The Old Capital Of Yasunari Kawabata And Inheritance Of Japanese Culture

Yasunari Kawabata called The Old Capital the product of his ideologicalalienation, which told a group of Kyoto people’s pains and joys in changingtimes as well as expressed his regret of the traditional features that were thenbeing lost in the ancient capital and his concerns about the city’s futuredevelopment trends. Yasunari Kawabata was good at fusing of nationality,internationality and sense of the times together in his work. Therefore, inKawabata’s literature, Japanese tradition, Japanese history, Japanese culturalaccumulation and Japanese aesthetic consciousness can be all captured throughhis keen senses. This topic is very much worthy studying and thinking.Firstly, by understanding of the character dispositions, interweaved familyaffection and friendship and love, symbolic significance of Kyoto and traditionalold capital culture in The Old Capital, this paper will try to analyze the author’sdetermination of inheriting Japanese classical culture and the culturalconnotations of this millennial ancient capital. The part of introduction willclarify the study purpose and significance of this paper. On the basis of collectingand consulting many-sided data, this paper clarifies Japanese scholars’ researchstatus of Kawabata and his works, and discusses the overall research program ofthis paper by using research methods of comparative analysis, listing examplesand so on.Secondly, on the basis of adequate investigation and research of relevanthistorical materials, this paper explores the historical background and hisintention of writing The Old Capital. As one of the representative works ofpostwar literature, The Old Capital necessarily was closely related to a series ofchanges after Japan’s defeat. During his writing, Kawabata’s body condition wasvery bad with drug addiction, and he had to rely on a large number of sleepingpills to sleep every day. So he ridiculed himself:“The Old Capital is my abnormal product.” Then around the novel gist, this paper analyzes theoutstanding methods and features of characters depiction.Thirdly, the rich cultural heritage of Japan was an organic soil for YasunariKawabata‘s literary creation. The Old Capital not only reflected the Japaneseadvocation of nature, but also showed their sentimentality towards seasonalchange and a sense of impermanence. Through his delicate style of writing, theauthor described his familiar and beloved Japanese traditional culture to arousecountrymen’s resonance for traditional cultural renaissance.Fourthly, The Old Capital showed Kyoto people’s state of life in thetransitional period. After the changes of times, that kind of plain kindness hadnever changed. On one hand, Kawabata highly praised the quiet and ancientcharm of Kyoto. On the other hand, he revealed the unsophisticated Japanese-style love in this old city. The kind of sincere affection and pure love in The OldCapital was just the dream and pursuit of Kawabata’s whole life and the strongemotions were flowing slowly in old and sad Kyoto, which was also the author’sunique application of realistic means.Fifthly, this paper particularly expounded Kyoto which has been calledspirit’s homeland by Japanese, from the three aspects of cultural origin,traditional customs and new changes produced by the collision of Eastern andWestern cultures. The part of conclusion will summarize main points. This papercomprehensively discusses Kawabata’s recognition of the relationship betweenthe inheritance of Japanese national culture and the absorption of Western literarynutrition, pointing out that those parts not involved in this paper or incompletewill be further studied as topics in future.