• Journal of Korean Classical Literature and Education
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• no.39
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• pp.221-246
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• 2018

In this text, the author examines the aspects and characteristics of the three forms that were created and enjoyed when the upper-class nobles of Japan "combined(混淆)" waka(和歌) and Chinese poetry(漢詩) between the 10th and 17th centuries. The three forms are the "Collection of Japanese and Chinese poems for singing"(和漢朗詠), "A collection of Japanese and Chinese poems" (詩歌合), and the "Renku renga"(聯句連歌). "Collection of Japanese and Chinese poems for singing" appeared in the 10th century, "A collection of Japanese and Chinese poems" appeared in the 12th century, "Renku renga" appeared in the 14th century, and all three continued to influence the history of Japanese literature after that time. As the combination of literary Japanese and Chinese progressed, the gap between waka and Chinese poetry decreased until they finally combined to create a single work. That is, waka and Chinese poetry converged in one place in multiple ways: as a work that was appropriate to be recited("Collection of Japanese and Chinese poems for singing"), facing each other work against work in a competition("A collection of Japanese and Chinese poems"), and, in the end, they reached the point where they were interchangeable as lines making up long poems(長詩)("Renku renga"). The combination of literary Japanese and Chinese can be said to be the Japanese version of the common movement in East Asian literary history during the Middle Ages to make songs from one's own language flawless in Chinese poetry. Meanwhile, by examining the status changes that appeared as Chinese poetry paralleled, fought with, replaced, and combined with waka, we can find clues to explain the attitudes of the Japanese people on Chinese poetry during the period when the three forms existed, as well as the characteristics of Japanese Chinese poetry that appeared in response to that. The preferences not of "myself" but of the "audience," content and expressions that revere the period rather than the inner self of the poet, and the fact that it is a means for enjoyable pleasure rather than having the original characteristics of lyrical poetry for self-expression are all characteristics of Chinese poetry in Japan during the early and late Middle Ages period. These characteristics can be said to be the current that flows in the underbelly of the history of Chinese literature in Japan. This author believes that the key to discussing the history of Chinese literature in Japan during the Middle Ages period from the perspective of East Asian literary history can be found here.