無常観 "mu jou kan"
Mu 無 nothing
Jou 常 eternal
Kan 観
"Everything is not eternal."
It is said that this concept represents the philosophy of Japanese culture.
However, we have not been conscious of this concept in our daily life.
Japanese Children learn this word from the classical literature, called
Heike monogatari = Heike story. It was written in Kamakura period.
It's about 1000 years ago.
The story is about Samurai family named Heike who were destroyed by the other Samurai
family, Genji.
Heike used to be very strong. They had a power in the government of those period.
However, Heike was destroyed. Their proprieties did not last for a long time.
It is exactly "Mu jou 無常".
I have heard the European philosopher's word. "everything flows"
It seems that the word tells us the same kind of idea.
I don't know if it's exactly the same though.
I think people in Europe tend to think logically than an oriental.
So, I guess each idea was not concluded in the same process.
3 comments:
Some time ago, I watched an old movie where a blind man was playing shamisen and singing a song. The song was a tale about an old sea battle between two famous rival clans and at the end one clam was completely wiped away - also the young child that was the heir of the clan. I think the song was about the final battle between the clams that you mention, but I am not sure - I can't find the movie now ... but you are right - nothing lasts for ever.
I am curious to find out what children study in their history classes and in the Japanese literature classes. Do you know about some website that has like a list of books that the school children in Japan have to read while in school?
Shantal ForSD
The blind man is called "Biwa
houshi". It is said he told the story of Heike story I mentioned.
Biwa is an instrument of those
days.
In junior high school, children
learn classical literature like
below.
Taketori story (I mentioned on the origin of the name of Mt.Fuji)
Tsurezure gusa (famous essey)
Heike story (you mentioned)
Makurano soushi 枕草子(famous essey)
I will tell more later.
The works are all famous. The
Ministry of Education in Japan
woud assign to learn them
because they think they are the
cultures we should know as Japanese.
However, I guess most of people
forget when we become adult.^^;
Oh, thank you very much for this information. I'll look up the esseys and read them - I also believe that its important to read the old classics in order to get an idea of the culture.
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