Primitive & Mediaeval Japanese Texts

Book excerpt: This valuable work presents transliterations of famous ancient and medieval Japanese texts. The texts contained in this volume are the nagauta or chôka of the Manyôshiu, one of the earliest Japanese anthologies, compiled about 760 a.d., the Taketori Monogatari, Story of the Old Wicker-worker, the preface of Ki no Tsurayuki to his well-known anthology, and the utahi of Takasago, possibly the earliest of the medieval miracle-plays. Contents include: Preface Emendations Introduction Specimen Of Script Map Of The World, As Known To The Japanese Of The Mythical Era Manyôshiu Kozhiki Uta Nihongi Uta Kokinshiu Uta Hiyakunin Uta Introduction To Taketori Taketori Kokinshiu Zhiyo Takasago Makura Kotoba