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(Redirected from Otogi Zoshi)
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refers to a group of approximately 350 Japanese prose narratives written primarily in the Muromachi period (1392-1573). These illustrated short stories, which remain unattributed, together form one of the representative literary genres of the Japanese medieval era.
This type of short prose narrative from Japan is often considered a transitional genre, which bridges the gap between the courtly literature of the Heian period (794-1160) and the more plebeian ''kanazōshi'' (tales written in kana) and ''ukiyozōshi'' (tales of the floating world) of the Edo period (1600-1868). The stories are illustrated in the ''Nara-ehon'' style, a style that itself links the picture scrolls of the Heian era with the woodblock print books of the Edo period. This suggests that ''otogizōshi'' were meant to be read aloud, with the illustrations serving as reference guides.
Because the stories were recited before an audience, the narratives are simple, with little description, depth, or development. The majority of the tales are straightforward quest narratives, often revolving around a single heroic figure. In order to advance the plot, the passage of time is swift, with characters sometimes aging years or decades in the space of a single sentence.
''Otogizōshi'' address a variety of topics, including worldly concerns (love, marriage, family); spiritual matters (the pursuit of enlightenment, encounters with manifestations of the Buddha); martial adventures; and supernatural fantasy. While some of the stories exhibit a clear didactic agenda, most ''otogizōshi'' appear to have been composed primarily for the sake of entertainment.
''Otogizōshi'' have been broken down into multiple categories: tales of the aristocracy, which are derived from earlier works such as the ''Genji monogatari'', ''Heike monogatari'', and ''Taiheiki''; religious tales; tales of warriors, often based on the ''Soga monogatari'' and ''Gikeiki''; tales of foreign countries, based on the ''Konjaku monogatari''. The most famous of the tales, however, are retellings of familiar legends and folktales, such as ''Issun-bōshi'', the story of a one-inch-tall boy who overcomes countless obstacles to achieve success in the capital.
The term ''otogi'' literally means "companion," with the full name of the genre translating to "companion tale." This designation, however, did come into use until 1725, when a publisher from Osaka released a set of 23 illustrated booklets titled ''Shūgen otogibunko'' (Fortuitous Companion Library). As other publishers produced their own versions of ''Shūgen otogibunko'', they began referring to the set of tales as ''otogizōshi''. Gradually the term came to describe any work from the Muromachi or early Edo period that exhibited the same general style as the tales in ''Shūgen otogibunko''.
''Otogizōshi'' came to the attention of modern literary historians in the late nineteenth century. For the most part, scholars have been critical of this genre, dismissing it for its perceived faults when compared to the aristocratic literature of the Heian and Kamakura periods. As a result, standardized Japanese school textbooks often omit any reference to ''otogizōshi'' from their discussions of medieval Japanese literature. Recent studies, however, have attempted to overturn this critical stance, highlighting the vitality and inherent appeal of this underappreciated genre.
★ ''Man'yōshū''
★ ''The Murasaki Shikibu Diary''
★ ''Kokusho Sōmokuroku''
Araki, James. "Otogi-Zoshi and Nara-Ehon: A Field of Study in Flux," ''Monumenta Nipponica'', Vol. 36: 1-20.
Kavanagh, Frederick G. "An Errant Priest. Sasayaki Tale." ''Monumenta Nipponica'', Vol. 51: 219-244.
Mulhern, Chieko Irie. "Otogi-zoshi. Short Stories of the Muromachi Period," ''Monumenta Nipponica'', Vol. 29: 181-198.
