Mumyozoshi

Mumyozoshi (Wu Ming Cao Zi ; literally "nameless book") is an early 13th-century Japanese text. One volume in length, it is the oldest existing Japanese text on prose literary criticism.^[1] The author is unknown, but the leading candidate proposed is Shunzei's Daughter.^[2] Other candidates who have been proposed include her maternal grandfather, Shunzei himself, and the monk Jogaku (Shang Jue ).^[3]

One manuscript gives the title as Kenkyu Monogatari (Jian Jiu Wu Yu ),^[1] a reference to the name of the era in which it was written. Composition occurred between 1200 and 1202.^[4]

The author is unknown. Hypotheses include Fujiwara no Shunzei (c. 1114 -1204); his granddaughter, often called "Shunzei's Daughter" (c. 1171 - 1252); Jokaku (1147-1226); and Shikishi Naishinno (1149-1201); but strongest support is for Shunzei's daughter.^[1][4]

The volume is composed of four distinct sections: a preface, literary criticism, poetic criticism, and a discussion on prominent literary women.

The preface introduces an 83-year-old woman on a trip. She stops to rest at a house, where she writes down the conversation of a group of women talking about literature, creating a frame tale excuse to write the volume. The frame tale itself has many elements from monogatari of the time.^[5]

The literary criticism covers 28 stories, including Genji Monogatari, Sagoromo Monogatari (ja), Yoru no Nezame, Hamamatsu Chunagon Monogatari, and Torikaebaya Monogatari. The others mostly do not exist anymore.^[1][4][6]

For poetic criticism, it covers Ise Monogatari, Yamato Monogatari, Man'yoshu, and private and imperial collections. The editor laments the lack of women compilers in the collections.^[1][4][6]

It then goes on to discuss the ability and upbringing of a number of prominent women: Ono no Komachi, Sei Shonagon, Izumi Shikibu, Akazome Emon, Murasaki Shikibu and others.^[1][4][6]

The text is particularly valuable as a resource, since it includes descriptions of a number of either completely or partially lost texts.^[1]

• Fuyo Wakashu, a collection of poetry from various literary sources, many of which are no longer extant

• Hayashiya, Tatsusaburo (1973). Nihon Shiso Taikei 23: Kodai Chusei Geijutsuron (in Japanese). Iwanami Shoten. ISBN 4-00-070023-5.
• Marra, Michele (1984). "Mumyozoshi: Introduction and Translation". Monumenta Nipponica. 39 (2): 115-145. doi:10.2307/2385013. JSTOR 2385013.
• Kubota, Jun (2007). Iwanami Nihon Koten Bungaku Jiten [Iwanami Dictionary of Japanese Classical Literature] (in Japanese). Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten. ISBN 978-4-00-080310-6. OCLC 122941872.
• Nihon Koten Bungaku Daijiten: Kan'yakuban [A Comprehensive Dictionary of Classical Japanese Literature: Concise Edition]. Tokyo: Iwanami Shoten. 1986. ISBN 4-00-080067-1. OCLC 22820487.

• Marra, Michele (translator) (Summer 1984). "Mumyozoshi. Introduction and Translation". Monumenta Nipponica. 39 (2). Sophia University: 115-145. doi:10.2307/2385013. JSTOR 2385013. {{cite journal}}: |first= has generic name (help)
• Marra, Michele (translator) (Autumn 1984). "Mumyozoshi, Part 2". Monumenta Nipponica. 39 (3). Sophia University: 281-305. doi:10.2307/2384595. JSTOR 2384595. {{cite journal}}: |first= has generic name (help)
• Marra, Michele (translator) (Winter 1984). "Mumyozoshi, Part 3". Monumenta Nipponica. 39 (4). Sophia University: 409-434. doi:10.2307/2384574. JSTOR 2384574. {{cite journal}}: |first= has generic name (help)

• Early Middle Japanese texts
• Monogatari
• Books of literary criticism
• Works of unknown authorship
• Japanese literary criticism

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Articles containing Japanese-language text
• CS1 Japanese-language sources (ja)
• CS1 errors: generic name