ASIAN

LITERATURE
 ASIAN LITERATURE
It refers to the study of the literature of the
people in:
1. China
2. India
3. Japan
4. Other small nations surround them.
 Features of Asian Literature
• East Asian literature (Chinese,
Japanese, Korean)
• West Asian literature [Persian
(Iran)]
• Central Asian literature (Indian)
• Southwest Asian literature (Sumer,
Pakistan)
 What is Asian
Literature
• The literature of Asia is rich collection of
stories that both reflect the beliefs,
culture, and feeling of the people.
• Asian literature can be classified as lyrics,
drama, or narrative, and it usually reflect
predominant culture and philosophies of a
particular period.
 CHINA
 Chinese civilization is the
oldest civilizations in the
world that dates back to the
Shang Dynasty in 1765 B.C.
 It is known as “The Red
Dragon”.
The Invention of Woodblock Printing
in the Tang and Song Dynasties
 The introduction of woodblock
printing during the Tang
Dynasty and invention of
movable type printing during
the Song Dynasty, has rapidly
spread written knowledge
throughout China.
 The earliest known narrative
history of China was the Zuo
Zhuan, which is compiled not later
than 389 B.C.
 The oldest extant dictionary in
China was Erya, dated to the 3rd
Century B.C.
 Although court records and other
independent records existed
beforehand, the definitive work in
early Chinese historical writing
was the Shiji, or Records of the
Grand Historian written by Han
Dynasty court historian Sima Qian
(145 BC-90 BC).
 Shiji
 (Chinese: “Historical
Records”) early history of
China written about
85 BCE by Sima Qian.
 Classic Poetry
  also Shijing translated variously as
the Book of Songs, Book of Odes, or
simply known as the Odes or Poetry.
 Confucius is traditionally credited with
editing the Shijing.
 Shi-is the oldest existing collection of 
Chinese poetry, comprising 305 works
dating from the 11th to 7th centuries
BCE.
 Classical Chinese poetry
composition became a
conventional skill of the well-
educated throughout the Ming
(1368– 1644) and Qing (1644–
1911) dynasties.
The Chou Dynasty that followed the
Shang Dynasty of great intellectual
activity and was in this period when
the philosophies of the Confucianism,
Taoism and legalism originated.

