Selected Fairy Tales of Kenji Miyazawa (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Yang Fenglian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-10-01
Features: Kenji Miyazawa, a Japanese poet and renowned children's story writer. He was a reclusive figure. If he was a children's story writer, then in his lifetime, he only self-published a collection of fairy tales, and not a single copy was sold. What he left behind were mostly unpublished manuscripts. Yet, this man gained an unexpected and immense reputation after his death. If you were to hear it, it might leave you speechless. Not to mention complete collections, there are hundreds of research (monographs) on his life and works. Some say that Miyazawa's death signified a great "birth." In other words, his literature was ignited by the fire of his physical life, giving birth to it. Miyazawa lived for only thirty-seven years, making him a tragic figure. Both he and his works were simple yet complex—he was not only a children's story writer but also a poet, a teacher, an agricultural reform advisor, and a compassionate seeker of truth. Indeed, it is difficult to give a clear definition of this "representative of Japan's national character." In Japan, the name Kenji Miyazawa is already household. In 2000, the Japanese Asahi Shimbun conducted a survey where readers voted freely for their "favorite Japanese (literary figure) of this millennium." Miyazawa ranked fourth, far surpassing Taizō Ishikawa, Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, Yasunari Kawabata, Yukio Mishima, Kōbō Abe, Kenzaburō ōe, and Haruki Murakami. 《》(The Cat Office) satirizes modern bureaucratic practices with anthropomorphic techniques, offering a glimpse into human nature. 《》(The Cellist Goro) explores the interaction between humans and animals through the story of a poor cellist. Goro, due to his poor playing skills, is often mocked. When he is practicing the cello, a group of animals come to seek his help. While he works hard to assist them, he also learns various playing techniques and methods from the animals, improving his own skills. This book is divided into two volumes and includes twenty-five of Miyazawa's works, providing a delightful reading experience for Japanese language enthusiasts.