Popular literature - taishu bungaku

Japanese: 大衆文学 - たいしゅうぶんがく

A literary term. It generally refers to popular literature that is based on mass production, transmission, and consumption. Japanese popular literature took shape after the Great Kanto Earthquake (1923) with the maturation of mass media as its foundation. It drew on the tradition of popular literature from the early modern period, while also being influenced by Western picaresque romances (rogue novels) and Chinese fantasy novels, and was established as a modern expression of these. The development of public consciousness during the Taisho period, along with the spread of general education, led to an increase in the number of general readers, and the literary demands of the daily newspaper exceeded one million copies, a weekly magazine was launched, and the launch of "King," which aimed to be a national magazine, were all examples. The prehistory of this genre includes the shorthand storytelling of San'yutei Encho and Matsubayashi Hakuen, the sideburns novels of Murakami Namiroku, the historical novels of Tsukahara Jushien and Hekirurien (Watanabe Katei), family novels from the 1890s, and the Tachikawa Library from the end of the Meiji period through to the Taisho period, but in terms of works, pioneering works include Nakazato Kaizan's "Daibosatsu Toge" which began in 1913 (Taisho 2) and Kikuchi Kan's "The Pearl Lady" from 1920. When it was first created, it was mainly historical novels and was also called "chanbara novels," and was classified as a separate genre from popular novels and detective novels. However, around 1930 (Showa 5), writers who could handle both historical and contemporary novels emerged, and as the demands of the mass media grew stronger, it began to be discussed within the broad framework of popular literature.

[Hideki Ozaki]

Late Taisho to early Showa period

The end of the Taisho era and the beginning of the Showa era was the first golden age of popular literature, with period pieces by Shirai Kyoji, Osaragi Jiro, Yoshikawa Eiji, Hasegawa Shin, and Naoki Sanjugo, popular pieces by Kikuchi Kan, Kume Masao, Nakamura Murao, and Kato Takeo, and detective stories by Edogawa Ranpo, Koga Saburo, and Oshita Udaru being published one after another and creating a buzz. However, after 1930, writers who resisted the mass media-ization of literature and showed new explorations emerged, such as Yoshikawa Eiji, who opened up a life-oriented aspect to popular literature with "Matsunoya Tsuyuhachi" and "Miyamoto Musashi." Writers who continued into the postwar period, such as Hasegawa Shin of "Araki Mataemon" and Shimozawa Kan of "The Thrust Samurai," struck gold during this period and helped them survive the harsh conditions of wartime.

From the Sino-Japanese War through the Pacific War, writers were often mobilized as members of the pen corps or the army and navy press corps, and were subject to severe restrictions on their expression; however, conscientious writers were not swayed by the situation, and wrote works such as Kaionji Chogoro's "Tea Ceremony Taikoki," Yamamoto Shugoro's "Nihon Fujidoki," and Shimozawa Kan's "Katsu Kaishu," and Hasegawa Shin wrote "Japanese Prisoner of War" without any intention of publishing it.

[Hideki Ozaki]

After World War II

After World War II, historical novels continued to suffer under the American occupation, but on the other hand, novels about manners were welcomed, and middle-length novels became the focus of popularity. However, starting with Murakami Genzo's "Sasaki Kojiro," historical novels in evening newspapers also made a comeback, and long novels and series set in weekly magazines, such as Yoshikawa Eiji's "The New Tale of the Heike" and Genji Keita's "Third-Class Executive," became popular, as did Yamaoka Sohachi's "Tokugawa Ieyasu." In the 1950s and 60s, problems with food, clothing and shelter gradually became more stable, technological innovation in daily life progressed, housewives had more leisure time, and popular literature also improved in quality, with a revival of swordsmen such as Gomi Yasusuke and Shibata Renzaburo, the emergence of social mystery writers such as Matsumoto Seicho and his successors, and the succession of amateur writers. There was also a movement to assert the uniqueness of literature in opposition to the visualization of culture that came with the spread of television. However, the visual direction progressed rapidly, and literary works were required to have speed and rapid development, and they became more information-oriented. In the second half of the 1960s, the elements of "modernity," "customs," and "record-orientedness" became even stronger, and in the 1970s, "internationality" and "information-orientedness" were added to these. The techniques of mystery and science fiction have become universal, works that freely use time and space to satirize modern society have appeared, international events have come to be widely covered, and information is required in everything from historical works to corporate and economic works. The boundaries between pure literature and popular literature have become blurred, and the line between fiction and non-fiction has also become unclear. This is related to the trend of seeking information in novels, but on the other hand, works that satisfy the reader's desire to psychologically escape the weight of reality have also appeared, and the range has expanded even further. A diverse range of authors, including Mizukami Tsutomu, Shiba Ryotaro, Ikenami Shōtarō, Shiroyama Saburo, Nitta Jiro, Kuroiwa Jūgo, Watanabe Jun'ichi, Hiraiwa Yumie, Nagai Michiko, Sugimoto Sonoko, Miura Ayako, Miyao Tomiko, Natsuki Shizuko, Kurimoto Kaoru, Hoshi Shin'ichi, Komatsu Sakyō, Hanmura Ryō, Tsutsui Yasutaka, Morimura Seiichi, Nishimura Jūko (1930-2007), and Akagawa Jiro, all developed their works in their own fields. In addition to the diversification of materials, the multifaceted expression, the wider perspective of the background, and the deepening of information content, the number of works that strongly appeal to the visual and auditory senses has increased, and popular literature has come to be called entertainment. This is the result of the massification of literature and a reflection of the diversification of society.

