Lesson plan
Chiteiki
Chiteiki (池亭記) is a classic work of Japanese non-fiction literature written during the late tenth century by Yoshishige no Yasutane 慶滋保胤 ( – 1002). Composed in , Chiteiki is considered a foundational example of recluse writing known as . The style belongs to a genre called , which might be compared to the writing style of a diary or modern blog for its loosely connected, "train of thought" character. Chiteiki recapitulates conventional Chinese-Confucian narratives about the scholar-official who longs for a life of solitude away from the duty and dross of the city. Although the prose bears the imprints of Chinese antecedents, the aesthetics of Chiteiki are unmistakably Japanese. Indeed, the work establishes a set of domestic tropes related to renunciation that permeates later Japanese writings. Chief among them is the house, which stands as a metaphor for worldly attachment. The title of Yasutane's work itself, Chiteiki, means "records of a pond pavilion." By narrating the construction of what to him was a simple dwelling and recognizing the folly of his fixation on it, Yasutane placed the house at the center of future discourses on solitude. For all its literary value, Chiteiki also enjoys a high profile as a historical source.…
Article summary
Chiteiki (池亭記) is a classic work of Japanese non-fiction literature written during the late tenth century by Yoshishige no Yasutane 慶滋保胤 ( – 1002). Composed in , Chiteiki is considered a foundational example of recluse writing known as . The style belongs to a genre called , which might be compared to the writing style of a diary or modern blog for its loosely connected, "train of thought" character. Chiteiki recapitulates conventional Chinese-Confucian narratives about the scholar-official who longs for a life of solitude away from the duty and dross of the city. Although the prose bears the imprints of Chinese antecedents, the aesthetics of Chiteiki are unmistakably Japanese. Indeed, the work establishes a set of domestic tropes related to renunciation that permeates later Japanese writings. Chief among them is the house, which stands as a metaphor for worldly attachment. The title of Yasutane's work itself, Chiteiki, means "records of a pond pavilion." By narrating the construction of what to him was a simple dwelling and recognizing the folly of his fixation on it, Yasutane placed the house at the center of future discourses on solitude. For all its literary value, Chiteiki also enjoys a high profile as a historical source.…
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Discussion questions
- Summarise the article in your own words. Which single claim would you verify first, and why?
- Which claim in this article is most likely to be revised as the sources update? How would you check its current status?
- If two sources disagreed about one of these facts, what would you need in order to trust one over the other?
Bibliography
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Key claims and bibliography are generated from the same tracked claims and sources as the article page.