 It is the longest dynasty in Chinese

history which lasted from 1122 B.C.
To 256 B.C.
 THE HAN
DYNASTY

Succeeded after the collapse

of Chou strengthened the
unity between the
bureaucracy but Confucianism
was substituted for Legalism.
Confucius- perhaps the
greatest philosopher of the
world has known.
One of the truly great men
that China has produced.
The word Confucius is the westernized
form of his name, which is Kung Fu-tze,
Kung being his proper name, Fu
signifying revered, and tze signifying
teacher.
The Confucian works in particular have
been of key importance to Chinese
culture and history, as a set of works
known as the Four Books and Five
Classics were, in the 12th century AD,
chosen as the basis for the Imperial
examination for any government post.
THE FIVE CLASSICS
1. THE BOOK OF CHANGES
2. THE BOOK OF HISTORY
3. THE BOOK OF RITES
4. THE BOOK OF ODES
5. THE SPRING AND AUTUMN
ANNALS
Li Po (701 – 761),
or Li Tai Bo, was one of
the leading Chinese poets
of the 8th century.
His writings deal with
the good things of life
and with the pathos of human destiny.
With a striking vividness they treat of
love, friendship, wine, nature, and
simple village living.
Po – Chu – I (722 – 846)
was a well-known
Chinese poet who
represented
the classical tradition in
Chinese literature,
politics and morality.
 INDIAN
LITERATURE
 India is the vast land in Southern
Asia, extending from the Himalayan
Mountains south to the tip of a
great peninsula that reaches from
out into the Indian Ocean.
 It is known as “Land of prayer”.
 Characteristics of Indian 
Literature
1. Indian literature is
based on piety, a deeply
 religious spirit.
 Characteristics of Indian 
Literature
2. Indian literary
masterpieces are written
in epic form, corresponds
to the great epochs in the
history of India.
 Characteristics of Indian 
Literature
3. Medieval Indian literature the
earliest works in many of the
languages were sectarian,
designed to advance or to
celebrate some unorthodox
regional belief.
Dravidians- earliest people in India dating
back to 3000 – 2500 B.C. Towards 2000 B.C.
Sanskrit- literature of India.
 The word “Sanskrit” means
cultivated or perfected.
 is the primary sacred
language of Hinduism, and a
literary language that was in
use as a lingua franca in
Greater India.
Ramayana and Mahabharata are
the most important epics of India.
Ramayana – is about the
reincarnation of the creator god
Vishnu in the
person of Rama, who is the hero
of the epic.
Mahabharata – deals with the other
reincarnation of Vishnu in the
person of Krishna. It is considered
as the greatest epic of India.
The Indians believe
in reincarnation.
The reincarnation of
Vishnu are called
Avatars, descending
from the god.
 ROOTS OF INDIAN
LITERATURE
1. Rig-Veda – made up of hymns in praise of the gods. The
hymns are strong, energetic religions expressions
comparable to the Old Testament Psalms.
2. Upanishads-
consists of a group of
sketches, illustrations,
explanations and
critical comments on
the religious thoughts
suggested by the poetic
hymns of Rig-Veda.
 INDIAN DRAMA
The first great
name in Indian
drama is Bhasa.
(13 plays are
attributed to him.)
Kalidasa – the greatest
writer of plays. He is the
author of Shakuntala.
- he is called the
brightest of the
“nine gems of
genius”.
Shakuntala – it is a
story of a king who
goes hunting in the
woods and meets a
beautiful maiden
named Shakuntala
with whom he falls
in love.
 Panchatantra
 (Five
headings/Chapters) –
a book that said to
contain the first
fables ever written.
Fables are stories of
animals who behave
like human beings.
 Rabindranath Tagore
 was a great Indian
poet and dramatist.
He was awarded the
Nobel Prize for
literature in 1913
and was knighted by
the british
government in 1915.
 JAPAN
Also known as “The Land of the Rising
Sun”.
The earliest writings from ancient Japan are:
1. The Records of Ancient Matters in Kojiko
(A.D. 712)
2. The Chronicles of Japan or Nihongi (A.D.
720)
 JAPANESE
LITERATURE
It is one of the major Oriental Literatures.
Katakana – basic alphabet in Japan which consists
47 characters.
Earliest Japanese Literary works:

1. Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters)

2. Nihongi (Chronicles of Japan)
 JAPANESE DRAMA
Drama – favorite form of amusement.
Three Types of Japanese
Drama:
1. Noh play
2. Joruri or puppet play
3. Kabuki play
 NOH PLAY
It is the national theater of Japan.
THE PUPPET PLAY (DOLL THEATER )

The puppets are beautifully made and lifelike in size. The

strings are expertly manipulated and the dialogue reastically
interpreted.
 KABUKI PLAY
The play of the masses. It is less intellectual, more
realistic and sensational
 JAPANESE POETRY
Manyo Shu (Collection of
myriad leaves) – oldest
collection of poetry. It
was compiled in 800 A.D.
The collection titled One
Hundred Persons was
compiled much later.
 HAIK
Shortest form Uof Japanese poetry but
most popular. It has seventeen- syllable
poem in three lines of five, seven, and five syllables.

EXAMPLE:
POETRY AND LOVE
WILL FILL YOUR HEART FOREVER
OR RIP IT TO SHREDS
 TANKA
A five-line poem. The first and third line lines have five
syllables each and the others seven, making a total of thirty-one
syllables per poem.

EXAMPLE:
O pine tree standing
At the side of the stone house, When I look at you,
It is like seeing face to face The men of old time.
- Hakutsu, from the Manyo Shu
 He is one of the most
controversial Japanese
Authors.
 His genre-defying, humorous
and
surreal works have sparked fierce
debates in Japan over whether they
are true "literature" or simple pop-
fiction.