Lesson 5: Asian Literature

• Asia - is also known as a continent of contrast It is because Asia has a number of cultures, religions, languages, government, traditions.
• Asia - the largest continent, stretches from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the western Pacific Ocean.
• There are 48 countries in the continent of Asia.
• Asian Literature - the biggest continent in the world, boasts a spectrum of literary masterpieces that transcended through time.
• Home to 1.3 billion people, China remains to be a country filled with a long and colorful history where even the oldest of rites are still being practiced by its citizens up to this day.
• The establishment of woodblock printing during the Tang dynasty (618– 907) and the invention of movable type printing during the Song dynasty (960– 1279) gave rise to written Chinese literature
• The Book of Changes is one of the most important classical texts in Chinese literature. It is a book of divination based on eight trigrams, which existed during the Zhou dynasty.
• The Analects of Confucius is a book of sayings recorded by his disciples that talks about his teachings on how to live a harmonious life and how to deal with other people.
• lushi - consisting of eight lines with five to seven characters in each line
• Li Po (Li Bai) - known for the romanticism of his poems
• Tu Fu - a Confucian moralist.
• ci form - which was first developed during the Tang dynasty.
• Chinese sanqu poetry - a freer form patterned on dramatic arias, led to the development of vernacular Chinese literature.
• Mencius - was noted for his elegant diction
• Zhuang Zi - was revered for his use of metaphorical, anecdotal, and allegorical style
• Modern Chinese literature - began in the late Qing period (1895– 1911), which was described as a period of active intellectual pursuits sparked by a nationalistic climate.
• Chinese fiction - became concerned with social problems, historical upheaval, and changing values.
• Li Boyuan - He was a writer who used vernacular writing for people who did not receive classical education.
• Liu E. - He was a writer, archaeologist, and politician who used symbolism and classical writing illustrations in his writing
• Zheng Pu - He was a novelist who used symbolism and classical literature illustrations in his writing.
• Post-Mao Era (1976– present) - published a large number of prose fiction. The writers protested against and bemoaned the abuses but also expressed their eagerness to contribute in building a new Chinese society.
• Japanese literature - has landed a special place in the worldwide literary scene when manga was introduced.
• Archaic Period - It was marked by two events that were of prime importance to the development of literature in Japan
• Nara Period - Considered as the Golden Age of Poetry, it began in 710 AD when Nara was made the seat of the Mikado’s government and ended
• Kojiki - contains the early traditions of the Japanese race, mythology, and legendary history
• Collection of Ten Thousand Poems - the oldest extant anthology of Japanese poetry.
• tanka - or short poem, he most universal form of poetry in Japan, made up of 31 syllables
• choka - or long poem, formed with 31 syllables with undefined length and concluding with an extra seven-syllable line.
• Shoku-Nihongi - a history text
• Izumo Fudoki - an ancient record of Izumo
• Nihon Shoki or Chronicles of Japan - the second oldest book of classical Japanese history
• This period is considered the classical age of Japanese literature. It refers to the period when Kioto or Heian-jo (“City of Peace”) was the real seat of government.
• Kokinshū (Collection of Ancient and Modern Poems) - an anthology of the best poems produced during the previous 150 years; the prose work such as Kokinshū ’s preface was written by Ki No Tsurayuki and which was the start of criticism becoming a distinct form of Japanese literature
• The Tale of Genji - by Murasaki Shikibu, which is sometimes referred to as the the first modern novel. Here is an excerpt from the first chapter of the novel.
• Kamakura-Muromachi Period - It was characterized by a constant state of warfare and turmoil, and the decline of learning
• Edo Period - During the period, forms of popular drama developed.
• kabuki - a popular japanese theater form consisting of a colorful background, lively and emotional music, dancing, and exaggerated acting.
• haiku - a poem of 17 syllables in three lines of five, seven, five syllables
• Meiji Era - saw the reopening of Japan to the West and was a period of rapid industrialization.
• Modern Period - During this time, literature is characterized by the denial of the worth of traditional writings and by themes of disaffection, loss of purpose, and coping with defeat as a result of World War II and Japan’s defeat