カテゴリ:life

the Tale of Genji

Statue of Lady Murasaki with her novel written on rolled-paper

Have you ever heard of The Tale of Genji? It is one of the world's oldest full-length novels, written around 1005. A court lady named Murasaki-Shikibu, or Lady Murasaki was the author. It describes hosts of love stories involving Hikaru-Genji, a nobleman in the gorgeous Heian Dynasty. In Japan, this literary work is considered a masterpiece of Japanese classic.
But! A foreign friend read it in English and said, "It's a sensual novel in a refined and dignified style! It's great and incredible!" Mmm... Very new perspective! But you might say so. Too many romances for one man!