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13th-century Japanese text on prose literary criticism From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mumyōzōshi (無名草子, literally "nameless book") is an early 13th-century Japanese text. One volume in length, it is the oldest existing Japanese text on prose literary criticism.[1] The author is unknown, but the leading candidate proposed is Shunzei's Daughter.[2] Other candidates who have been proposed include her maternal grandfather Shunzei himself and the monk Jōgaku (上覚).[3]
One manuscript gives the title as Kenkyū Monogatari (建久物語),[1] a reference to the name of the era in which it was written. Composition occurred between 1200 and 1202.[4]
The author is unknown. Hypotheses include Fujiwara no Shunzei (c. 1114 -1204); his granddaughter, often called "Shunzei's Daughter" (c. 1171 - 1252); Jōkaku (1147-1226); and Shikishi Naishinnō (1149-1201); but strongest support is for Shunzei's daughter.[1][4]
The volume is composed of four distinct sections: a preface, literary criticism, poetic criticism, and a discussion on prominent literary women.
The preface introduces an 83-year-old woman on a trip. She stops to rest at a house, where she writes down the conversation of a group of women talking about literature, creating a frame tale excuse to write the volume. The frame tale itself has many elements from monogatari of the time.[5]
The literary criticism covers 28 stories, including Genji Monogatari, Sagoromo Monogatari (ja), Yoru no Nezame, Hamamatsu Chūnagon Monogatari, and Torikaebaya Monogatari. The others mostly do not exist anymore.[1][4][6]
For poetic criticism, it covers Ise Monogatari, Yamato Monogatari, Man'yōshū, and private and imperial collections. The editor laments the lack of women compilers in the collections.[1][4][6]
It then goes on to discuss the ability and upbringing of a number of prominent women: Ono no Komachi, Sei Shōnagon, Izumi Shikibu, Akazome Emon, Murasaki Shikibu and others.[1][4][6]
The text is particularly valuable as a resource, since it includes descriptions of a number of either completely or partially lost texts.[1]
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