Enduring Japanese Prose Genres of the Heian Court Period [Prose: the ordinary form of spoken or written

language, without metrical structure, as distinguished from poetry or verse.]

Monogatari, narratives, tales, literally, stories told (4 main kinds)

*tsukuri monogatari, inventive tales, such as Taketori monogatari
the earliest extant monogatari of any kind. Highly fictionalized, often imaginative
stories, albeit with realistic details and psychological interest); some poems
interspersed
*uta monogatari, poem tales; stories about historical characters
at the center of which is a poem or several poems, the main point of interest;
Ise monogatari (anon.,) the earliest known poem tale
*rekishi monogatari, historical tales that are based on solid
historical or biographical anecdotes augmented by legendary lore and fictional enhancement; Eiga
Monogatari (Tales of Glory), the most famous example
*gunki mono(gatari), war tales, a genre of tale that arose in the 900s and
that documented real Jpns wars & uprisings, narrative embellished with
fictional details, legendary lore, and poetry; early ones written in Chinese.
Shomonki (940), Tale of Masakado, the first extant example; Heike monogatari (Tales of
Heike, ca 1370 in its latest ms. form), the finest example.
Nikki, Diaries (Japanese and Chinese types)
*Womens diaries written in the vernacular (Japanese language, with hiragana and kanji): so-called art
diaries, many contain portions that are fictionalized or invented for interest; poems included. Higher degree
of psychological realism and factuality in this genre than in the monogatari (generally speaking). Contains
essay-like material as well as some dated diary like notation; but no consistent date notation. Famous
examples: Kagero Nikki, the Gossamer Diary, first extant female nikki work. A rather more historically
reliable example is Lady Murasakis private diary, Murasaki Shikibu Nikki, 11th c. Although written by a
man, the Tosa Diary belongs to this art diary genre.
*Male courtier diaries, kuge nikki: written in variant Chinese, these are somewhat more utilitarian in origin
and tend to be factually accurate by and large; focus in on daily life and happenings in court, on the streets
of the capital, and in the diarists immediate family. Record national emergencies such as earthquakes,
famines, epidemics, and fires; crime and punishment as well. Kept private as part of the secret records of
the family. Few poems recorded. Early example: Midoo Kampaki, The Mido Regents Diary (belonging to
Fujiwara no Michinaga), tenth century; also Chuuyuuki (diary of Fujiwara no Munetada) in the e-res
materials.
Zuihitsu (Following the Pen) Essays
A third important court genre of vernacular (Japanese language) prose writing; journalistic essays and
comments, together with whimsical and sometimes humorous notations and lists about narrators
preferences and memorable occurrences. Poems are included. Considered to be factually accurate
sources that help us to reconstruct many aspects of court life and to better understand social change.
Famous classic examples: Sei Shoonagons Makura sooshi (The Pillow Book, early eleventh c.), said to be
the first zuihitsu, and Kamo no Choomeis Tsurezuregusa (Essays in Idleness, fourteenth c.)