Encouragement for virtue - Kanzenbun (English)

Japanese: 勧善文 - かんぜんぶん（英語表記）quàn shàn wén

These songs were composed and sung by monks from the late 8th century to the early 10th century (mid-Tang to Five Dynasties) to educate the masses. Many of them are found in manuscripts discovered in Dunhuang at the beginning of the 20th century. They vary in length and length, and their content explains the principle of karma in an easy-to-understand way, warns against killing and greed, and lists the torments of hell as punishment for evil deeds. They are characterized by their extensive use of colloquial characters and words, and by the raw tone that appeals to people at the bottom of society. [Iriya Yoshitaka]

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

8世紀後半から10世紀前半(中唐～五代)に僧侶が民衆教化のために作り，かつうたって聞かせた歌曲。20世紀の初めに敦煌から発見された写本の中に多く見いだされる。長短さまざまあり，内容は因果応報の理をわかりやすく説いて殺生や貪欲を戒め，悪業の報いとしての地獄での責め苦などを並べたてる。俗字や俗語をたくさん用い，底辺の階層の人々に訴えかける調子のなまなましさが特徴的である。【入矢義高】

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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