Asian Literature

• LIterature is known to be part of a cultural heritage which is freely available yo everyone
• literature conveys profundity of thoughts, richness of emotions, and insights into character
• Literature helps readers in developing a better understanding of the aesthetic values of written language
• Arabic Literature

  • The Islamic religion played a major role in their literature
  • The Qu'ran - served to be biblical scripture of their country's religion. It is considered to be the finest piece of literary work written in their language
  • Flourished during Islamic Golden Age
• Chinese Literature

  • Confucius - one of the Chinese literary writers, he is the one who made the five notable notes. Devoted his life as a philosopher and a teacher
  • Mencius - the one who gathered the discourses and sayings of Confucius as recorded by the disciples and organized them into "the Book of Analects"
• Five Notable Books

  • The Book of Change (Yi King)
  • The Book of Ceremonies (Li King)
  • The Book of Historical Documentation (Shu King)
  • The Book of Poetry (Shi King)
  • The Book of Spring and Autumn (Ch'un ch'iu)
• Egyptian Literature

  • it is greatly influenced by the religious beliefs of early Egyptian
  • consists of inscriptions printed or engraved on monuments written on Papyrus buried beneath the ruins of temples it is now called "Pyramid Text" which consists of hymns and spells for the benefit of the dead kings.
• "The Book of the Dead" is the most important early literature of Egyptian in which the story talks about a funeral ritual
• Indian Literature

  • known not only in terms of its religion but also for its culture, literature, and social condition of its people
• Pachantantra

  • means five books
  • oldest known collection of Indian fable and the source of many of the Aesop and Fontaige fables
• Israeli Literature

  • Part of the historic land Palestine - believed to be the holy land where the Jewish and Christian faith begins
  • religion made a significant contribution to Hebrew Literature
• Bible - is not only unified according to its divinity and wisdom. it also possesses literary genre
• Book of Psalm - considered to be a collection of religions poetry
• Japanese Literature

  • Adopted its writing system in China
• Two forms of poetry of Japanese Literature

  • Haiku
  • Tanka
• Haiku


  has a syllabic unit pattern of 5-7-5
• Tanka


  has a syllabic unit of 5-7-5-7-7