QUARTER 2

SLM
1

21st Century Literature

from the Philippines
and the World
ASIAN LITERATURE: CHINESE

Department of Education ● Republic of the Philippines

 ASIAN LITERATURE: CHINESE
What I Need to Know
In this module, you are going to write a close analysis and critical interpretation of literary texts and
doing an adaptation of these which require you the ability to:
In this lesson, you are going to:
A. Identify representative texts and authors from Asia, North America, Europe, Latin America,
and Africa; (EN12Lit-IIa-22)
B. Produce a creative representation of a literary text by applying multimedia and ICT skills;
(EN12Lit-IIij-31.1)
C. Do self- and/or peer-assessment of the creative adaptation of a literary text, based on
rationalized criteria, prior to presentation. (EN12Lit-IIij-31.3)

What I Know
Try your hand on the crossword puzzle. Which ones do you know about Chinese literature?

Across
1. Confucius is a famous ____ in
ancient Chinese history.
2. The mystic philosophy inspired by
Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu
3. oldest collection of Chinese poetry
5. Chinese literature has very
_____beginnings.
6. It is a series of rulers from the same
family
9. The poet who centers his works on
war and bitter experience.

Down

2. The great poets Li Po and Tu Fu became

popular during this dynasty.

4. He is Kung Fu Tzu, and he founded

Confucianism.

7. Who was the first writer in Chinese to

win Nobel Prize for literature?

8. Who is commonly considered the

greatest Chinese writer of the 20th century?
What’s In
Having probed the diversity and vast richness of Philippine literature – from the country’s pre-
colonial oral traditions to the literature at contemporary times, let us now explore the literature of other
countries across the globe and discover the uniqueness, distinction, and complexity of their literary
traditions. We will have a tour from one continent to another for us to appreciate the literature of each
region. Our exploration will start with our neighboring countries in Asia.
Asian regions that have produced literature through the ages include: East Asia (China, Japan,
Korea); South Asia (which includes India); Central Asia (Afghanistan, Kazakshtan, Turkmenistan,
Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Tibet, and Nepal); the Middle East; and Southeast Asia (which includes the
Philippines).
Modern influences on Asian literature include cultural movements, war and colonization, and
influence from the West. (Simoun Victor D. Redoblado, Brilliant Creations Publishing, Inc., 2017, 102-
105)

What Is It
Chinese literature began more than two thousand years ago, with The Book of Poetry (Shijing)
as its first anthology. This book, compiled sometime after 600 B.C. by Confucius (551–479 B.C.), is a
collection of 305 poems that date back to a period between approximately 800 and 600 B.C.
Among the rhetorical devices employed in this first poem of The Book of Poetry is the use of
metaphor — crying ospreys compared to the lord and lady, for instance.
Following The Book of Poetry, highlights of traditional Chinese literature include The Songs of
the South (Chuci); the prose writings in history and philosophy of the Qin and Han dynasties; Tang
poetry; the Song lyric; the prose of the Tang and Song dynasties; and the short stories, novels, and
dramas from the Tang to the Qing dynasties.
The modern period of Chinese literature, which began in the 1910s, is even more multifarious
and voluminous. Running the risk of abstraction and oversimplification, Chinese literature is
characterized as the expression of both the heart and the mind, as concerning the individual and society,
as variously sublime and graceful, and as blending reality and the imagination.
Traditional Chinese literature developed under the intellectual influences of Confucianism,
Daoism (Taoism), and Buddhism. Confucianism preaches benevolence, righteousness, individual
effort, commitment to society, and harmony among people.
Traditional Chinese literature came under the influence of Christianity in the Ming dynasty
(1368 – 1644), when Western missionaries made their way to China. As music is related to poetry,
traditional Chinese poetry was inevitably influenced by the music of the non-Chinese ethnic groups
who resided mostly on the Chinese borders. In general, traditional Chinese literature, though mainly a
product of Chinese civilization, has absorbed, in its course of development, certain elements from
cultures other than the Chinese.
Chinese literature in the twentieth century made a dramatic turn to the West. This change
affected not just literature but virtually all aspects of Chinese culture.
To be sure, twentieth-century Chinese literature has been receptive to the literary works of such
Eastern countries as India and Japan, but the presence of the West is quite overwhelming.
 In Modern times, Chinese writers have remained prolific. Though the social impact of literature
may be as monumental as it was in the past, the Chinese literary tradition is nevertheless prosperous.
Notable names include Mo Yan, a fictionist who won the 2012 Nobel Prize for Literature. Remarkable
too were the novels of Yu Hua, Wang Shuo and Shi Tiesheng, and the stories of Gao Xiaosheng, Wang
Zengqi, and Zhang Chenzhi. ( https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/46722071.pdf & Simoun Victor D.
Redoblado, Brilliant Creations Publishing, Inc., 2017), 104)
As religion, war, and politics shaped Asian societies, literature prospered to mirror these
developments. As children of this continent, we need to appreciate the literary outputs of our Asian
neighbors. (Simoun Victor D. Redoblado, (Brilliant Creations Publishing, Inc., 2017), 102.
Now, be ready to read one of Arthur Waley’s works. Arthur Waley was a 20 th century scholar
who translated numerous Chinese and Japanese classics.

