The Tale of Times Past (Complete Three Volumes)

Author: Translated by Beijing Translation Society
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-09-01
Features: A collection of folk tales from the late period of the (Japan). It consists of thirty-one volumes. Volumes 1 to 5 are the part about India (Tianzhu), Volumes 6 to 10 are the part about China (Zhenchan), and Volumes 11 to 31 are the part about Japan (this country). In total, there are over a thousand stories. The content includes Buddhist stories and secular stories. The former explain the merits of Buddhist belief, while the latter narrate anecdotes of historical figures, as well as moral tales of filial sons and heroic women. Additionally, there are various legendary stories about literature, love, living beings, monsters, foxes, immortals, thieves, and more. Each story contains a moral lesson for daily life. Since each volume begins with the words "Jinxi" (Now and Then), the book is titled Jinxi Muyu. Jinxi Muyu is comparable to Gengshi Monogatari and is both listed as a representative of Japanese classical literature. This translation was done by Beijing Translation Society in the 1950s and 1960s, and was revised by Zhou Zuoren over two years. Some story prototypes can be found in the murals and fragments along the Silk Road. Many stories take place in ancient China, while others come from Persia, Arabia, Greece, Rome, and other countries. Therefore, it holds value in the field of comparative world literature.