About us
contact details
Catalogue
business & economics
cultural studies
fiction
history
languages & linguistics
literary studies
natural history/environment
politics & international affairs
religion & philosophy
visual arts
Ordering
trade terms
contacts
Participating publishers
.
|
|
Kukai the Universal
Scenes from His Life
by Shiba Ryotaro, translated by Takemoto Akiko
|
 |
This is the first comprehensive biography of Japan’s
cultural founder and ancient genius to be published in 30 years. Kukai
was a visionary Japanese monk of the ninth century whose profound
influence touched every aspect of Japan’s civilization. Known as the
father of Japanese culture, he invented the kana syllabary, the basis of
Japanese written language forms; was the originator of the pilgrimage
circuit of 88 temples in Shikoku; a builder of lakes; a poet,
calligrapher and sculptor; and the lexicographer who compiled the oldest
extant dictionary. He was also the founder of the oldest school in
Japan. Kukai is undoubtedly the greatest figure in Japan’s history,
creating the very fundamentals of its national culture. For this he was
honored as a saint, under the name of Kobo Daishi. The author, Shiba
Ryotaro (1923-1996), was a highly respected historical novelist and
critic with a unique viewpoint. He wrote 57 novels and numerous
critiques on Japanese and Asian civilization, all of which have a wide
audience in Japan. Ryotaro spent over ten years on this visualization of
the life and philosophy of Kukai, a gifted cosmopolitan whose genius can
be compared to that of Leonardo da Vinci. Kukai the Universal earned
Ryotaro the Imperial Award of the Japan Academy in 1976. He was also
awarded the prestigious Naoki Prize for one of his earliest novels
(1960) and the Order of Culture for his life achievements (1993).
Published by ICG-Muse, Inc.
Published 2003, 352 pp.
ISBN 4 925080 47 4, hardback, £19.99
|
