일본의 구승문예 연구동향과 전망

Abstract

This paper was written to share tasks with Korean oral literature researchers by summarizing the genre of old Seung Literature in Japan and introducing the genre that has recently attracted attention in Japan.
 Japanese and Korean oral literature genres do not differ very much. However, some genres are similar and have unique characteristics. Similar to Korean pansori, masquerade, and exorcism, "Katarimono" has been delivered in various and rich ways throughout Japan. However, since the early 20th century, the transmission has been cut off, from a significant number of branches, so it is difficult to assert that "Katarimono" is common literature. In addition, unlike Korean literature, which is rich in Chinese literature written by intellectuals, there is a difference in that oral literature was a major genre of Japanese literature. In other words, it is worth keeping in mind that the existence of oral literature in Japanese literature is significant.
 In recent Japanese oral literature, the genres that have attracted attention are ghost stories and disaster legends. The Japanese have painted strange beings in literature and painting works since ancient times, and even in modern times, rumors and legends of strange beings have been discussed among the population. Recently, the word "Yokai(specter)" has been used as a generic term encompassing all strange beings, and new characters have been born. Japanese people, regardless of age or gender, enjoy the world of monsters through various works such as novels, cartoons, animations, and game software. The ghost story is a genre of oral literature that remains alive in modern society. In addition, the value of disaster legends was re-examined in the wake of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. In Japan, where natural disasters are frequent, legends related to disasters-that is, stories about avoiding disasters-are told in various places. As these stories were discovered, recorded, and published, the need to inherit future disaster legends was raised.
 Among recent trends in Japanese literature, researchers demonstrate interest in nature, which is a notable topic in the field of oral literature. Literary researchers are accumulating achievements in how the Japanese perceive nature and expressed it in literary works a topic that East Asian researchers belonging to the Chinese character culture should share and think about in the era of the climate crisis.