[Hideki Ozaki]

"A Theory of Popular Literature, by Ozaki Hideki (1965, Keiso Shobo)" ▽ "Popular Literature, by Ozaki Hideki (Kinokuniya Shinsho)" ▽ "Encyclopedia of Popular Literature, by Manabe Motoyuki (1967, Seigabo)" ▽ "Popular Literature Series Supplementary Volume: General History and Materials (1980, Kodansha)" ▽ "Complete Commentary on Historical and Period Novels, supervised by Ozaki Hideki (1984, Jiyukokuminsha)" ▽ "Encyclopedia of Historical and Period Novels, edited by the Popular Literature Research Group and supervised by Ozaki Hideki (2000, Jitsugyo no Nihon Sha)" ▽ "Introduction to Literature, by Kuwabara Takeo (Iwanami Shinsho)"

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

Japanese:

文芸用語。一般に大量生産、伝達、消費を前提とする大衆的な文学をさしていわれる。日本の大衆文学は関東大震災（1923）のあと、マス・メディアの成熟を基盤に形を整えた。近世以来の庶民的文芸の伝統を引くと同時に、西欧のピカレスク・ロマン（悪漢小説）や中国の伝奇小説などの影響も受け、その近代的表現として成立した。大正期における民衆意識の発展は普通教育の普及とともに一般読者の増大をもたらし、日刊紙の100万部突破、週刊誌の創刊、国民雑誌を志向した『キング』の創刊などにより、その文学的要求にこたえた。前史としては三遊亭円朝や松林伯円(しょうりんはくえん)の速記講談、村上浪六(なみろく)の撥鬢(ばちびん)小説、塚原渋柿園(じゅうしえん)や碧瑠璃園(へきるりえん)（渡辺霞亭(かてい)）の歴史小説、明治30年代の家庭小説、明治末から大正期へかけての「立川(たちかわ)文庫」などがあるが、作品のうえでは1913年（大正2）に始まる中里介山(かいざん)の『大菩薩峠(だいぼさつとうげ)』、20年の菊池寛(きくちかん)の『真珠夫人』などを、その先駆的業績とする。成立時には時代小説が主で「チャンバラ小説」などとも称され、通俗小説、探偵小説とは別個にジャンル分けされたが、1930年（昭和5）ごろになると、時代・現代の双方をこなす書き手も生まれ、マスコミの要求も強まって大衆文学の大枠で語られるようになる。

［尾崎秀樹］

大正末～昭和前期

大正末から昭和前期にかけては、大衆文学の第一の黄金時代で、白井喬二(きょうじ)、大仏(おさらぎ)次郎、吉川英治(よしかわえいじ)、長谷川伸(はせがわしん)、直木三十五(さんじゅうご)らの時代物、菊池寛、久米正雄(くめまさお)、中村武羅夫(むらお)、加藤武雄らの通俗物、江戸川乱歩、甲賀(こうが)三郎、大下宇陀児(うだる)らの探偵物などが次々に発表され、話題をよぶ。しかし1930年以後になると、文学のマスコミ化に抵抗して新しい模索を示す作家も生まれ、吉川英治などは『松のや露八』を経て『宮本武蔵(むさし)』に至り、大衆文学に人生派的側面を開いた。『荒木又右衛門(またえもん)』の長谷川伸、『突つかけ侍』の子母沢寛(しもざわかん)など、戦後へ引き継がれる作家たちの努力が、この時期にそれぞれの鉱脈を掘り当て、戦時下の厳しい状況をくぐり抜ける。

