100 must-read books for college students

Chapter 25

Chapter 24 The world's first realistic novel: "The Tale of Genji"

In the history of Japan, there is such a person who makes women in the world proud. This person is an outstanding female writer-Zi
Shibuya.In his works, Murasaki Shikibu expresses calm and thorough observation of society and life, as well as a gloomy and dignified attitude.

Her reflection of the society hides a severe critical spirit, and also shows her sincere pursuit and yearning for ideals.She's at

This long masterpiece left in the history of Japanese literature will shine forever.

bad luck writing monogatari

Murasaki Shikibu (about 978~about 1016) was an outstanding female writer in Japan's Heian period.Her work "The Tale of Genji" is a world literature
The earliest full-length realistic novel in history.In Japanese, the word "monogatari" means story or gossip.monogatari literature is
A genre of classical Japanese literature. "The Tale of Genji" is an excellent representative of Japanese monogatari literature.Author Murasaki Shikibu, for Japan
Famous female writer, whose original surname is Fujiwara, because her father and brother both serve as "Shibu Cheng" (official name), the heroine Ziji in the works is also chanted.
At that time, so later generations called her Zi Shibu.

Regarding Murasaki Shikibu's life, the materials left are extremely incomplete.It is said that Murasaki Shikibu was born into a middle-class noble family.This is a

A scholarly family passed down from generation to generation.She has been influenced by Chinese culture and national culture since she was a child, which contributed to her later creation of "The Tale of Genji".

"Foundation.

When Zi Shibu was 22 years old, he had a marriage. Three years later, his husband died, leaving behind a daughter, who has been living as a widow ever since.from the status of women

Looking at it, the hardships of Murasaki Shikibu's life are self-evident.Murasaki Shikibu, who lost her husband in her early years, raised orphaned girls.but it is life

The misfortune of life has tempered her intelligence.

Around the age of 28, Zi Shibu was called into the palace as a talented woman to be the female attendant of Akiko Nakamiya.

About after Zhang Zi became pregnant and left the palace, Zi Shibu also left the palace.For her subsequent life, people almost always
I don't know.The works left by Murasaki Shikibu include "The Tale of Genji" and "Diary of Murasaki Shikibu".

It is difficult to know when Murasaki Shikibu began writing "The Tale of Genji".Japanese scholars have always had different opinions.It is generally believed that she was

Shortly after the death of her husband, she started writing when she was a widow, and finished writing in the palace for a period of time.It was also believed that the death of Genji

There is a long time interval between the writing of the two articles before and after the boundary.Because the two articles before and after are not exactly the same in style;
This chapter is more mature and richer than the previous one in terms of social observation, material selection and artistic skills.

The background of "The Tale of Genji" is the turning point of the prosperity and decline of the aristocratic society of the Heian Dynasty under the rule of Michizane Fujiwara.fiction art

It vividly reproduces the intriguing power struggle within the aristocracy, and exposes the corruption, evil and inevitable collapse of the aristocratic ruling class.
This trend is a historical picture of Japan's transition from a slave society to a feudal society.

Genji's Love History in the Heian Dynasty

"The Tale of Genji" has 54 chapters and more than 80 words.The story of the novel lasted more than 70 years, spanning 4 dynasties, and about 400 characters
.Taking Genji's passing as the boundary, the whole book can be roughly divided into two parts.The previous part, from chapter 44 to chapter [-], focuses on the palace of the capital

With the background of aristocratic life, it describes the experience of the protagonist Genji from birth to death.Genji's career is bounded by the 21st chapter, divided

For the two periods before and after.In the early stage, Genji's life from childhood to middle age was written.Novel written about Genji's birth; crowned at age 12;

Discord between husband and wife; incest with stepmother; adultery gave birth to Emperor Lengquan; favored by Emperor Tonghu, debauched, lustful, and prosperous in official career

After the death of Emperor Tonghu, Genji lost his backing and lived in seclusion in Suma. After Emperor Lengquan came to the throne, Genji regained power and was regarded as the emperor.
Emperor.

Chapter 22 and later describe Genji's later life, when Genji was 35 years old.It mainly writes about Genji's love affair with Jade NC034,

three princesses and
Kashiwagi's affair and Zihime's death interspersed with the life of Yugiri, the son of Genji and Aoihime.Jade NC034 is Xiyan's daughter
Son, many years
Trapped outside, Genji found her and welcomed her back to her mansion as a righteous daughter.But Genji often teased the righteous female jade NC034, intending to accept it as
concubine, by
Jade NC034 refused.When Genji was 40 years old, entrusted by Suzakuin who had abdicated, he welcomed the 14-year-old third princess as his wife.
Discover Sangong
The Lord had an affair with Kashiwagi, and was very unhappy.After the three princesses gave birth to Mr. Xun who resembled a cypress, they felt ashamed and shaved off their hair to become a nun.Genji

From then on, I thought: This is the sinful retribution of my incest and indulgence in my early years, and my heart is ashamed.Zi Ji died of illness at the age of 43, over fifty years old
Genji was distraught and decided to live in seclusion in the Buddhist temple after burning the love letters of the past.Chapter 41 has only the title of the volume but no text.from later
Look, Genji is estimated to have died at the age of 55 six.

