Classical Japanese Reader and Essential Dictionary

In 2005, the celebrated scholar of Japanese literature Haruo Shirane published Classical Japanese: A Grammar. Now, with Classical Japanese Reader and Essential Dictionary, he completes his two-volume textbook for learning classical, or literary, Japanese& mdash;the primary written language in Japan from the seventh to the mid-twentieth century. The text contains carefully selected readings that address a wide array of grammatical concerns and that steadily progress from easy to difficult. The selections encompass a wide range of historical periods and styles, including essays, fiction, and poetry from such noted works as The Tale of Genji, The Tales of Ise, The Pillow Book, The Tales of the Heike, and Essays in Idleness, and such authors as Ihara Saikaku, Matsuo Basho, Ueda Akinari, Motoori Norinaga, and Fukuzawa Yukichi. Each reading is accompanied by a short English introduction, a vocabulary list, and extensive grammatical notes, and ends with a comprehensive grammatical annotation.

Contains selected readings that address an array of grammatical concerns in Japanese. This book features approximately 2,500 key words, highlighting those used most frequently. It is suitable for students, scholars, and translators of classical Japanese.

PrefaceAcknowledgmentsMajor Historical PeriodsRomanizationGrammatical Terms and AbbreviationsPart I. Base Texts 1. An Account of a Ten-foot-square Hut2. The Tale of the Bamboo CutterPart II. Heian Period 3. The Tales of Ise4. The Pillow Book5. The Tale of Genji6. Sarashina Diary7. Collection of Tales of Times Now PastPart III. Kamakura Period 8. Hundred Poets, Hundred Poems9. Collection of Tales from Uji10. The Tales of the Heike11. Essays in IdlenessPart IV. Edo/Tokugawa Period 12. Japan's Eternal Storehouse13. Narrow Road to the Deep North14. Tales of Moonlight and Rain15. The Tale of Genji, a Small Jeweled CombPart V. Meiji Period 16. Encouragement of LearningPart VI. Nara Period 17. Collection of Ten Thousand LeavesEssential Dictionary