XPost: alt.language.latin, alt.usage.english, alt.english.usage
On 3/21/2024 7:02 PM, HenHanna wrote:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanbun
The analogy between Kanbun in Japan and Roman adoption of Greek gods and epics is partially accurate. Here's a breakdown of the similarities and differences:
Similarities:
-- Cultural Borrowing: Both represent the adoption of cultural
elements from a more developed civilization. Just as Rome borrowed
heavily from Greek mythology and literature, Japan incorporated elements
of Chinese writing and literature into their own culture through Kanbun.
Differences:
-- Extent of Borrowing: Roman adoption of Greek gods was a
more direct translation and incorporation into their own pantheon.
In contrast, Kanbun wasn't a translation of
Chinese literature, but a specific writing system used to read and write classical Chinese.
-- Purpose: The Romans adopted Greek elements to
enrich their own culture and legitimize their growing power.
Kanbun, on the other hand, served a more practical purpose. It provided access to a vast body of Chinese literature, philosophy, and political thought, essential for education and governance in Japan.
A more fitting comparison for Kanbun might be the use of Latin in
medieval Europe. Just like Kanbun, Latin was a writing system used by scholars and the elite to access a vast body of knowledge written in a different language (Classical Latin in this case).
______________________________________
Decline of Kanbun: Kanbun's usage declined significantly in the 19th century with the rise of vernacular Japanese writing (Wabun).
Modern Japanese writing relies solely on the Japanese writing system and doesn't require knowledge of classical Chinese.
____________________________________________________
Finding an exact parallel to Kanbun outside of Japan is difficult
because the specific context of Chinese cultural dominance in East Asia doesn't have a complete mirror image.
However, there are a few historical practices that share some similarities:
-- Latin in Medieval Europe:
As mentioned earlier, Latin served a similar role as Kanbun
in providing access to a vast body of knowledge (religious texts,
philosophy, scientific works) written in a different language (Classical Latin) for scholars and the elite.
While Latin wasn't entirely replaced by vernacular languages, its
dominance waned significantly with the rise of national identities and printing presses in the Renaissance.
______________the last time someone famous wrote in Kanbun was Soseki.
The statement "the last time someone famous wrote in Kanbun was Soseki"
is a good starting point, but it's not entirely accurate. Here's a more
nuanced take:
Soseki's Use of Kanbun: Natsume Sōseki (1867-1916) was a famous Japanese author who did occasionally incorporate Kanbun (classical
literary Chinese) into his writing. However, by his time, Kanbun
was already in decline as a primary writing style.
Kanbun's Decline: The influence of Kanbun began to wane in
the late Edo period (1603-1868) with the rise of vernacular Japanese
writing styles like Genbun itchi (writing in the same way one speaks).
This trend continued in the Meiji period (1868-1912) where Sōseki lived.
Famous Writers After Soseki: While there might not be a single,
widely famous writer after Soseki who exclusively wrote in Kanbun,
scholars and academics likely continued to utilize it for specific purposes.
Additionally, some traditional Japanese art forms, like calligraphy, might still incorporate Kanbun characters.
___________Overall:
Sōseki's use of Kanbun reflects its declining role in Japanese
literature by the early 20th century.
Famous writers after Soseki likely wouldn't write entire works in
Kanbun, but its influence might still be seen in specific contexts.
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