Rant Selection

Author: Zhou Zuoren
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-01-01
Features: "Kyōgen" is a medieval Japanese folk comedy. This period corresponds to the Ming and Qing dynasties in China, the late 14th to the 16th century, which is precisely the era of the European Renaissance. In Japanese history, this was the middle period of the seven hundred years of samurai rule, between the Kamakura and Tokugawa shogunates. The Ashikaga clan held hereditary military rule, with the shogunate established in Muromachi, hence the name Muromachi period. The literature of this era is generally referred to as samurai literature. Kyōgen shares the same origin as "Kabuki," so it is also called "Kabuki Kyōgen." Traditionally, it is performed between two tragedies during Kabuki performances, not only allowing the Kabuki protagonist to change costumes but also preventing the audience from becoming bored. Folk tales and jokes in Japan developed into "Rakugo," and both flourished early. Many kyōgen plays draw their material from this tradition. The works collected in this book, such as "The Three Disabled," "Man Turns into Horse," "Aconite," "Fox Cave," "Bones and Skin," "Kōdō Dang," and "Yōrei Water," may all belong to this category. The essence of kyōgen is humor, but it is arranged with great skill, avoiding vulgarity, and rarely contains erotic elements. The legitimate interliterary form is robust, making this a fine example.