Junichiro Tanizaki
Junichiro Tanizaki
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Jun'ichirō Tanizaki was a Japanese novelist, essayist, and playwright who is widely regarded as one of the most important writers in modern Japanese literature.
Birth and Death Dates
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Tanizaki was born on July 24, 1886 in Tokyo, Japan. He passed away on April 30, 1965 at the age of 78.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Tanizaki's nationality is Japanese, and his profession(s) include novelist, essayist, and playwright.
Early Life and Background
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Born in Tokyo, Japan, Tanizaki came from a wealthy family. His father was a successful businessman, and the family's affluence allowed them to live comfortably in the city. Tanizaki's childhood was marked by a strong sense of curiosity and a love for literature.
Growing up, Tanizaki was heavily influenced by Western culture. He spent much of his youth reading European literature and learning about Western art. This exposure had a profound impact on his writing style and worldview. Despite his fascination with Western culture, Tanizaki's work is characterized by its deep understanding and appreciation of traditional Japanese culture.
Major Accomplishments
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Tanizaki's literary career spanned over five decades, during which he wrote numerous novels, essays, and plays that showcased his unique perspective on modernity and tradition. Some of his most notable works include "Quicksand" (1910), "A Fool's Love" (1922), and "The Makioka Sisters" (1943).
Notable Works or Actions
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Tanizaki's work often explored the complexities of modernity and tradition in Japan. His writings frequently centered around themes of love, family, and social change. One of his most famous works, "In Praise of Shadows", is a treatise on Japanese aesthetics that explores the relationship between form and function.
Tanizaki was also an advocate for preserving traditional Japanese culture. He believed in the importance of honoring Japan's rich cultural heritage while embracing modernity. This philosophy is reflected in much of his writing, which often celebrates the beauty of traditional Japanese design and architecture.
Impact and Legacy
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Tanizaki's impact on Japanese literature is immeasurable. His work has had a profound influence on generations of writers and scholars. Today, Tanizaki is widely regarded as one of Japan's most important literary figures, alongside writers such as "Mori Ogai" and "Natsume Soseki".
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Tanizaki's writings are often cited for their insight into the complexities of modernity and tradition in Japan. His work continues to be widely read and studied today, offering valuable insights into Japanese culture and society.
In addition to his literary contributions, Tanizaki is remembered as a passionate advocate for preserving traditional Japanese culture. His love of Japanese aesthetics and design has inspired countless individuals around the world to appreciate the beauty of traditional Japanese art and architecture.
Tanizaki's legacy extends beyond his writing, as well. He was a vocal critic of Westernization in Japan and advocated for a more nuanced understanding of cultural exchange. His views on the importance of preserving cultural heritage remain relevant today, making him an enduring figure in modern Japanese literature.
Quotes by Junichiro Tanizaki
Such is our way of thinking – we find beauty not in the thing itself but in the patterns of shadows, the light and the darkness, that one thing against another creates.
Whenever I sit with a bowl of soup before me, listening to the murmur that penetrates like the distant song of an insect, lost in contemplation of the flavours to come, I feel as if I were being drawn into a trance.
Find beauty not only in the thing itself but in the pattern of the shadows, the light and dark which that thing provides.
I would call back at least for literature this world of shadows we are losing. In the mansion called literature I would have the eaves deep and the walls dark, I would push back into the shadows the things that come forward too clearly, I would strip away the useless decoration. I do not ask that this be done everywhere, but perhaps we may be allowed at least one mansion where we can turn off the electric lights and see what it is like without them.
Yet for better or worse we love things that bear the marks of grime, soot, and weather, and we love the colors and the sheen that call to mind the past that made them.
We delight in the mere sight of the delicate glow of fading rays clinging to the surface of a dusky wall, there to live out what little life remains to them.
