Description

COLOMBIA UNIVERSITY PRESS
Burton Watson, Haruo Shirane
Burton Watson and Haruo Shirane, renowned translators and scholars, introduce English-speaking readers to the vivid tradition of early and medieval Japanese anecdotal (setsuwa) literature. These orally narrated and written tales draw on both local folk traditions and continental sources. Taken from seven major anthologies of anecdotal literature compiled between the ninth and thirteenth centuries, these dramatic and often amusing stories open a major window onto the foundations of Japanese culture.

Out of tousands of setsuwa, Shirane has selected thirty-eight of the most powerful and influential, each of which is briefly introduced. recounting the exploits of warriors, farmers, priests, and aristocrats, and concerning topics as varied poetry, violence, power and sex, these tales reveal the creative origins of a range of literary and dramatic genres, from court tales and travel accounts to no and Kabuki. Watson’s impeccable translations relay the wit, mystery and Buddhist sensibility of these protean works, while Shirane’s sophisticated analyses illuminate the meaning and context of their compact stories. Capped by an extensive bibliography, this collection fully immerses the reader in the thrilling world of secular and religious tales.