The second part starts from the 45th chapter and tells the story between Kaoru-kun and the three daughters of the eight princes of Uji, so it is called "Uji ten posts".Yu
Prince Zhiba was originally Genji's half-brother, because he was once used by the Queen of Honghui Palace to oppose Genji, so when Genji regained power, he was subject to
When she was coldly met, she moved to a villa in Uji Mountain Villa and raised her two daughters alone.Kaoru-kun, who is 20 years old, has the exact opposite character of Genji.

He is loyal and strict in self-discipline. He often feels the impermanence of the world because of the secret of his life experience.He heard that the Eighth Prince had a deep knowledge of Buddhist scriptures, so

to worship it.Soon, he fell in love with the eldest daughter of the eighth prince.After the eldest daughter died of illness, Mr. Xun was extremely sad.eight princes
Fuzhou, the illegitimate daughter of Fuzhou, looks exactly like the late eldest son-in-law, so he tried to settle her in Uji Mountain Villa, and became very close to her.unexpectedly

NC035 The prince pretends to be General Xun, enters Fuzhou's bedroom at night, and forces Fuzhou to follow him.Floating a boat with two men, unbearable suffering,
suicide
After being rescued, he shaved his hair and became a nun.Mr. Xun went to visit, but Fuzhou refused to meet, so the book ends.At this time, Xun Jun was 28 years old.

The main characters in the two chapters of this novel are different, and some chapters can become short stories independently.
There have always been different views on whether the idea and theme of the novel have duality.From the basic plot of the book, the relationship between characters,

From the perspective of the author's world outlook and artistic conception, the two articles are consistent and have the integrity of a novel. Therefore, the basic

The theme is also consistent: Genji's absurd, tortuous and glorious life, showing people a gorgeous, decadent,

The images of promiscuous life expose all the darkness and contradictions in the aristocratic society, revealing the mental breakdown and inevitable decline of the upper-class aristocrats
The historical trend of Chinese Buddhism expresses the Buddhist fantasies and predestination concepts of rebirth in the Pure Land.

When Murasaki Shikibu created this work, Japan was in the heyday of the Heian Dynasty under the monopoly of Fujiwara Michizane.superficial prosperity,
In fact, it conceals the extremely complex and sharp court conflicts of power struggle.This kind of battle involves both inside and outside the court, the emperor's relatives and the country.
The entire upper class of the relatives and noble factions even affected the non-human beings in Buddhist temples, monasteries, and wild mountain villages.

In the novel, whenever the political situation changes and the development of the plot is at a turning point, the author often uses the mouths of the characters in the book to directly criticize current events
, lamenting the hardships of life, lamenting the loss of the world.Whether it is the feast of Emperor Tonghu, the exile of Genji, or the death of barnacles
And so on, are accompanied by the sorrow of life.The official career is bumpy, and mutations occur from time to time; the epidemic is prevalent, and the six animals are not prosperous; the world is cold, and people

The weak love makes people feel that life is like the setting sun and the future is bleak.This kind of desolation and sadness almost covers the whole work.even if
In bliss, the characters in the novel sigh from time to time that the end is coming.

The basic mood of the artistic conception of "The Tale of Genji" is derived from Bai Juyi's "Song of Everlasting Sorrow", from the "Song of Everlasting Sorrow"

written
The tone of Tang Xuanzong and Yang Guifei.When the novel narrates that Tonghu Emperor blindly favors and changes clothes regardless of the criticisms of the public, he writes: "This is waiting for you.

Special pet, truly surprising!The Tang Dynasty caused chaos in the world just because of such things. ’ and ‘the word gradually spread throughout the country
, the people complained, thinking that this is a very worrying thing, and it is inevitable that a catastrophe like Concubine Yang will happen in the future. "Even
After Yi died, Emperor Tonghu not only read the picture album "Song of Everlasting Sorrow" morning and night to express his grief, but also his expression and posture were similar to those in "Song of Everlasting Sorrow".

Like Tang Xuanzong described in "Song of Everlasting Sorrow", in the midst of sadness and confusion, he imagined that "heaven and earth will meet each other". "Song of Everlasting Regret"

The tragic atmosphere expressed in , reappears throughout the work.For example, when Kui Ji died of illness, she was exiled to Suma, and Zi Ji died until she was rolled up.
In the last mayfly chapter, the tragic melody of "Song of Everlasting Sorrow" is almost endless, forming the tone of this novel.

