Setsuwa is a Japanese literary genre consisting of myths, legends, folktales and anecdotes, its name meaning spoken story; a full length setsuwa is generally called a monogatari. Setsuwa divide broadly into Buddhist tales, often concerned with karmic retribution or miracles, and general tales that are secular or tied to Shinto belief. Many setsuwa collections were compiled by Buddhist monks during the Heian and Kamakura periods, the oldest being the Nihon Ryoiki of around 822, and the genre lasted into the early fourteenth century, when it was succeeded by the otogizoshi genre.
Facts
Place of OriginJapan; many setsuwa collections were compiled by Buddhist monks during the Heian and Kamakura periods, the oldest being the Nihon Ryōiki of around 822. 1 Notable ExampleThe Nihon Ryōiki (c. 822), compiled by the monk Kyōkai, the oldest known setsuwa collection, containing 116 stories across three volumes. 1 Defining TraitSetsuwa share brevity, an uncomplicated plot unfolded in plain, direct language, and character delineation through dialogue and action rather than through description and psychological analysis. 1 Sources
1. Setsuwa (Wikipedia)
Wikimedia FoundationLead section
have in common brevity; an uncomplicated plot unfolded in plain, direct language; character delineation through dialogue and action rather than through description and psychological analysis; and a predilection for amusing, startling, dramatic, or marvelous subject matter.
Notable examples section
Nihon Ryōiki was compiled in the early 9th century (Heian period) by the monk Kyōkai, and contains 116 stories split between three volumes as well as nine poems.
Lead section, paragraph 3
Many setsuwa collections were compiled during the Heian and Kamakura periods (8th-12th centuries, 12th-14th centuries).
View the Source Frequently Asked Questions
What is the oldest known setsuwa collection?
The Nihon Ryoiki of about 822.
The oldest known setsuwa collection is the Nihon Ryoiki, compiled in the early ninth century, around 822, during the Heian period by the monk Kyokai. It contains 116 stories divided among three volumes, along with nine poems.
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