Battle
Chu’ü Yüan
translated by Arthur Waley

“We grasp our battle-spears: we don our breast-plates of hide.

The axles of our chariots touch: our short swords meet.
Standards obscure the sun: the foe roll up like clouds.
Arrows fall thick: the warriors press forward.
They menace our ranks: they break our line.
The left-hand trace-horse is dead: the one on the right is smitten.
The fallen horses block our wheels: they impede the yoke-horses!”

They grasp their jade drum-sticks: they beat the sounding drums.
Heaven decrees their fall: the dread Powers are angry.

The warriors are all dead: they lie on the moor-field.

They issued but shall not enter: they went but shall not return.
The plains are flat and wide: the way home is long.

Their swords lie beside them: their blacks bows, in their hand.
Though their limbs were torn, their hearts could not be repressed.
They were more than brave: they were inspired with the spirit of “Wu.”
Steadfast to the end, they could not be daunted.
Their bodies were stricken, but their souls have taken Immortality –
Captains among the ghosts, heroes among the dead.
https://doina-touchingheartsblogspot.com/2019/01/battle-by-chu-yuan-332-295-bc-
from.html

Read another poem written by a modern Chinese poet, Yu Xiuhua, who became well known in 2014
with her online poem “Crossing Half of China to Sleep with You.” Explore one of her poems.
 On the Threshing Floor, I Chase Chickens Away
Yu Xiuhua
translated by Ming Di

And I see sparrows fly over. They look around

as if it’s inappropriate to stop for just any grain of rice.
They have clear eyes, with light from inside.
Starlings also fly over, in flocks, bewildered.
They flutter and make a sound that seems to flash.
When they’re gone, the sky gets lower, in dark blue.
In this village deep in the central plain
the sky is always low, forcing us to look at its blue,
the way our ancestors make us look inside ourselves,
narrow and empty, so we look out again
at the full September –
we’re comforted by its insignificance but hurt by its smallness.
Living our life this way, we feel secure.
So much rice. Where does it come from?
So much gold color. Where does it come from?
Year after year I’ve been blessed, and then deserted.
When happiness and sadness come in the same color code,
I’m happy
to be forgotten. But who am I separated from?
I don’t know. I stay close to my own hours.
https://www.worldliteraturetoday.org/2018/july/two-poems-yu-xiuhua

What’s More
Compare the work of Chu’ü Yüan with the work of Yu Xiuhua. Consider the similarities and differences
in subject matter, imagery, and style in your comparison. Copy the diagram in your paper. Then, Fill in
the Venn Diagram with the similarities and differences of the two poems.

Battle On the Threshing Floor,

Chu’ü Yüan I Chase Chickens Away
Yu Xiuhua
Battle
Chu’ü Yüan
Battle
Similarities
Chu’ü Yüan
Subject matter:

Imagery:

Style:
 QUARTER 2
SLM
2
st
21 Century Literature
from the Philippines
and the World
ASIAN LITERATURE: JAPANESE
 ASIAN LITERATURE: JAPANESE
What I Need to Know
In this module, you are going to write a close analysis and critical interpretation of literary texts and
doing an adaptation of these which require you the ability to:
In this lesson, you are going to:
A. Identify representative texts and authors from Asia, North America, Europe, Latin America,
and Africa; (EN12Lit-IIa-22)
B. Produce a creative representation of a literary text by applying multimedia and ICT skills;
(EN12Lit-IIij-31.1)
C. Do self- and/or peer-assessment of the creative adaptation of a literary text, based on
rationalized criteria, prior to presentation. (EN12Lit-IIij-31.3)

What Is It
Japanese literature has been influenced heavily by the Chinese literature from the ancient period
all the way to the Edo Period (1603-1868) which corresponds to the early modern Japanese literature.
Japanese literary works also reveal elements of Indian and later of Western elements but above all, they
reveal a distinct style which has also greatly influenced both Eastern and Western literatures.

Japanese literature can be divided into four periods: the ancient, classical, medieval, and
modern.

Ancient literature in Japan deals primarily with myths and legends. Tales like the creation of
Japan, wherein the islands came from the gemstones imbued in the swords of gods are very prominent
during this period. The celebrated writers during this period are Ono Yasumaro, Nihon Shoki, and
Man’yoshu who wrote based on real events in the country.

