Japanese Literature | Page 4

Japanese. Thus a gulf gradually opened between the
spoken and the written language. It has been only during the last two
hundred and fifty years that our country has once more enjoyed a long
continuance of peace, and has once more renewed its interest in

literature. Still Chinese has occupied the front rank, and almost
monopolized attention. It is true that within the last sixty or seventy
years numerous works of fiction of different schools have been
produced, mostly in the native language, and that these, when judged as
stories, generally excel in their plots those of the classical period. The
status, however, of these writers has never been recognized by the
public, nor have they enjoyed the same degree of honor as scholars of a
different description. Their style of composition, moreover, has never
reached the same degree of refinement which distinguished the ancient
works. This last is a strong reason for our appreciation of true classical
works such as that of our authoress.
Again, the concise description of scenery, the elegance of which it is
almost impossible to render with due force in another language, and the
true and delicate touches of human nature which everywhere abound in
the work, especially in the long dialogue in Chapter II, are almost
marvellous when we consider the sex of the writer, and the early period
when she wrote.
Yet this work affords fair ground for criticism. The thread of her story
is often diffuse and somewhat disjointed, a fault probably due to the
fact that she had more flights of imagination than power of equal and
systematic condensation: she having been often carried away by that
imagination from points where she ought to have rested. But, on the
other hand, in most parts the dialogue is scanty, which might have been
prolonged to considerable advantage, if it had been framed on models
of modern composition. The work, also, is too voluminous.
In translating I have cut out several passages which appeared
superfluous, though nothing has been added to the original.
The authoress has been by no means exact in following the order of
dates, though this appears to have proceeded from her endeavor to
complete each distinctive group of ideas in each particular chapter. In
fact she had even left the chapters unnumbered, simply contenting
herself with a brief heading, after which each is now called, such as
"Chapter Kiri-Tsubo," etc., so that the numbering has been undertaken
by the translator for the convenience of the reader. It has no

extraordinarily intricate plot like those which excite the readers of the
sensational romances of the modern western style. It has many heroines,
but only one hero, and this comes no doubt from the peculiar purpose
of the writer to portray different varieties and shades of female
characters at once, as is shadowed in Chapter II, and also to display the
intense fickleness and selfishness of man.
I notice these points beforehand in order to prepare the reader for the
more salient faults of the work. On the whole my principal object is not
so much to amuse my readers as to present them with a study of human
nature, and to give them information on the history of the social and
political condition of my native country nearly a thousand years ago.
They will be able to compare it with the condition of mediæval and
modern Europe.
Another peculiarity of the work to which I would draw attention is that,
with few exceptions, it does not give proper names to the personages
introduced; for the male characters official titles are generally
employed, and to the principal female ones some appellation taken
from an incident belonging to the history of each; for instance, a girl is
named Violet because the hero once compared her to that flower, while
another is called Yûgao because she was found in a humble dwelling
where the flowers of the Yûgao covered the hedges with a mantle of
blossom.
I have now only to add that the translation is, perhaps, not always
idiomatic, though in this matter I have availed myself of some valuable
assistance, for which I feel most thankful.
SUYEMATZ KENCHIO.
Tokyo, Japan.
FOOTNOTES:
[Footnote 1: Which means, "The Romance of Genji."]

GENJI MONOGATARI
CHAPTER I
THE CHAMBER OF KIRI[2]
In the reign of a certain Emperor, whose name is unknown to us, there
was, among the Niogo[76] and Kôyi[3] of the Imperial Court, one who,
though she was not of high birth, enjoyed the full tide of Royal favor.
Hence her superiors, each one of whom had always been thinking--"I
shall be the one," gazed upon her disdainfully with malignant eyes, and
her equals and inferiors were more indignant still.
Such being the state of affairs, the anxiety which she had to endure was
great and