　日中戦争から太平洋戦争期へかけて、作家はペン部隊、陸海軍報道班員として動員されることも多く、表現のうえでも過酷な統制を加えられるが、良心的な作家は、状況に流されず、海音寺潮五郎(かいおんじちょうごろう)の『茶道太閤記(たいこうき)』、山本周五郎の『日本婦道記』、子母沢寛の『勝海舟』も書かれ、長谷川伸は『日本捕虜志』を発表のあてもなく書きためた。

［尾崎秀樹］

第二次世界大戦後

第二次世界大戦後もアメリカの占領で時代小説の受難は続いたが、その一方で風俗小説が迎えられ、中間小説が人気の焦点となる。しかし村上元三(げんぞう)の『佐々木小次郎』を皮切りとして、夕刊紙の時代小説も復活し、吉川英治『新・平家物語』、源氏鶏太(げんじけいた)『三等重役』など週刊誌を舞台とした長編や連作が話題となり、山岡荘八(そうはち)の『徳川家康』も始まる。昭和30年代に入ると、衣食住の問題もしだいに安定し、生活の技術革新も進み、家庭の主婦層の余暇時間も増え、大衆文学も質的な発展を遂げ、五味康祐(ごみやすすけ)、柴田(しばた)錬三郎らの剣豪リバイバル、松本清張(せいちょう)とその後に続く社会派推理作家の登場、素人(しろうと)作家の相次ぐ誕生などがみられ、テレビの普及に伴う文化の視覚化に抗し文学の独自性を主張する動きも現れる。しかしビジュアルな方向は急速に進み、文学作品もスピードと展開の速さを求められ、情報性を強めてゆく。1960年代の後半に入ると、「現代性」「風俗性」「記録性」はさらに強まり、70年代になると「国際性」「情報性」がそれに加わる。推理やSFの手法は普遍化し、時間や空間の軸を自在にとって現代社会を諷(ふう)する作品も現れ、国際的な諸事件も幅広く取り上げられるようになり、歴史物から企業・経済物にまで情報性が求められる。そして純文学と大衆文学の領域はあいまいとなり、ノン・フィクション物との間も明確でなくなる。これは小説のなかに情報が求められる傾向とも関係があるが、他方では現実の重みから心理的に逃避したいという読者の夢にこたえる作品もみられ、その幅はさらに広げられた。水上勉(みずかみつとむ)、司馬遼太郎(しばりょうたろう)、池波正太郎(しょうたろう)、城山三郎、新田(にった)次郎、黒岩重吾(じゅうご)、渡辺淳一(じゅんいち)、平岩弓枝(ゆみえ)、永井路子(みちこ)、杉本苑子(そのこ)、三浦綾子(あやこ)、宮尾登美子(とみこ)、夏樹(なつき)静子、栗本薫(くりもとかおる)、星新一、小松左京(さきょう)、半村良(りょう)、筒井康隆(つついやすたか)、森村誠一(せいいち)、西村寿行(じゅこう)（1930―2007）、赤川次郎ら多彩な作家が、それぞれの分野で仕事を展開した。素材の多様化、表現の多角化、背景の広角化、情報性の深化などに加えて、視覚・聴覚に強く訴える作品も増え、大衆文学はエンターテインメントとよばれるまでになる。これは文学のマスコミ化の結果であり、社会の多様化の反映である。

［尾崎秀樹］

『尾崎秀樹著『大衆文学論』（1965・勁草書房）』▽『尾崎秀樹著『大衆文学』（紀伊國屋新書）』▽『真鍋元之著『大衆文学事典』（1967・青蛙房）』▽『『大衆文学大系別巻　通史・資料』（1980・講談社）』▽『尾崎秀樹監修『歴史小説・時代小説総解説』（1984・自由国民社）』▽『大衆文学研究会編、尾崎秀樹監修『歴史・時代小説事典』（2000・実業之日本社）』▽『桑原武夫著『文学入門』（岩波新書）』