A brief introduction to Japanese literature history

This book briefly introduces the development of Japanese literature, poetry and drama from ancient times, middle ages, middle ages, modern times to modern times in chronological order. The book adopts the form of text narration and illustrations, and selects representative writers' works and literary facts in various periods, with prominent viewpoints and appropriate details.

In ancient Japanese literature (the eighth century), before China's Chinese characters were introduced into Japan, there was no writing system, but when the earliest Chinese characters were not suitable for writing Japanese, China's classical Chinese was still the only literary form. It was not until later that Wanye's pen name (Wanye's pen name), which can be used to record Japanese, was exhibited to record Japanese poems under the guise of a set of designated Chinese pronunciations. The works created during the Nara period in Japan include The Story of the Historian in 7 12 years (a history book with mixed myths and historical facts), The Book of Japan in 720 years (written in chronological style, the earliest official history of Japan) and The Collection of Ye Wan in 759 years (the earliest extant collection of poems in Japan, hence the pseudonym of Ye Wan).

At this time, Japanese used in literary creation is obviously different from later Japanese in grammar and phonology. Even at the same time, there are obvious differences in dialects around the country.

Japanese Classical Literature (9th-12nd Century)

Japanese classical literature is closely related to the literary creation of heian period in Japan, and heian period is called "the golden age of Japanese art and literature". The Tale of Genji by Murasaki shikibu, a female writer, is considered as the most outstanding classic at that time and the earliest novel in the world. In addition, important contemporary literary works include The Collection of Ancient and Modern Harmony (Harmony Collection) in 1905 and Pillow Grass (prose collection describing the observation and feeling of life, feelings and aristocratic life) written by another female writer Qing in the 1990s. "ぃろは" is a full-letter Japanese pseudonym sentence ("ぃろは" is the first three sounds of this poem), which was also written in the early days of heian period.

Compared with the same period, China was in the golden age of poetry in the Tang and Song Dynasties. At that time, there were no outstanding Japanese poets, and most of the poems were created by courtiers or palace women, while the aristocratic atmosphere was reflected in the solemnity and sophistication of poems and the emphasis on rhetoric to express emotions.

Medieval Japanese Literature (13rd century to16th century)

Modern Japanese Literature in Meiji, Taisho and Showa Periods (1868-1945)