What is the introduction of Japanese literature?

Introduction To Japanese Literature

Japanese Literature is one of the major bodies of Oriental Literature. It is less voluminous than Chinese Literature but comparable to Arabic, Persian and Indian Literature. It covers the period from the fifth century A.D to the present.

Poems and odes to the Gods were composed in the early Japanese Language before the art of writing was known in Japan. Only fragments of this Literature have survived, but these are thought to have been extensive. During the first centuries of writing in japan, the spoken language and written language were identical. But with the studies of Chinese literature, Literary work began to be composed almost exclusively in Chinese. There soon grew differences between colloquial Japanese and the literary idioms. The addition of Chinese Words into the Japanese language increased rapidly. In Japanese writing at present, Chinese characters occupy the most important places. But for the most part, the wants, feelings and concerns of everyday life--and all that lie deepest in the human heart--are expressed in native Words..

The written language, therefore, consists mainly mainly characters borrowed from the Chinese, each character representing an idea. To read and write, the student must learn several thousand separate characters,. But there now exists in japan a basic alphabet of only forty-seven characters--the Katakana.

Learning in Japan was confined to the court circles before 1200. From 1400 to 1500 the military came into power, and the education was denied everyone except the priests. In 1600 the modern period of general culture began. The people responded enthusiastically to the policy of general education. Reading became a popular pastime. It was a common sight in Japan to see circulating libraries carried from house to house on the backs of men.

It is a remarkable fact,without parallel in the history of literature, that a large proportion of the literary works in Japan was written by women. Their genius is said to have made Japanese a literary language. The cultivation of the native tongue was left to the ladies of the court and these ladies performed the task nobly...

The early Japanese literary work is the Kojiki (Records of ancient matters). It relates the creation of the world, describes the Gods and GODDESSES of the mythological period, and contains facts about the earliest History of Japan. The next important creative work was the Nihongi (Chronicles of Japan). It tells of the early history of Japan in poetry and shows the profound influence of the Chinese. these two books are the oldest in the language.

The Japanese are intensely proud of their history and take great care in keeping and preserving records. Every town and village has its historical records. Even family records are carefully copied from one generation to the next. In cities there are professional storytellers who earn their livelihood by narrating legendary and historical tales Memorial stones are among the striking sights along the high ways in every town and village and temple yard. These memorials honor some noted scholar, ruler, hero.

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