History of Japan's Literature

Japanese literature traces its beginnings to oral traditions that were first recorded in
written form in the early eighth century after a writing system was introduced from China.
The Kojiki (Record of Ancient Matters) and Nihon shoki (Chronicle of Japan) were
completed in712 and 720, respectively, as government projects. The former is an anthology
of myths, legends, and other stories, while the latter is
a chronological record of history. The Fudoki (Records of Wind and Earth), compiled by
provincial officials beginning in 713, describe the history, geography, products, and folklore
of the various provinces. The most brilliant literary product of this period was the
Man'yoshu(Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves), an anthology of 4,500 poems composed by
people ranging from unknown commoners to emperors and compiled around 759. Already
emerging was a verse form comprising 31 syllables (5-7-5-7-7) known as tanka. In905 the
Kokin wakashu or Kokinshu (Collection of Poems from Ancient and Modern Times) was
published as the first poetry anthology commissioned by an emperor; its preface paid high
tribute to the vast possibilities of literature.
In the resplendent aristocratic culture that thrived early in the eleventh century, a
time when the use of the hiragana alphabet derived from Chinese characters had become
widespread, court ladies played the central role in developing literature. one of them,
murasaki shikibu wrote the 54-chapter novel genji monogatari (tale of genji) [in early 11
century, ca1008?], while another, sei shonagon, wrote makura no soshi (the pillow book), a
diverse collection of jottings and essays [around 996]. others also wrote diaries and stories,
and their psychological portrayals remain fresh and vivid to present-day readers. the
appearance of the konjaku monogatari (tales of a time that is now past) around1120 added
a new dimension to literature. this collection of more than 1,000 buddhist and secular tales
from india, china, and japan is particularly notable for its rich descriptions of the lives of the
nobility and common people in japan at that time.
In the latter half of the twelfth century warriors of the Taira clan (Heike) seized
political power at the imperial court, virtually forming a new aristocracy. Heike mono-gatari
(The Tale of the Heike),which depicts the rise and fall of the Taira with the spotlight on their
wars with the Minamoto clan (Genji), was completed in the first half of the thirteenth century
[before 1219]. It is a grand epic deeply rooted in Buddhist ethics and filled with sorrow for
those who perished, colorful descriptions of its varied characters, and stirring battle scenes.
In former times the tale was narrated to the accompaniment of a Japanese lute. The Shin
kokin wakashu (New Collection of Poems from Ancient and Modern Times), an anthology of
poetry commissioned by retired Emperor Go-Toba, was also completed around this time [ca
1205?] ; It is dedicated to the pursuit of a subtle, profound beauty far removed from the
mundane reality of civil strife.
This period also produced literature by recluses, typified by Kamo no Chomei's Hojoki
(An Account of My Hut) [1212] , which reflects on the uncertainty of existence, and Yoshida
Kenko's Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness) [ca 1330] , a work marked by penetrating
reflections on life. Both works raise the question of spiritual salvation. Meanwhile, the
profound thoughts and incisive logic of the Shobogenzo (Treasury of the True Dharma Eye)
[before 1237] , one of the first Buddhist texts written in Japanese rather than Chinese,
marked a major development in Zen thought. The Taiheiki (Chronicle of the Great Peace),
depicting the 50 years from1318 to 1367 when two rival imperial courts struggled for power,
is a valuable historical record, while the noh plays perfected by Kan'ami and his son Zeami
are of great literary value. Zeami'sFushi kaden (The Transmission of the Flower of Acting
Style) [1400] is a brilliant essay on dramatic art.