Spirit of Han, Genius of Yamato

Abstract

Teika was biliterate in classical Japanese and classical Chinese, and well read in the Chinese historical and literary classics. His diary was kept mainly, but not entirely, in kanbun, a Japanese variant of classical Chinese. Portions of the diary in which Teika wrote in kana are studied for what they might reveal about Teika’s attitude toward classical Chinese language, history, and culture. Teika also wrote Matsuranomiya monogatari (The Tale of Matsura), a romantic adventure tale set in Tang-period China. A reading of the tale suggests that Teika had a highly favorable view of classical Chinese culture, and did not regard it as entirely foreign.