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These flashcards cover the major dynasties, literary works, influential authors, and defining characteristics of Chinese, Indian, and Japanese literature as presented in the lecture notes.
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What countries are primarily studied under Asian literature according to the notes?
China, India, Japan, and other small surrounding nations.
Which Chinese dynasty is regarded as one of the world’s oldest civilizations, dating back to about 1765 B.C.?
The Shang Dynasty.
By what nickname is China often referred to in the notes?
“The Red Dragon.”
Which Chinese dynasty (1122 – 256 B.C.) fostered great intellectual activity and saw the rise of Confucianism, Taoism, and Legalism?
The Chou (Zhou) Dynasty.
Which dynasty replaced Legalism with Confucianism while strengthening China’s bureaucracy?
The Han Dynasty.
Name the five Chinese classics traditionally attributed to Confucius’s era.
Book of Changes, Book of History, Book of Rites, Book of Odes, Spring and Autumn Annals.
Which classic is also called the I Ching and is used for divination with hexagrams?
The Classic of Changes (Yijing).
Which classic contains 305 poems that reveal ancient Chinese customs and emotions?
The Classic of Poetry (Shijing / Book of Odes).
Which classic provides accounts of early Chinese rulers and is considered the oldest narrative prose?
The Classic of History (Shujing).
Which classic outlines ancient rituals and social norms, guiding proper conduct?
The Classic of Rites (Liji).
Which classic chronicles events in the State of Lu between 722 – 481 B.C.?
Spring and Autumn Annals (Chunqiu).
What is Confucius’s Chinese name, and what do its parts signify?
Kung Fu-tze: Kung (family name), Fu (revered), tze (teacher).
Which 8th-century Chinese poet celebrated love, friendship, wine, and nature in vivid verse?
Li Po (Li Tai Po).
Which Chinese poet (722 – 846) is noted for representing classical tradition, politics, and morality?
Po Chu-I.
By what phrase is India described in the lecture notes?
“Land of prayer.”
What dominant characteristic underlies most Indian literature?
A spirit of piety and deep religious feeling.
Who were the earliest known inhabitants of India, dating to roughly 3000 – 2500 B.C.?
The Dravidians.
What does the word “Sanskrit” literally mean?
Cultivated or perfected.
What collection is regarded as the ‘Bible of the Indians’?
The Vedas.
Which Veda consists of hymns praising the gods, comparable to Old Testament Psalms?
Rig-Veda.
What are the Upanishads primarily composed of?
Sketches, explanations, and critical comments on the religious ideas suggested by the Rig-Veda.
Name the two great Indian epics and briefly state the focus of each.
Ramayana – recounts Vishnu’s incarnation as Rama; Mahabharata – centers on Vishnu’s incarnation as Krishna and is India’s greatest epic.
What term is used for the incarnations of Vishnu in Hindu belief?
Avatars.
Who is considered the first great name in Indian drama, with 13 plays attributed to him?
Bhasa.
Which playwright, called the brightest of the ‘nine gems of genius,’ wrote Shakuntala?
Kalidasa.
What is the central plot of Kalidasa’s play Shakuntala?
A king meets and falls in love with the maiden Shakuntala while hunting in the woods.
Which ancient Indian work is said to contain the world’s earliest fables involving talking animals?
The Panchatantra.
Which Indian writer received the 1913 Nobel Prize for Literature and was knighted in 1915?
Rabindranath Tagore.
What is Japan often called, reflecting its eastern location?
“The Land of the Rising Sun.”
Name the two earliest Japanese historical works (with their dates).
Kojiki – Records of Ancient Matters (A.D. 712) and Nihongi – Chronicles of Japan (A.D. 720).
How many characters are in Japan’s basic Katakana syllabary?
47 characters.
List the three traditional types of Japanese drama.
Noh, Joruri (puppet play), and Kabuki.
Which form of Japanese theater is considered the national theater and noted for its highly stylized performance?
Noh play.
In which Japanese drama are life-size, expertly manipulated puppets used?
Joruri or puppet (doll) theater.
Which Japanese drama is more realistic and popular with the masses?
Kabuki play.
What is the oldest existing collection of Japanese poetry, compiled around A.D. 800?
Manyo Shu (Collection of Myriad Leaves).
Define a haiku’s structure.
A 17-syllable poem in three lines of 5-7-5 syllables.
Define a tanka’s structure.
A 31-syllable poem in five lines; pattern: 5-7-5-7-7 syllables.
Who said, “Literature is a comprehensive essence of the intellectual life of a nation”?
William Shakespeare (quoted in the notes).