University of Hawaii Press Varley: Warriors of Japan Paper: As Portrayed in the War Tales

A leading cultural historian of premodern Japan draws a rich portrait of the emerging samurai culture as it is portrayed in gunki-mono, or war tales, examining eight major works spanning the mid-tenth to late fourteenth centuries. Although many of the major war tales have been translated into English, Warriors of Japan is the first book-length study of the tales and their place in Japanese history. The war tales are one of the most important sources of knowledge about Japan's premodern warriors, revealing much about the medieval psyche and the evolving perceptions of warriors, warfare, and warrior customs. Review "A rich tapestry which provides many insights into warrior life in the Japanese middle ages. Students will learn a lot from this fine book."" --Royal Asiatic Society Journal Synopsis The war tales (gunki-mono) of Japan recount the stories of warriors and their battles from the tenth century, when a warrior class first emerged in the provinces in Japan, until the 17th century. A blend of history and fiction, the war tales are one of the most important sources of knowledge about Japan's premodern warriors. In this text Paul Varley, a leading cultural historian of premodern Japan, draws a portrait of warrior life and society in ancient and early medieval times. Among the tales he analyzes are "Heike Monogatari" (Tale of the Heike), a masterpiece of Japanese literature that describes the rise of warriors to national power in the late 12th-century, and "Taiheiki" (Chronicle of Great Peace), a 14th-century chronicle that relates more than 50 years of conflict in a time of dynastic rivarly within the Japanese imperial house. Analysis of each tale is preceded by a discussion of its historical background and probable origins and means of composition. From the Back Cover The war tales (gunki-mono) of Japan recount the stories of warriors and their battles from the tenth century, when a warrior class first emerged in the provinces of Japan, until the seventeenth century. A blend of history and fiction, the war tales are one of the most important sources of knowledge about Japan's premodern warriors. In Warriors of Japan a leading cultural historian of premodern Japan draws a rich portrait of warrior life and society in ancient and early medieval times. Through this study, the reader enters the lives of the warriors, observing how they fought, what they believed, what their weapons, armor, and other battle accoutrements were, what customs and personal relationships governed their lives, who their heroes were. Although many of the major war tales have been translated into English, Warriors of Japan is the first book-length study of the tales and their place in Japanese history. It is a major contribution to the cultural history of the ancient and medieval periods, revealing much about the medieval psyche and the evolving perceptions of warriors, warfare, and warrior customs. Readable as well as scholarly, Warriors of Japan will appeal to the general reader with an interest in Japan as well as to Japan specialists, teachers, and students. About the Author Paul Varley is emeritus professor at Columbia University and Sen Soshitsu XV Professor of Japanese Cultural History at the University of Hawai'i.