The decay of the court aristocracy is also manifested in the various court intrigues revealed in the works and the struggle for power among the upper-class aristocrats.Of course, this
The work does not describe the hand-to-hand struggle within the nobles from a political point of view, but reflects the pornographic life surrounding Genji

of.The foreign relatives faction headed by Honghuidian Nuyu and her father-right minister and the royal family faction headed by Genji and his father-in-law left minister are small

The main opponent in the political contest.The whole country, inside and outside the palace, is all involved in this power struggle, presenting a complicated and complicated situation.

situation.Genji's ups and downs, successes and failures in love are all constrained by this internal power struggle.Tonghu changing clothes

Being forced to death, Genji's demotion to subject status, and the subsequent exile of Suma were all victories of the female imperial faction of Honghui Hall.And Emperor Lengquan came to the throne,

When Genji came back to the throne, the female royal faction of Honghui Hall was repelled and attacked.

The tragedy of life and the emptiness of Buddhism are also an important content that constitutes the basic theme of this novel.Whether it is a royal palace

Feast, or Genji's promiscuous and promiscuous life, is full of tragedy and the pursuit of Buddhism everywhere.This tragedy, again
It is closely related to the author's infinite sympathy for women.The author uses delicate and tactful brushstrokes to describe women's different

Happiness and pain, reflecting their grief and resentment.

Among the many characters in "The Tale of Genji", Genji is a protagonist that the author strives to portray.This great nobleman of royal origin

, is not only a romantic, elegant, unrestrained and affectionate handsome man, but also a decadent and declining nobleman's representative.The author intends to
He writes as an ideal figure in an aristocratic society.The logic of life and the power of realism make the author write him as a

tragic character.

Genji's interactions with many women have different tastes, opportunities and endings.The quiet relationship between him and the barnacle, Ziji and the three princesses

And marriage, not only reflects Genji's nature of chasing pornography, but also closely related to Genji's political ups and downs and fate twists and turns.
even.The appearance of these three women at different times can be said to be the signal and display of the three turning points in Genji's life course, and also the

These are the three important reasons for his tragic character.Genji had an affair with his stepmother barnacle, and day and night fell in love with Zi Ji, the incarnation of barnacle, Mrs.
The three princesses had an affair with Kashiwagi, all of which led Genji to fall into the abyss of tragedy.

Fuzhou is a woman with the worst fate in the novel. Her biological father abandoned her, her stepfather abused her, and she was ashamed of getting divorced. At the same time, she was raped by two men.

Possession, mental pain, can
Imagine.

The novel ends with the haircut of the floating boat.

Dharma home, all she was given was infinite grief and desolation.

The originator of classic novels of Monogatari literature

"The Tale of Genji" is a model of Japanese medieval monograph literature, with high artistic achievements and great influence in the history of Japanese literature.

The language of this work is gentle, elegant, graceful and smooth.In the writing, Chinese poems and Japanese songs are often interspersed to express the thoughts of the characters.

Think about feelings, exaggerate the atmosphere, and enhance the artistic appeal of the work.

Although the novel mainly describes Genji's love life, it does not simply express "qingqingwowo", but reflects the love life of polygamous couples.

Controlling the tragic fate of women, exposing the corruption and depravity of the aristocratic sons who like the new and dislike the old, playing with women, and criticizing the aristocratic society.

The despicable practice of using women as tools of political bargaining.

"The Tale of Genji" has nearly one million words and a large scale, with more than 400 characters and a time span of 70 years.it's japanese small
It is a milestone work in history and is known as the peak of Japanese literature.Not only had a great influence on the development of Japanese literature,
And it also occupies a certain position in the history of world literature.It is the first full-length novel published in the world, smaller than the first novel in Europe.
The story collection "Ten Days Talk" is more than 300 years earlier than the first European realistic novel "Don Quixote" by nearly 600 years.

This Japanese masterpiece extensively uses Chinese classical poetry and prose, citing more than 90 lines of poems by Bai Juyi in the Tang Dynasty.novel also quotes
"The Analects of Confucius", "Laozi", "Han Feizi", "Historical Records", "Hanshu" and "Wenxuan" and other Chinese classics,

And the poems of Tao Yuanming, Liu Mengde and Bai Juyi.There are more than a hundred quotations from Bai Juyi's poems.These have added works
The lyricism makes the works more elegant and full of literary talent, and has a strong atmosphere of Chinese classical literature. Therefore, the Chinese reading

It will feel more cordial and interesting to the reader.

(End of this chapter)