Japanese literature

1. Japan:
Land of the
Rising Sun

2. Japanese
Literature is one
of the major
bodies of oriental
literature.

3. It is less voluminous than
Chinese literature, but is
comparable to Arabic,
Persian and Indian literature.
It covers the period from the
fifth century AD to the
present.

4. Poems and odes to the
gods were composed in
early Japanese
language before the art
of writing was known in
Japan.

5. The addition of Chinese
words into Japanese
language increased
rapidly. In Japanese
writing at present, Chinese
occupy the most important
places.

6. But for the most part,
the wants, feelings and
concerns of everyday
life and all that lie
deeper in the human
heart- are expressed in
Japanese words.

7. The written language
consists mainly of
characters borrowed
from the Chinese.
Each character
represents idea.

8. Katakana- a basic
Japanese alphabet
consisting of forty
seven characters.

9. Before 1200s-
learning in Japan
was confined to
court circles.

10. 1400-1500 – military
came into power and
education was
denied to everyone
except to the priests.

11. 1600- modern period of
general education began.
The people responded
enthusiastically to the policy
of general education.
Reading became a very
popular pastime.

12. 2 books of
the
Japanese

13. Kojiki- (Records of Ancient Matters)
1. Relates the creation of the world,
2. Describes the gods and
goddesses of the mythological
period,
3. Contains facts about the earliest
history of Japan.

14. Nihongi- (Chronicles of
Japan)
1. Tells the early history of
Japan in poetry
shows the influence of the
Chinese to the Japanese

15. Memorial stones are among
the striking sights along the
highways in every town and
village and temple yard.
These memorials honors
some noted scholar, ruler
and hero.

16. Japanese
Literature is one
of the major
bodies of oriental
literature.

17. Japanese
Literature is one
of the major
bodies of oriental
literature.