The classical literature in Japan occurred during the golden age, the Heian period. During this
period, Murasaki Shikibu, one of the greatest Japanese writers, wrote the seminal text, Tale of Genji.
Tale of Genji, considered the world’s first novel, is a very charming and accurate depiction of the
Japanese court during the Heian period under the reign of Empress Akiko.

History and literature were intertwined during the Medieval period due to the influence of the
civil wars and the emergence of the warrior class. Thus, war tales are very prominent during this period.
Besides war stories and tales, the popular form of Japanese poetry, the renga, saw its rise.

Modern literature can be further divided into early modern, which happened during the Edo
period, and modern, which started during the Meiji period, when Japan opened its doors to the West.
The early modern gave way to the rise of new genres like the Japanese drama, kabuki, the poetry form
known for its simplicity and subtlety, haiku, and the yomihon, a type of Japanese book which put little
emphasis on illustration.
The modern period also marked the emergence of new styles of writing. Japanese writers started
to romanticize and tried experimenting with different genres and subject matters. The Second World
War heavily affected Japanese literature but soon, the distinct Japanese style of writing manage to regain
its popularity. Some of the prominent modern Japanese writers are Yasunari Kawabata, Kobi Abe,
Takiji Kobayashi, and Haruki Murakami to mention a few.
(https://www.scribd.com/document/412634387/21st-Century-Literature-of-the-Philippines-and-of-
the-World-1)
You are now ready to ready to read an excerpt from Haruki Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore.

The Boy Named Crow (an excerpt from Kafka on the Shore)
by Haruki Murakami
“So you’re all set for money, then?” the boy named Crow asks in his typical sluggish voice.
The kind of voice like when you’ve just woken up and your mouth still feels heavy and dull. But he’s
just pretending. He’s totally awake. As always.
I nod.
“How much?”
I review the numbers in my head. “Close to thirty-five hundred in cash, plus some money I can
get from an ATM. I know it’s not a lot, but it should be enough. For the time being.”
“Not bad,” the boy named Crow says. “For the time being.”
I give him another nod.
“I’m guessing this isn’t Christmas money from Santa Claus.”
“Yeah, you’re right,” I reply.
Crow smirks and looks around. “I imagine you’ve started by rifling drawers, am I right?”
I don’t say anything. He knows whose money we’re talking about, so there’s no need for any
long-winded interrogations. He’s just giving me a hard time.
“No matter,” Crow says. “You really need this money and you’re going to get it – beg, borrow,
or steal. It’s your father’s money, so who cares, right? Get your hands on that much and you should be
able to make it. For the time being. But what’s the plan after it’s all gone? Money isn’t like mushrooms
in a forest – it doesn’t just pop up on its own, you know. You’ll need to eat, a place to sleep. One day
you’re going to run out.”
“I’ll think about that when the time comes,” I say.
“When the time comes,” Crow repeats, as if weighing these words in his hand.
I nod.
“Like by getting a job or something?”
“Maybe,” I say.
Crow shakes his head. “You know you’ve got a lot to learn about the world. Listen – what kind
of job could a 15-year old kid get in some far-off place he’s never been to before? You haven’t even
finished junior high. Who do you think’s going to hire you?”
I blush a little. It doesn’t take much to make me blush.
“Forget it,” he says. “You’re just starting out and I shouldn’t lay all this depressing stuff on
you. You’ve already decided what you’re going to do, and all that’s left is to set the wheels in motion.
I mean, it’s your life. Basically, you have to go with what you think is right.”
That’s right. When all is said and done, it is my life.
“I’ll tell you one thing, though. You’re going to have to get a lot tougher if you want to make
it.”
“I’m trying my best,” I say.
“I’m sure you are,” Crow says. “These last few years you’ve grown a whole lot stronger. I’ve
got to hand it to you.”
I nod again.
“But let’s face it – you’re only 15,” Crow goes on. “Your life’s just begun and there’s a ton of
things out in the world you’ve never laid eyes on. Things you never could imagine.”
As always, we’re sitting beside each other on the old sofa in my father’s study. Crow loves the
study and all the little objects scattered around there. Now he’s toying with a bee-shaped glass
paperweight. If my father was at home, you can bet Crow would never go anywhere near it.
“But I have to get out of here,” I tell him. “No two ways about it.”

