Japanese Masterpiece Reading: Selected Fairy Tales of Kenji Miyazawa (Volumes 1 and 2)

Author: Yang Fenglian, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-10-01
Features: Kenji Miyazawa, a Japanese poet and renowned children's writer. He was a reclusive figure. If he was a children's writer, then in his lifetime, he published only one collection of fairy tales at his own expense, and not a single copy was sold. What he left behind were mostly unpublished manuscripts. Yet, this man gained unexpected and immense fame after his death. If you were to hear it, it might leave you speechless. Not to mention complete collections, there are hundreds of specialized studies 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 his works. 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 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 of the millennium." Miyazawa ranked fourth, far surpassing Taizō Ishikawa, Jun'ichirō Tanizaki, Yasunari Kawabata, Yukio Mishima, Kōbō Abe, Kenzaburō ōe, and Haruki Murakami. 《》 satirizes modern bureaucratic practices with a humanized approach, offering a glimpse into human nature. 《》 explores the interaction between humans and animals through the story of a poor violinist. Goro, due to his poor playing skills, was often mocked. When he was practicing the violin, a group of animals came to seek his help. While he worked hard to assist them, he also learned various playing techniques and methods from the animals, improving his own skills. This book is divided into two volumes and includes twenty-five works by Kenji Miyazawa, providing enjoyment and reading for Japanese language enthusiasts.