"Burton Watson is one of the premier translators of both Chinese and Japanese literature and history. His rendering into English of selected passages from The Tales of the Heike is a great boon for those of us in medieval Japanese studies. The translation provides an exciting new look at this famous tale of warrior and courtier life in late twelfth-century Japan."
-Paul Varley, Professor Emeritus, Columbia University and Sen Soshitsu XV Professor Emeritus, University of Hawaii
"Burton Watson has, at last, given us an English version of this stirring tale of glory gained and lost that is both accurate and reader-friendly. In turn poignant, elegant or brisk, his translation strikes the appropriate note in each of the varied anecdotes that comprise the work. The abridgement retains all the most memorable scenes and the complicated subplots, and the glossary of characters is an extremely thorough and welcome reference tool. The result is that great clarity has been brought to a text of daunting complexity. "
-Margaret H. Childs, University of Kansas
"This new abridged translation of Tales of the Heike is one of the most approachable versions of this classic war tale; it retains the sense of sweep and grandeur of the original and includes extensive and valuable reference materials."
-H. Mack Horton, University of California, Berkeley
The Tales of the Heike is one of the most important works in Japanese literature, second only to The Tale of Genji in its influence. Originally written in the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries, it re-creates the story of the epic civil war that changed the course of Japanese history. This new, abridged translation of The Tales of the Heike includes the work's most memorable episodes. Burton Watson, a renowned translator of Japanese literature, offers a remarkably clear and gripping rendering of the text.
The Tales of the Heike focuses on the lives of the samurai warriors who fought for two great twelfth-century Japanese clans: the Heike (Taira) and the Genji (Minamoto). It takes the reader from the fury of the battlefields to the intrigue of the imperial court. A cast of vivid characters fills the pages of The Tales of the Heike, including enlightened soldiers, ambitious clan leaders, and a retired emperor who continues to wield his influence. The narrative also recounts the stories of women, Buddhists priests, and other non-samurai characters. Although a military epic, The Tales of the Heike has strong Buddhist overtones and offers explorations of the impermanence of time, the sin of pride, and other philosophical issues that have dominated the Japanese imagination.
Without sacrificing attention to the nuances of the work, Watson provides a version of The Tales of the Heike that is far more accessible to the general reader than previous translations. This edition also contains a critical introduction, mini-introductions to the book's sections, woodblock illustrations, and a character glossary.
Contents
Preface and Acknowledgments
Introduction
Book One
Book Two
Book Three
Book Four
Book Five
Book Six
Book Seven
Book Eight
Book Nine
Book Ten
Book Eleven
Book Twelve
The Initiates' Book
Glossary of Characters
Bibliography
-Paul Varley, Professor Emeritus, Columbia University and Sen Soshitsu XV Professor Emeritus, University of Hawaii
"Burton Watson has, at last, given us an English version of this stirring tale of glory gained and lost that is both accurate and reader-friendly. In turn poignant, elegant or brisk, his translation strikes the appropriate note in each of the varied anecdotes that comprise the work. The abridgement retains all the most memorable scenes and the complicated subplots, and the glossary of characters is an extremely thorough and welcome reference tool. The result is that great clarity has been brought to a text of daunting complexity. "
-Margaret H. Childs, University of Kansas
"This new abridged translation of Tales of the Heike is one of the most approachable versions of this classic war tale; it retains the sense of sweep and grandeur of the original and includes extensive and valuable reference materials."
-H. Mack Horton, University of California, Berkeley
The Tales of the Heike is one of the most important works in Japanese literature, second only to The Tale of Genji in its influence. Originally written in the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries, it re-creates the story of the epic civil war that changed the course of Japanese history. This new, abridged translation of The Tales of the Heike includes the work's most memorable episodes. Burton Watson, a renowned translator of Japanese literature, offers a remarkably clear and gripping rendering of the text.
The Tales of the Heike focuses on the lives of the samurai warriors who fought for two great twelfth-century Japanese clans: the Heike (Taira) and the Genji (Minamoto). It takes the reader from the fury of the battlefields to the intrigue of the imperial court. A cast of vivid characters fills the pages of The Tales of the Heike, including enlightened soldiers, ambitious clan leaders, and a retired emperor who continues to wield his influence. The narrative also recounts the stories of women, Buddhists priests, and other non-samurai characters. Although a military epic, The Tales of the Heike has strong Buddhist overtones and offers explorations of the impermanence of time, the sin of pride, and other philosophical issues that have dominated the Japanese imagination.
Without sacrificing attention to the nuances of the work, Watson provides a version of The Tales of the Heike that is far more accessible to the general reader than previous translations. This edition also contains a critical introduction, mini-introductions to the book's sections, woodblock illustrations, and a character glossary.
Contents
Preface and Acknowledgments
Introduction
Book One
Book Two
Book Three
Book Four
Book Five
Book Six
Book Seven
Book Eight
Book Nine
Book Ten
Book Eleven
Book Twelve
The Initiates' Book
Glossary of Characters
Bibliography