The Tale of Genji Author: [Japanese] Murasaki Shikibu Publisher: Yilin Press

【Content Introduction】

"Japanese Classics Translated by Lin Wenyue" includes five masterpieces of Japanese classical literature translated by the famous translator and writer Lin Wenyue, including "The Pillow Book", "The Tale of Genji", "The Tale of Ise", "The Diary of Izumi Shikibu" and "Thirteenth Night".

The Tale of Genji is the pinnacle of Japanese classical literature and one of the most important works in the history of Japanese literature. The Japanese call it the world's oldest long realistic novel. The work is set against the backdrop of the historical period of the decline of the Heian Dynasty. Through the intricate emotional stories of Genji, his father Emperor Kiritsubo, his descendants Yugiri, Kaoru, Ninomiya and many other women, it depicts a grand picture of life and history. Murasaki Shikibu used a meticulous pen to realistically write about people's ever-changing psychological states in various situations; with an objective eye, she recorded in detail the palace's four-season activities and natural scenery she observed, so that future generations can recognize and remember the style of the Heian period.

【Editor's recommendation】

 The peak of Japanese novels, influencing Japanese literature and culture for thousands of years

A long realistic novel that has been circulated for thousands of years, an unparalleled book of miracles, the origin of mono no aware literature, it is integrated into the lines of all Japanese novels in later generations and is deeply engraved in the heart of Yasunari Kawabata; it constitutes the Japanese aesthetic tradition, provides aesthetic nourishment for many aspects of Japanese culture from waka to painting, from clothing to architecture, and has also been continuously adapted into movies, TV series, and animation.

 Write from the truth, describing the people's hearts and times of the Heian Dynasty

Murasaki Shikibu was a talented woman. During her seven years in the imperial court, she observed people, events and things with a "historical eye" and recorded the emotions and life realities of the imperial court and aristocracy during the heyday of the Heian period. Four generations, seventy years, thousands of words, depict a dynasty in transition. If you want to know about the past thousand years, you have to start with this book.

 Based on the authoritative original, fully reproduce the style and sentiment of the original work

The book is based on the authoritative edition of the Complete Works of Japanese Classical Literature published by Shogakukan in Japan, which was edited and annotated by Japanese masters of "Gen" studies, including Abe Akio, Akiyama Ken, and Imai Gen'e. It also refers to important Japanese texts such as Kadokawa Bunko, Chuokoronsha, and Shinchosha, as well as English translations by famous scholars Arthur Waley and Edward G. Seidenstiker, drawing on the strengths of many sources to present a comprehensive picture.

 The translation is precise and vivid, perfectly expressing the classic temperament

He carefully chose every word and sentence, and tried his best to capture the exotic classical atmosphere, fully conveying the magnificent, lingering, elegant and timeless style of the original work; he was ingenious and innovative in adopting the three-line Chuge style, and translated 795 poems from the original work, fully displaying the classical charm.

 Provide a variety of supplementary texts to eliminate the difficulties in reading voluminous works

A 20,000-word preface analyzes the author, works and translation from multiple angles; 5 tables of important character relationships carefully sort out the complex relationships between important figures in different periods; a 27-page brief table of important events in each post, arranged in chronological order and referring to the age of the protagonist, listing important events in each post; more than 1,700 notes explaining the progression of the plot, connections between the past and the present, implied meaning, literary allusions, cultural matters, etc.; scan the QR code to listen to in-depth explanations by experts to supplement your knowledge of literature, culture and the background of the times.

 Selected elegant illustrations vividly present classic scenes, people and events

The book selects paintings from the Tosa School, which led the Japanese royal and shogunate painting academies for hundreds of years, and depicts classic scenes from the book one by one. The paintings are simple and complex, elegant and graceful, with the text and painting complementing each other. When reading, you will be completely absorbed in the text, and when appreciating, you will be leisurely immersed in the paintings.

【Celebrity reviews and recommendations】

No other work has ever shown the beauty of "mono no aware" in its narrative as profoundly and meticulously as "The Tale of Genji". Only this story contains the author's spirit in great depth and detail. Needless to say, all the words in the work are appropriate and natural... The description of human feelings that can be found everywhere in the work is unprecedented.

——Motoori Norinaga

Especially "The Tale of Genji", which has always been the pinnacle of Japanese novels from ancient times to the present day. Even in modern times, no work can compare with it. As early as the tenth century, this modern novel was written, which can be called a world miracle, so it is also famous overseas. ... "The Tale of Genji" is deeply engraved in my heart. ... For hundreds of years, Japanese novels have been looking forward to, carefully imitating or adapting this masterpiece. - Yasunari Kawabata

"The Tale of Genji"... I admire it very much. It should be regarded as a masterpiece in Japanese literature. It is the greatest work. Especially from the perspective of the time, when novels had not appeared anywhere in the world, the creation of such a masterpiece should be amazing. China's "Dream of the Red Chamber" is only a later work. Hu Shi also read this book and said that such a great work was unknown before. - Zhou Zuoren