Understanding Asian Literature

Asian Literature

• Asian literature encompasses a wide variety of literary works written over thousands of years across Asian countries.

Objectives

• Define Asian literature.
• Distinguish prominent authors and literary pieces from four divisions of Asian literature.
• Show understanding and appreciation of Asian literature through analyzing a given story in a video format.

Four Divisions of Asian Literature

• West Asia

• Arabic Literature

• Khalil Gibran—famous writer (Lebanese-American philosopher, essayist, novelist, poet, and artist)

• Works include The Prophet, Nymphs of the Valley (1910), and Spirits Rebellion (1920).

• Wrote nine literary works in Arabic, and twelve in English

• Created more than 700 paintings

• East Asia

• Chinese Literature

• Political and social history of China.

• The Book of Songs (oldest collection of Chinese poetry).

• Confucius—famous philosopher.

• Mo Yan—first Chinese writer to win a Nobel Prize in Literature.

• Lu Xun—considered China's greatest modern writer.

• Chinese Left-Wing Writers League, 1930

• Japanese Literature

• Heavily influenced by Chinese literature, from the ancient period through the Edo Period (1603-1868).

• Divided into periods (ancient, classical, medieval, and modern).

• Famous poets:

• Matsuo Basho (famous haiku poet).

• Yosa Buson (poet and painter)

• Kobayashi Issa (poet and lay Buddhist priest).

• Famous novelists and short story writers:

• Yasunari Kawabata (first Japanese writer to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature).

• Junichiro Tanizaki (one of the most prominent figures in modern Japanese literature).

• Ozamu Dazai (emerged at the end of World War II as a literary voice of his time).

• Yukio Mishima (prolific writer).

• Committed Seppuku (suicide).

• Types of poetry:

• Choka (courtship poems—alternate five and seven-syllable lines).

• Tanka (consists of five lines with 5-7-5-7-7 syllables).

• Haiku (three lines with five-seven-five syllables, often using Kigo—seasonal words).

• Central Asia

• Indian Literature

• Literature produced in the Indian subcontinent before and after 1947.

• Includes various vernacular languages (Sanskrit, Prakrit, Pali, Bengali, Bihari, etc.).

• Sacred writings (Vedas) composed in Sanskrit.

• Rigveda (part of the Vedas—knowledge of the verses).

• Rabindranath Tagore—famous writer from the region.

• Published poetry collections (Manasi, Sonar Tari, Gitanjali)

• Plays (Chitrangada).

• Novels (Gora, Ghare-Baire).

• Composed over 2,000 songs.

• Southeast Asia

• Thai Literature

• The Ramakien (national epic—inspired by the Ramayana).

• King Rama I composed the epic in the 18th century.

• Traditionally influenced by Indian culture.

• Primarily uses prose for writing chronicles, historical records, and legal documents.

• Singaporean Literature

• Uses English, Chinese, Malay, and Tamil.

• A wave of writing emerged in 1965.

• Prominent writers: Edwin Thumboo, Arthur Yap, Robert Yeo, Goh Poh Seng, Lee Tzu Pheng, Chandran Nair

• Poetry and novels are prevalent forms of expression.

• Goh Poh Seng was a pioneer writer of novels.

• If We Dream Too Long (first Singaporean novel): Goh Poh Seng