G450 Book Review of The Kojiki: Recods of Ancient Matters by Yasumaro
Title of the book: The Kojiki; Records of Ancient Matters Author: Yasunaro/ Translated by Basil Hall Chamberlain Publisher: Tuttle Publishing Date: 700s/1981 ISBN: 978-0-8048-3675-3 Summary: Written by imperial command in the eighth century, the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters) is Japan's classic of classics, the oldest connected literary work and the fundamental scripture of Shinto. Accepted as fact until quite recently, it is a key to the historical roots of the Japanese people-their early life and the development of their character and institutions-as well as a lively mixture of legend and history, genealogy, and poetry. It stands as one of the greatest monuments of Japanese literature because it preserves more faithfully than any other book the mythology, manners, language and traditions of Japan. It provides, furthermore, a vivid account of a nation in the making. The work opens "when chaos had begun to condense, but force and form were not yet manifest...