279) rapidly spread written knowledge throughout
China. In more modern times, the author Lu
Xun (18811936) is considered the founder
of baihua literature in China.

Pre-classical period
Formation of the earliest layer of Chinese literature
was influenced by oral traditions of different social
and professional provenance: cult and lay musical
practices (Shijing), divination (Yi jing), astronomy,
exorcism. An attempt at tracing the genealogy of
Chinese literature to religious spells and
incantations (the six zhu , as presented in
the "Da zhu" chapter of the Rites of Zhou) was
made by Liu Shipei.

Shang Dynasty (about 1700-1050 BC) - Development

of Chinese Writing.

The first dynasty for which there is historical

record and archaeological evidence is the Shang
Dynasty. It was a small empire in northern central
China. No documents from that country survive,
but there are archaeological finds of hieroglyphic
writing on bronze wares and oracle bones.

Zhou Dynasty (1045-255 BC)

Basic Philosophical and Religious Literature
The Zhou Dynasty was contemporaneous with the
Shang Dynasty, and then they conquered the Shang
Dynasty. Their dynasty lasted for about 800 years, but
for most of the time, their original territory was broken
up into dozens of competing kingdoms, and these
finally coalesced into several big and warring
kingdoms by the end of the Zhou era. The great
literary works of philosophy and religion that became
the basis for Chinese religious and social belief stem
from what is called the Spring and Autumn Period
(770-476) and the Warring States Period (475-221).

Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC)

Literary Disaster and Legalism
At the end of the Zhou Dynasty era that is called the
Warring States Period, of the surviving few big states
in the land, the Qin Dynasty became the most
powerful. The Qin Dynasty had big armies and
conquered the others. Once the Qin emperor had
control, he wanted to keep it, and they squelched any
opposition to his authority. In the conquered
territories, there were teachers of many different
doctrines and religions. A big philosophical and
religious school then was called Mohism.

Han Dynasty (206 BC 220 AD)

Scientific and Historical Texts

A former peasant leader overthrew the Qin Empire.

The Han Dynasty era lasted for 400 years. At the
beginning of the era, Confucianism was revived.
Confucian texts were rewritten and republished.
Confucianism was mixed with the Legalism
philosophy of Li Si. The resulting ideology was the
official ideology of the Han Dynasty and influenced
political thinking afterwards.

Tang Dynasty (618-907)

Early Woodblock Printing and Poetry
The Tang Dynasty had a big empire that benefited
from trade with the west along the Silk Road, battled
with the Tibetan Empire, and experienced the growing
influence of organized Buddhist religions. This eras
main contribution to Chinese literature was in the
poetry of Dufu, Li Bai and many other poets. Dufu and
Li Bai are often thought of as Chinas greatest poets.

Song Dynasty (960-1279)

Early Woodblock Printing, Travel Literature, Poetry,
Scientific Texts and the Neo-Confucian Classics

The next dynasty is called the Song Dynasty. It was

weaker than the Tang Dynasty, but the imperial
government officials made remarkable scientific and
technical advances. Military technology greatly
advanced. They traded little with the west due to the
presence of warring Muslim states on the old trade
routes. There wasnt territorial expansion, but the
empire was continuously attacked by nomadic tribes
and countries around them.

Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368)

Drama and Great Fictional Novels

The Mongols were nomadic people who herded cattle

north of the Tang Empire and wandered over a large
area fighting on horseback. They believed that they
might be able to conquer the world. They easily
conquered Persia far to the west. It was a big empire
with high technology, a big population and a big army.
Then they decided to try to conquer all the countries
around them. They attacked the Tang Dynasty, the
Dali Kingdom in Yunnan, and much of Asia, and they
formed the biggest empire in the history of the earth
until then

Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)

Novels

The Chinese rebelled against the Mongols, and the

Ming Dynasty era began about 1368. The Mongols
and the Ming government still sometimes fought.
Because of this and the presence of Muslim countries
in between, trade with the west was reduced to the
pre-Yuan level. The Ming initially were interested in
exploration, and Muslims whose ancestors arrived
during the Yuan Dynasty and who were familiar with
seagoing trade were employed to make long voyages
to the Indian Ocean, the Middle East and perhaps
Africa.

Qing Dynasty (1644-1911)

Novels and Pre-modern Literature

The Manchus invaded the Ming Empire from the north

and established the last dynasty called the Qing
Dynasty. The Manchus were not Chinese, but they
retained the Neo-Confucian governing system of the
Song and Ming eras. The Qing Dynasty came under
increasing attack from both internal rebellions and
foreign countries.

Modern Era (1912-present)

Westernized Literature

Sun Yat-sen led a revolution that marked the end of

Chinese dynasties in which a clan rules an empire. Of
course, the big change of Chinese society that
happened with the change of government led to a
change in literature. It became westernized, and the
Classical Language wasnt used. The national
government wanted women to have more of an equal
status in society, and women writers and scholars
were taken more seriously. There was a lot of
politically oriented literature printed.

Thank You For Listening