★ "''Sekai no Dejitaru Nara Ehon Detabesu''", European Association of Japanese Resource Specialists, January 14, 2004
★ Translations of Classical Japanese Works, Meiji Gakuin University
★ Online edition of the ''Otogizōshi'' at Kyoto University
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Illustration from ''otogizōshi'' tale, published c. 1725
refers to a group of approximately 350 Japanese prose narratives written primarily in the Muromachi period (1392-1573). These illustrated short stories, which remain unattributed, together form one of the representative literary genres of the Japanese medieval era.
| Contents |
| Overview |
| Categories of ''otogizōshi'' |
| Origins of the term ''otogizōshi'' |
| History of ''otogizōshi'' scholarship |
| See also |
| External references |
| Book references |
| Online references |
Overview
This type of short prose narrative from Japan is often considered a transitional genre, which bridges the gap between the courtly literature of the Heian period (794-1160) and the more plebeian ''kanazōshi'' (tales written in kana) and ''ukiyozōshi'' (tales of the floating world) of the Edo period (1600-1868). The stories are illustrated in the ''Nara-ehon'' style, a style that itself links the picture scrolls of the Heian era with the woodblock print books of the Edo period. This suggests that ''otogizōshi'' were meant to be read aloud, with the illustrations serving as reference guides.
Because the stories were recited before an audience, the narratives are simple, with little description, depth, or development. The majority of the tales are straightforward quest narratives, often revolving around a single heroic figure. In order to advance the plot, the passage of time is swift, with characters sometimes aging years or decades in the space of a single sentence.
''Otogizōshi'' address a variety of topics, including worldly concerns (love, marriage, family); spiritual matters (the pursuit of enlightenment, encounters with manifestations of the Buddha); martial adventures; and supernatural fantasy. While some of the stories exhibit a clear didactic agenda, most ''otogizōshi'' appear to have been composed primarily for the sake of entertainment.
Categories of ''otogizōshi''
Cover from volume of ''otogizōshi'' tales, published c. 1725.
''Otogizōshi'' have been broken down into multiple categories: tales of the aristocracy, which are derived from earlier works such as the ''Genji monogatari'', ''Heike monogatari'', and ''Taiheiki''; religious tales; tales of warriors, often based on the ''Soga monogatari'' and ''Gikeiki''; tales of foreign countries, based on the ''Konjaku monogatari''. The most famous of the tales, however, are retellings of familiar legends and folktales, such as ''Issun-bōshi'', the story of a one-inch-tall boy who overcomes countless obstacles to achieve success in the capital.
Origins of the term ''otogizōshi''
The term ''otogi'' literally means "companion," with the full name of the genre translating to "companion tale." This designation, however, did come into use until 1725, when a publisher from Osaka released a set of 23 illustrated booklets titled ''Shūgen otogibunko'' (Fortuitous Companion Library). As other publishers produced their own versions of ''Shūgen otogibunko'', they began referring to the set of tales as ''otogizōshi''. Gradually the term came to describe any work from the Muromachi or early Edo period that exhibited the same general style as the tales in ''Shūgen otogibunko''.
History of ''otogizōshi'' scholarship
''Otogizōshi'' came to the attention of modern literary historians in the late nineteenth century. For the most part, scholars have been critical of this genre, dismissing it for its perceived faults when compared to the aristocratic literature of the Heian and Kamakura periods. As a result, standardized Japanese school textbooks often omit any reference to ''otogizōshi'' from their discussions of medieval Japanese literature. Recent studies, however, have attempted to overturn this critical stance, highlighting the vitality and inherent appeal of this underappreciated genre.
See also
★ ''Man'yōshū''
★ ''The Murasaki Shikibu Diary''
★ ''Kokusho Sōmokuroku''
External references
Book references
Araki, James. "Otogi-Zoshi and Nara-Ehon: A Field of Study in Flux," ''Monumenta Nipponica'', Vol. 36: 1-20.
Kavanagh, Frederick G. "An Errant Priest. Sasayaki Tale." ''Monumenta Nipponica'', Vol. 51: 219-244.
Mulhern, Chieko Irie. "Otogi-zoshi. Short Stories of the Muromachi Period," ''Monumenta Nipponica'', Vol. 29: 181-198.
Online references
★ "''Sekai no Dejitaru Nara Ehon Detabesu''", European Association of Japanese Resource Specialists, January 14, 2004
★ Translations of Classical Japanese Works, Meiji Gakuin University
★ Online edition of the ''Otogizōshi'' at Kyoto University
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