Heian Japan as Portrayed Through the Contemporaneous Literatures - Essay Example

Rachna Jalan Academia-Research English 10 March 2007 Heian Japan Introduction Heian is the period of Japanese history between 794 – 1185 d afterthe capital city of Heian-ky (Kyoto) (“Heian period”). The flourishing culture of court aristocracy is truly reflected in the Heian era. It was an epoch when the art, poetry and literature of the Japanese imperial court were at its peak (“Heian period”). In Japanese the meaning of Heian is “peace” or “tranquility” (“Heian period”). The imperial court dedicatedly encouraged aesthetic improvements which can be seen in poetry and calligraphy. That eon has been revealed in a number of contemporaneous literatures such as The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon by Sei Shonagon, Anthology of Japanese Literature: from the earliest era to the mid-nineteenth century by Donald Keene, The Tale of Genji and The Diary of Lady Murasaki, both composed by Murasaki Shikibu. The Tale of Genji is regarded as one of the first novels in Japan. Heian Japan as portrayed through the contemporaneous literatures The works of Shikibu and Shonagon highlight the Japanese court cultures with values and concepts. The Tale of Genji is the greatest classic of Japanese literature which reflects the significance of this culture especially among the women’s communities during the heian period. By well revealing the world of imperial court of Heian Japan these literatures actually portray the fascinating culture and society of that era. Murasaki Shikibu along with Sei Shonagon is an evidence of women education in Heian Japan. The capital city of Heian comprised chiefly of the royal homes of aristocratic people enjoying power. From this very city of wise dimensions, the emperors and their corresponding ministers supervised the entire country. Buddhist temples remained imperative institution throughout the Heian era. They enjoyed economic power to a considerable extent by political interference and many landed estate’s control. Relatives of the emperor or noble families were chiefly selected as the leaders of the temples. Elite women though not accompanying official designations of emperors or ministers had access to political affairs and property ownership. They were even entitled to pass on their properties to their heirs. At the Heian court, the Japanese started adopting a culture which remained unaffected by Chinese culture (“Heian period”). In Tale of Genji the character of the handsome prince reflects the existence of love and romance in the Heian period (Bowring). This classic novel throws light on love, sex and politics prevailing in the society in that era (Bowring). The relationship of love between the member of the high status family and an ordinary woman being looked upon as a sin reflects people’s negative attitude towards such relationships during that period (Bowring). It also enables us to acknowledge the human and spiritual relationship existing in Heian era (Bowring). In that epoch it was absolutely normal for a man to have many wives (Bowring). The Tale of Genji noticeably reflects Japan’s liberation from Chinese influence (Bowring). Written in the Heian period, The Tale of Genji is considered to be one of the earliest novels in Japanese. The literature is an ideal platform for providing information on Heian Japan revealing courtship ritual, religion and superstition, attitude and practices pertaining to death and the significance of rank and position in the Heian elite society. Though written Chinese still remained the official language of the imperial court, the Heian period experienced a boom in the Japanese literature. The respect shown by the servants in the novel clearly highlights ho people belonging to varied status regarded each other during the Heian period (Bowring). The taking of the body by Genji to a Buddhist temple gives a clear-cut evidence of existence of Buddhist temples during the Heian period (Bowring). Though the emperor supervised the country the real power was enjoyed by the Fujiwara nobility (Bowring). The warrior class remained steadily active throughout the Heian period (Bowring). Murasaki Shikibu’s another famous composition of that era, The Diary of Lady Murasaki also highlights the imperial court cultures of Heian Japan portraying a similar picture as expressed by The Tale of Genji (Bowring & Bowring). Sei Shonagon who was an attendant in the Empress Court during the same era reveals her observations in The Pillow Book. Shonagon’s literature provides us a vivid picture of Heian Japan such as dictation of everything by the Japanese calendar right from coronations to the cutting of toenails (Waley). The Pillow Book depicts various interesting facts such as the royal cats enjoying a higher status than some of the governors, the restrictions imposed on the musicians upon walking in the presence of the emperor (Waley). Sei Shonagon portrays a picture of the royal ladies during the Heian period, who used to let their long straight hair flow past their ankles, colored their teeth black and the clothes they wore used to be died to match the colors of the seasons (Waley). Though the ladies were highly learned, talented and influential, a major portion of their lives was spent behind decorative screens (Waley). The aristocrats appointed to government posts along with certain types of animals enjoyed a high status and respect in the society (Waley). The aristocratic people wore rich attires and travelled in carriages whereas the servants used to be dressed in threadbare clothes and ran alongside or behind the carriages (Waley). The highly superstitious nature of the populace in the Heian era can be traced from these literatures. The people of that age believed that the evil spirit gave rise to sickness and could be driven out exorcism (Waley). The imperial cats bore higher status over not only the dogs but in some case certain government officials (Waley). Donald Keene’s Anthology of Japanese Literature: from the earliest era to the mid-nineteenth century is another remarkable collection of information pertaining to the Heian eon. The literature too like all three compositions reflects a Buddhism era (Keene). Keene through his creation lays emphasis on the human mind and the human life and the science between life and death (Keene). Conclusion The Heian era constitutes that phase of the Japanese history when aestheticism had reached its zenith. It was this golden era of Japanese history which gave birth to the master composers of literature such as Sei Shonagon, Donald Keene, and Lady Murasaki Shikibu. The intelligence of the ladies and the power of the Fujiwara nobility all contributed for a fascinating Heian Japan. Buddhism remained the focal religious institution throughout the ancient years in Japan. The royal courts and the cultures practiced by them, the posh living standards, the status and privileges enjoyed by the high class populace of the society, all added a silver lining to make the Heian period an aristocratic epoch. Works Cited Bowring, Richard & Bowring, Richard, John. ed., The Dairy of Lady Murasaki. USA: Penguin Classics, 1996. Bowring, Richard. ed., Murasaki Shikibu: The Tale of Genji. UK: Cambridge Uniservity Press, 2003. ”Heian period”. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 8 March. 2003. 10 March 2007. . Keene, Donald. Anthology of Japanese Literaure: from the earliest era to the mid-nineteenth century. New York: Grove Press, 1988. Waley, Arthur. ed., The Pillow Book of Sei Shonagon. USA: Kessinger Publishing. Read More