Keigo Seki
Keigo Seki(Quan kính ngô,Seki Keigo,1899–1990)was a Japanesefolklorist.He joined a group underYanagita Kunio,but often came to different conclusions regarding the samefolktales.Along with collecting and compiling folktales, Seki also arranged them into a series of categories.[1]
This work culminated in hisNihon mukashibanashi shūsei(Collection of Japanese Folktales) (1928, revised 1961), in six volumes, which classified Japanese folktales after the model of theAarne-Thompsonsystem.[2]
A selection was published asNihon No Mukashi-Banashi(1956–7), and was translated into English asFolktales of Japan(1963) by Robert J. Adams.[3][4]
Seki founded the Japanese Society for Folk Literature in 1977.[2]
University Life
[edit]Seki was a native ofNagasaki Prefectureand graduate ofToyo University.[5][6]He studiedphilosophyand worked as a librarian for the university.[6]He founded the Japanese Society for Folk Literature (Nihon Koshobungei Gakkai) in 1977 and was its first president.[6]Seki understood German and translated two works of folktales from German to Japanese, Kaarle Krohn'sDie folkloristische Arbeitsmethode(Folklore Methodology,1926) and Aarne's Vergleichende Märchenforschung (Comparative Studies of Folklore,1908).[6]
Research and Hypotheses
[edit]Keigo Seki's research was on how folklore came to Japan and if some folktales had been imported to Japan from countries such as India and China.[6]Seki's second hypothesis was that folktales should be examined to understand their impact on ordinary events and are to help people in their daily lives.[7]Seki also thought that there was a universal element to folktales and that they are not based on particular ethnic groups.[7]
Major works
[edit]- Nihon Mukashibanashi Shūsei(Nhật bổn tích thoại tập thành,"Compilation of Japanese Folktales" )
- Seki, Keigo, ed. (1963),Folktales of Japan,Robert J. Adams (tr.), University of Chicago Press,ISBN9780226746159
Categorization
[edit]In “Types of Japanese Folktales.”Asian Folklore Studies,vol. 25, 1966, Keigo Seki details his own categorization system for folktales, but it did not catch on and the Aarne-Thompson system prevailed. Seki's new categorization method was named “Nihon mukashibanashi no kata”.[2]Seki's system had Japanese folktales divided into in the following 18 categories:[8]
- Origin of Animals
- Folktales 1-30
- Animal Tales
- Man and Animal
- Escape from Ogre
- Folktales 31-74
- Stupid Animals
- Folktales 87-118
- Grateful Animals
- Folktales 119-132
- Escape from Ogre
- SupernaturalWives and Husbands
- Supernatural Husbands
- Folktales 133-140
- Supernatural Wives
- Folktales 141-150
- Supernatural Husbands
- Supernatural Birth
- Folktales 151-165
- Man and Waterspirit
- Folktales 166-170
- Magic Objects
- Folktales 171-182
- Tales of Fate
- Folktales 183-188
- Human Marriage
- Folktales 189-200
- Acquisition of Riches
- Folktales 201-209
- Conflicts
- Parent and Child
- Folktales 210-223
- Brothers (or Sisters)
- Folktales 224-233
- Neighbors
- Folktales 234-262
- Parent and Child
- The Clever Man
- Folktales 254-262
- Jokes
- Folktales 263-308
- Contests
- Folktales 309-326
- Osho and Kozo
- Folktales 327-344
- Lucky Accidents
- Folktales 345-356
- Fools and Numskulls
- Fools
- Folktales 357-385
- Blunderers
- Folktales 386-399
- Village of Numskulls
- Folktales 400-417
- Foolish Son-in-Law
- Folktales 418-441
- Foolish Daughter-in-Law
- Folktales 442-452
- Fools
- Formula Tales
- Folktales 453-457
References
[edit]- Citations
- ^Morse, Ronald A. (2015),Yanagita Kunio and the Folklore Movement (RLE Folklore): The Search for Japan's National Character and Distinctiveness,Routledge,ISBN9781317549208
- ^abcOzawa, Toisho (2008)."Seki Keigo".The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Folktales and Fairy Tales.3:846 – via Gale Ebooks.
- ^Jenkins, Esther C.; Austin, Mary C. (1987),Literature for Children about Asians and Asian Americans,Greenwood Press, p. 99,ISBN9780313259708
- ^Seki (1963).
- ^Enzyclopädie des Märchens"(2007), de Gruyter, p. 541
- ^abcdeOzawa, Toshio (2008),"Seki Keigo (1899-1990",in Haase, Donald (ed.),The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Folktales and Fairy Tales: Q-Z,Greenwood Publishing Group, p. 846,ISBN9781317549208
- ^abKawamori, Hiroshi (2003)."Folktale Research after Yanagita: Development and Related Issues".Asian Folklore Studies.62(2): 237–256.ISSN0385-2342.JSTOR30030288.
- ^Seki, Keigo (1966)."Types of Japanese Folktales".Asian Folklore Studies.25:1–220.doi:10.2307/1177478.ISSN0385-2342.JSTOR1177478.
- Bibliography
- Kawamori, Hiroshi (2003)."Folktale Research After Yanagita: Development and Related Issues"(PDF).Asian Folklore Studies.62(2): 237–56. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2007-09-30.Retrieved2006-12-18.