【Classical Japanese Studies】 Japanese Culture in Classics: Let’s Explore Our Roots!

Hello everyone! When you hear the word "classics," you might think, "Aren't those just old, difficult texts?" or "That has nothing to do with me." But actually, that’s not the case at all. The way we enjoy the changing seasons today or cherish bittersweet feelings is exactly what people from over 1,000 years ago wrote down in these classic works.

In this chapter, we will explore the views on nature, religious perspectives, and aesthetic sensibilities that Japanese people have cherished since ancient times. Let’s embark on a journey to find the "roots of Japanese culture" that connect to our lives today! It might feel a bit difficult at first, but don't worry. We’ll take it one step at a time.

1. The Spirit of Living with Nature: A Devotion to the Four Seasons

Since long ago, the Japanese people have viewed nature not as something to be "conquered," but as something to "coexist with." This is a major defining characteristic of classical literature.

Key Points of the Japanese View on Nature

  • The Changing Seasons: People excelled at finding beauty in each of the four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
  • Kacho Fugetsu (Flower, Bird, Wind, Moon): Natural scenery—flowers, birds, wind, and the moon—was often used as a metaphor to express one's own inner state.

Representative Work: "The Pillow Book" (Sei Shonagon)

This essay, which begins with the famous line "In spring, the dawn," is truly the origin of the Japanese sense of the seasons. She expresses her feelings honestly, saying things like, "Dawn is best in spring!" or "Summer nights are wonderful."
Analogy: Think of it like posting on Instagram with tags like "#WinterMorning #BeautifulSky #LoveThis." Sei Shonagon was a genius at discovering the small beauties of daily life.

【Key Takeaway】
In the world of the classics, changes in nature are not just weather reports—they are depicted as mirrors that reflect the human heart.

2. "Mono no aware" and "Mujokan": Attachment to Things That Fade

Two essential concepts for understanding Japanese culture are "mono no aware" and "mujo" (impermanence). These might sound a bit complex, but they are actually very familiar feelings.

① Mono no Aware

This is the emotion that flows beneath the stories of the Heian period, especially "The Tale of Genji." It refers to a "deep, poignant aesthetic" where your heart is stirred by what you see and hear.
It describes those profound feelings that are hard to put into words, such as "How beautiful," "How sad," or "How nostalgic."

② Mujokan (The Concept of Impermanence)

This is the belief that "all things that exist must perish" and "nothing in this world lasts forever." It is deeply influenced by Buddhism.
Representative Works: "Hojoki" (Kamo no Chomei) and "The Tale of the Heike"
You might have heard the phrase: "The current of the flowing river never ceases, and yet the water is never the same." This means that just like the flowing water of a river, the world never stays the same for even a single moment.

【Trivia】 Why do we love cherry blossoms?
The reason Japanese people love cherry blossoms is because of their "fleeting nature"—blooming in a burst and falling just as quickly. Rather than an artificial flower that lasts forever, the heart that feels beauty specifically because it will eventually fade is the essence of Mujokan.

3. Miyabi (Courtly Elegance) and Waka: The Power Residing in Words

At the center of aristocratic culture was "Miyabi." This refers to an urban, refined, and sophisticated beauty. The greatest tool for expressing this "Miyabi" was Waka poetry.

Waka as an "Exchange of Hearts"

For people of that time, Waka was not just a hobby; it was an essential means of communication.

  • Kotodama (Word Spirit): It was believed that words contained a mysterious power and that what was spoken aloud would become reality.
  • Zotoka (Gift Poems): People would exchange Waka poems to express their feelings to a crush or to send a thank-you note. It played a role similar to LINE messages today.

The Rules and Beauty of Waka

Poets poured their overflowing emotions into a strict 31-syllable structure (5-7-5-7-7). They enjoyed intellectual wordplay, such as Kakekotoba (pivot words), where a single word is used to hold two different meanings.

【Common Misconception】
People often think, "Waka is too strict and lacks freedom," but it’s the opposite! It was a creative activity—very similar to modern rap battles or the current tanka boom—where the fun lies in "finding how much of yourself you can express within a fixed set of rules."

4. Summary: To Know the Classics is to Know "Yourself"

Let’s look back at what we learned in this chapter:

  • Nature: We have always possessed a heart that cherishes the small changes of the four seasons.
  • Impermanence: We hold an aesthetic that values the "now" precisely because everything must come to an end.
  • Language: Through Waka, we pursued refined expression and showed consideration for others.

【Today’s Key Keywords】
1. Mono no aware: A poignant, deeply felt emotional response to the world.
2. Mujokan (Impermanence): The philosophy that all things are in a constant state of change.
3. Miyabi (Elegance): A refined, urban, and graceful sense of beauty.
4. Kotodama (Word Spirit): The mysterious power believed to dwell within words.

Even though the classics may have seemed difficult at first, doesn't it feel a little more familiar when you realize that "people in the past were moved by the seasons and worried about love just like we do"? When you read the works in your textbook, please try to imagine the "hearts" of the people from that era. You're bound to make some new discoveries!