Tokyo: The life of a literary giant begins with home self-defense!

Chapter 280: Becoming the Great Devil of Japanese Literature 4
May 10th is the rainy season.

A young man stood on the podium of the Institute of Oriental Culture at the University of Tokyo.

The architecture of the University of Tokyo is rather solemn, full of the unique "Uchida Gothic" style.

The facade’s neatly arranged vertical lines and slender towers create a sense of stretching toward the sky.

It adopts a beech wood thin shell structure, and the interior presents a Gothic arch rib effect.

When Ryukawa Toru took off his hat, most of the teachers at the University of Tokyo looked surprised.

Whether good or bad, Longchuan Che's face with red lips and white teeth is impressive.

"Ryukawa Tetsu?"

No one expected that Ryukawa Toru, who was being sought after by the outside media, would suddenly be at the University of Tokyo. Mishima, who was about to leave, raised his eyebrows.

This history professor from the University of Tokyo had met Ryukawa Toru, who was very popular at Shuzenji Temple at the time.

"The Golden Pavilion" can be said to be a representative work of class literature, but it was abandoned by the other party.

"What are you doing up here?"

Mishima's tone was slightly teasing, wondering if Ryukawa Toru had found a way to get an exchange spot at the University of Tokyo.

It is a great honor to be able to speak on stage at this must-win exchange meeting, and it is also an opportunity to consolidate one's own authority.

Want to use this exchange meeting to reverse public opinion?

Mishima, knowing that the other party had been in trouble recently, sneered.

"This exchange will not be much different with you, but it will be much different without you."

After packing up his materials, he slowly walked off the stage. Before leaving, Mishima Tsukasa patted Ryukawa Toru on the shoulder.

A drizzle was falling outside the serious academic environment.

The first sentence that Longchuan Tetsu said when he stood on the podium was jaw-dropping.

“Thank you Martin Pisner for giving me the opportunity to share on stage.”

Longchuan Che's tone was calm, his expression was cold and thin.

He looked around and saw reporters from news media, officials from the Ministry of Education, and a large number of scholars and professors in the audience.

Longchuan Che touched the deerstalker hat he had placed aside and continued to open his mouth.

"I would like to continue sharing today's theme on Mr. Mishima's Japanese literary history."

Before the Japanese scholars knew why Ryukawa Toru came on stage as an exchange student from Princeton University, they had already heard what the other party was saying.

The development of Japanese literary history and whether The Tale of Genji should be reconstructed.

Many Japanese looked at each other and smiled. Ryukawa Toru was going to the other side to play Infernal Affairs.

From the perspective of literary history, Japanese literature has existed for a long time and there is absolutely no need for it to abandon its independence and enter the category of world literature.

Literary influence is like national strength. No one can guarantee that Western literature will always be the mainstream of world literature.

Spending a lot of money to re-translate is obviously a thankless task.

"The Kojiki records Japanese mythology and is the embryo of ancient Japanese novels, while the Nihonshoki, written in Chinese, is a history book belonging to Japan."

"Kaifusesa, Japan's first Chinese poetry collection, and Manyoshu, a collection of elegant and simple waka poems, showcase the lyrical literature of Japan's Nara period."

"From the Heian period, Chinese poetry and prose collections such as Lingyun Collection and Wenhua Xiuli Collection appeared, forming a trend of "Han style". At the same time, prose literature emerged, and the earliest form of novel - story literature was born. Its peak was the world's first novel, The Tale of Genji."

Although the other party gave a very good summary, most of what he said were things that could be known by looking through history books.

Mishima Tsukasa disdained to interrupt.

"Today's theme is literary exchange, not asking Mr. Longchuan to recite historical facts."

Mishima Tsukasa just mentioned a lot of things that Ryukawa Toru said. Some people feel that Ryukawa Toru is just here to make a cameo appearance and take advantage of the situation.

By refuting Western scholars together with the professors from the University of Tokyo, Ryukawa Toru should be able to restore some of his reputation through this incident.

Many scholars in the audience were disdainful, and Longchuan Che raised his glasses.

This pair of old-fashioned black-framed glasses was also given to him by his girlfriend, who was looking at him nervously from the audience.

In the solemn environment, the two of them seemed like two lonely islands. Longchuan Che smiled at his girlfriend who was looking at him worriedly.

What he did today was bound to be criticized by people in this country, but his girlfriend stood by him without hesitation.

"No one likes to hear about the history of ancient literature, so let's talk about the history of modern literature."

Long Chuan Che grinned at the people in the audience, and everyone inexplicably felt that he was a little ostentatious.

It was like he was holding an important vein of a river, and he looked at the people below like wild dogs. "Modern... literary history?"

Mishima Tsukasa and others were stunned.

When it comes to modern literary history, Japanese literature is very thin.

“Japanese literature began to turn to modern times in the mid-to-late 19th century. About ten years after the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Japan began to introduce Western literature through translation.

Realistic enlightenment literature became the beginning of modern Japanese literature, marked by Tsubouchi Shoyo's "The Essence of the Novel".

Longchuan Che winked at Barron in the audience, and a large piece of information appeared on the stands.

The Meiji Restoration was a symbol of Japan's move toward the West.

From that time on, a large amount of Western literature and Western ideas entered Japan.

Although Japan has a large amount of ancient literature, it is a fact that it has been influenced by Western thoughts in modern times.

Someone in the audience frowned uncomfortably.

It is inevitable that the development of a country's culture and literature will be influenced by other countries. The key is to maintain its own characteristics in the process.

This characteristic can be traditional culture, national customs, or even the way of thinking that Japan's long history has brought to the people.

"I want to discuss whether Japan has been influenced by Western ideas and has lost its own uniqueness."

Longchuan Che tapped with his fingers. He could already see many people moving their bodies uncomfortably.

Today’s main content.

Does The Tale of Genji need to be retranslated?

Many people refute from a historical perspective or from a perspective that the translator cannot understand.

But what Ryukawa Toru meant was...

“Even if The Tale of Genji had not been retranslated, Japan would have long lost its cultural heritage and literary identity.”

Long Chuan Che's words shocked the world.

Many people looked at him with red faces.

It is true that Japan has been influenced by the West in recent years, but it is too much for Ryukawa Toru to say that the country has lost its national characteristics.

"The smoke from Mount Immortal rises every year, and The Pillow Book and The Tale of Genji have been circulated in this country. What right do you have to say that literature has fallen?"

Mishima Tsukasa stood up in anger. He didn't expect that Ryukawa Toru stood on the American side.

However, literature has lost its voice and culture has been interrupted.

This is an accusation that every top writer cannot stand.

The best representation of a country's culture is nothing more than its classic works.

They are also the ones who continue the inheritance.

Longchuan Che tilted his head towards the other party.

“Please list the literary works in modern history that best represent traditional Japanese culture.”

Both "The Tale of Genji" and "The Pillow Book" expressed the traditional Japanese aesthetics of mono no aware in the same era.

Mishima Tsukasa was about to open his mouth when questioned by Ryuukawa Toru.

He thought about giving Longchuan Che a good talk or two to slap him in the face.

But after thinking about it, he suddenly turned pale.

There were bursts of rain outside.

The professor of Oriental history felt cold all over.

There was only one reason why he lost his voice.

Ryukawa Toru asked him to name a work in modern literary history that can reflect the essence of the Japanese nation.

He thought about it.

There is only one...

It was a world covered with snow.

It seems to be called...

"Snow Country"

(End of this chapter)