Kidentai

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Kidentai ( Japanese 紀 伝 体 , German "biographical historiography") describes a form of East Asian historiography which, in contrast to the chronological order ( 編 年 体 , hennentai , annalistic ), is based on the biographies of historical personalities.

As such, it is primarily a structural element of historiography, i.e. not fictional writings. As a structural element, however, the kidentai style is also a feature of historical narratives ( rekishi monogatari ) of Japan. The monogatari literature has had a lasting effect on historiography in Japan and, according to Jürgen Bernd, contributed to the emergence of an independent literary language independent of China. The chronological and biographical order is completed by a third type of historiography, the thematically structured annals ( 紀事 本末 体 , kiji honmatsutai ).

to form

Hongi ( 本 紀 )
chronologically records events and incidents related to a Tennō or ruling family. An example is the Kōso honki (eight maki ) of the Chinese historical work Shiji .
Seika ( 世家 )
In contrast to the honki, the Seika includes events that affect the feudal princes (such as the daimyō ). Examples are the records of the state of Zhao ( 趙 世家 , chōseika ) or the records of Confucius in Shiji .
Retsuden ( 列 伝 )
records the life of a single person, mostly a civil servant and, in this context, often also the manners and customs of foreign peoples.
Shi ( 志 )
historical record on astronomy, geography, institutions, rites and music divided into subject areas.
Hyō ( 表 )
different types of chronological tables covering a year or month.
Saiki ( 載 記 )
Records of independent domains and powers in different regions. They are similar to the seika in that they also report on feudal lords who presumed the Tennō's claim to power, but differ in that they also deal with numerous heroes from armed conflicts and the origins of the conflict. First used in Jin Shu .
Shushishō ( 修 史 詔 )
In Shushishō, imperial edicts are compiled or copies of documents that were made on imperial edict are collected.
Shii ( 四夷 )
As a historical record of individuals from foreign peoples, it has a certain independence in relation to the forms listed.
Kokugokai ( 国語 解 )
Presentation of foreign dynasties and the peculiarities of foreign languages ​​with attached explanations; Example: Liao Shi ( 遼 史 , story of Liao ).

Mark

In contrast to the "Annalistik", the hennentai , which chronologically records the information on countries and persons, the "biographical historiography" ( kidentai ) is characterized by repetitions and redundancies. However, this property makes them easier to understand. Due to the spring and autumn annals ( Chinese  春秋 , Pinyin Chūnqiū ), the chronologically sorted annals were initially used in China. This changed in favor of the kidentai with the Shiji of the Chinese historian Sima Qian . The 24 dynasty stories, for example, use the kidentai style, as does the Japanese historical work Dainihon-shi ( 大 日本史 ).

In addition, there are also records in the “ kiji honmatsutai ” style, which, as “thematic annals”, present historical events narrating and with action. Records in kokushitai ( 国史体 ) deal exclusively with events specific to Japan and recorded in chronological order. From this form of historical record, the kanbunden ( 漢文 伝 ), the biographies written in Kanbun , developed.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b Bruno Lewin (Ed.): Small Lexicon of Japanology: To the cultural history of Japan . 3. Edition. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag, Wiesbaden 1995, ISBN 3-447-03668-0 ( limited preview in the Google book search [accessed on November 3, 2012]).
  2. ↑ 紀 伝 体 . In: デ ジ タ ル 版 日本人 名 大 辞典 + Plus at kotobank.jp. Retrieved November 3, 2012 (Japanese).

literature

  • Bruno Lewin (ed.): Small encyclopedia of Japanology: To the cultural history of Japan . 3. Edition. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag, Wiesbaden 1995, ISBN 3-447-03668-0 ( limited preview in the Google book search [accessed on November 3, 2012]).

Web links

  • 紀 伝 体 . 歴 史 Wiki,accessed December 24, 2012(Japanese).