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” He places the paperweight back on the table and links his hands
behind his head. “Not that running away’s going to solve everything. I don’t want to rain on your parade
or anything, but I wouldn’t count on escaping this place if I were you. No matter how far you run.
Distance might not solve anything.”
 The boy named Crow lets out a sigh, then rests a fingertip on each of his closed eyelids and
speaks to me from the darkness within.
“How about we play our game?” he says.
“All right,” I say. I close my eyes and quietly take a breath.
“OK, picture a terrible sandstorm,” he says. “Get everything else out of your head.”
I do as he says, get everything else out of my head. I forget who I am, even. I’m a total blank.
Then things begin to surface. Things that – as we sit here on the old leather sofa in my father’s study –
both of us can see.
“Sometimes fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps changing direction,” Crow says.
Sometimes fate is like a small sandstorm that keeps changing direction. You change direction,
but the sandstorm chases you. You turn again, but the storm adjusts. Over and over you play this out,
like some ominous dance with death just before dawn. Why? Because this storm isn’t something that
blew in from far away, something that has nothing to do with you. This storm is you. Something inside
you. So all you can do is give in to it, step right inside the storm, closing your eyes and walk through it,
step by step. There’s no sun there, no moon, no direction, no sense of time. Just fine white sand swirling
up into the sky like pulverised bones. That’s the kind of sandstorm you need to imagine.
And that’s exactly what I do. I imagine a white funnel stretching vertically up like a thick rope.
My eyes are closed tight, hands cupped over my ears, so those fine grains of sand can’t blow inside me.
The sandstorm draws steadily closer. I can feel the air pressing on my skin. It really is going to swallow
me up.
The boy called Crow rests a hand softly on my shoulder, and with that the storm vanishes.
“From now on – no matter what – you’ve got to be the world’s toughest 15-year-old. That’s the
only way you’re going to survive. and in order to do that, you’ve got to figure out what it means to be
tough. You following me?”
I keep my eyes closed and don’t reply. I just want to sink off into sleep like this, his hand on
my shoulder. I hear the faint flutter of wings.
“You’re going to be the world’s toughest 15-year old,” Crow whispers as I try to fall asleep.
As if he were carving the words in a deep blue tattoo on my heart.
And you really have to make it through that violent, metaphysical storm. No matter how
metaphysical or symbolic it might be, make no mistake about it: it will cut through flesh like a thousand
razor blades. People will bleed there, and you will bleed too. Hot, red blood. You’ll catch that blood in
your hands, your own blood and the blood of others.
And once the storm is over you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed
to survive. You won’t even be sure, in fact, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain.
When you come out of the storm you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s
all about.
On my fifteenth birthday I’ll run away from home, journey to a far-off town and live in a corner
of a small library. It’d take a week to go into the whole thing, all the details. So I’ll just give the main
point. On my fifteenth birthday I’ll run away from home, journey to a far-off town, and live in a corner
of a small library.
It sounds a little like fairytale. But it’s no fairy tale, believe me. No matter what sort of spin
you put on it. (Marikit Tara A. Uychoco, Rex Bookstore 2016), 152-155

What I Can Do
It is Asian week at your school, and you are tasked to create an infographic poster that features
the characteristics of Japan’s literary texts. Your poster must be colourful, interactive, and informative.
It will be judged using the rubric below.

Be guided with the rubric on the next page.

 Criteria Description Score
10 points 7 points 4 points

The poster is The poster is The poster has poor

visually appealing, moderately visual appeal, with
Visual appeal with harmonious appealing visually, unbalanced color
colors, shapes, and with generally combinations,
sizes of figures in harmonious colors, shapes, and sizes of
the presentation. shapes, and sizes of figures in the
figures in the presentation
presentation

Information The poster presents The poster The poster does not
the right somewhat presents have sufficient
information to the the right information or
audience. information to the presents the wrong
audience. information to the
audience.
Graphics Relevance All graphics are All graphics are Only some of the
related to the topic related to the topic graphics relate to
and make it easier and most make it the topic. One or
to understand. All easier to two borrowed
borrowed graphics understand. Some graphics have
have a note about graphics have a sources noted.
their source. note about their
source.

Development Team of the Module

Author/s: Rosalinda C. Tantiado, PhD.

Dinah Zoraida B. Zamora
Ronald Ampong
Emee F. Cael

Reviewers: Jerry G. Roble, PhD

Illustrator and Layout Artist: Harper F. Cael
Management Team
Chairperson: Cherry Mae L. Limbaco, PhD, CESO V
Schools Division Superintendent
Co-Chairpersons: Alicia E. Anghay, PhD, CESE
Asst. Schools Division Superintendent
Members Lorebina C. Carrasco, OIC-CID Chief
Jerry G. Roble, PhD. EPS-English
Joel D. Potane, LRMS Manager
Lanie O. Signo, Librarian II
Gemma Pajayon, PDO II

Printed in the Philippines by

Department of Education – Bureau of Learning Resources (DepEd-BLR)
Office Address: Fr. William F. Masterson Ave Upper Balulang Cagayan de Oro
Telefax: (08822)855-0048
E-mail Address: [email protected]