Confessions of a Mask

Name: Confessions of a Mask
ISBN: 9787555911913

Yukio Mishima / 汪洋Henan Literature and Art Publishing House · ChinaDec 2021

4.6

Word count: 92K words
Chapters: 8
ISBN: 9787555911913

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Summary

I have spent my whole life performing against my will.

Pain said to me:

“You are not human. You cannot connect with people. You are some kind of inhuman, strange, pitiable creature.”

When pretending becomes a habit,

can you still tell the mask from your true self?

Editor's review

Kamen no Kokuhaku (Confessions of a Mask) is an early representative work by Yukio Mishima, unfolding as a first-person monologue. The narrator has been aware of his difference from others since childhood, and in the process of "performing" as a normal person he continually questions his self-identity. This Henan Literature and Art Publishing House edition is translated by Wang Yang, with a language that stays close to the original's coexistence of coldness and lyricism. The book's value lies not in plot progression but in its fine dissection of the folds of the inner life: how disguise becomes habit, how mask and true self erode each other. The highlight is the interweaving of Mishima's characteristic sensory description with philosophical monologue, in which pain is written as an almost aesthetic experience. It suits slow reading in quiet solitude, especially in phases of self-doubt and identity anxiety, where it offers a resonance of being understood. It is not a book that provides answers but one that lays the questions open before you, suited to readers willing to face the complexity of human nature.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Japanese literature and Yukio Mishima who want to understand his early style
Young people pondering self-identity and the relationship between mask and self, seeking literary resonance
Readers who enjoy psychological monologue and inward narrative and do not depend on strong plot
Readers with an appreciation for literary craft who are willing to read slowly and savor language and imagery

Not a good fit for

Readers who prefer fast-paced, plot-driven books and read mainly for story momentum
Readers impatient with extensive inner monologue and philosophical speculation
Readers expecting clear life answers or inspirational guidance

Reading tips

Read the main text first, then return to the opening monologue to trace the shifts in the narrator's self-perception
Keep a pen handy and mark recurring keywords such as "performance" and "mask" to map the thematic threads
Pause after each chapter and write down your own associations with "disguise and authenticity"; there is no need to rush
Read alongside Mishima's other early works to sense the continuity and variation of his themes

About the publisher

Henan Literature and Art Publishing House China · Founded in 1996

Founded in 1996, Henan Literature and Art Publishing House mainly publishes books on literature and art, social sciences and broadly cultural subjects, and also edits and publishes the journal Celebrity Biography, gradually forming a publishing style characterized by full-length historical novels and biographical literature. Judging from the 269 titles in the database, its publishing scope also covers mystery and detective fiction, foreign literature, classic works and world classics. Representative books include Ellery Queen's four tragedies, Slaughterhouse-Five, Blindness, The Siege of Lisbon, The History of the Siege of Lisbon, the ten-volume Collected Works of Wang Zengqi, Old Tales Retold and the two-volume Classic Short Stories of Stanisław Lem, the God of Science Fiction. In terms of authors, it includes foreign masters such as Kurt Vonnegut, José Saramago and Ellery Queen, as well as translators such as Yang Xi, Yu Jianhua and Fan Weixin.

版权信息
第一章
第二章
第三章
第四章
三个圈独家文学手册
漫画小传：三岛由纪夫的一生
图文解读三岛由纪夫眼中的世界

FAQ

Is this book suitable for readers reading Yukio Mishima for the first time?

Yes, but be prepared. This is an early Mishima work: short, lightly plotted, dominated by inner monologue, with dense language. If you are used to strong storytelling, it may feel slow; if you are willing to follow the narrator's self-examination, it is a fitting entry into Mishima's literary world, letting you first feel his linguistic texture and thematic concerns.

What does the title "Confessions of a Mask" mean?

"Mask" points to the disguise the narrator has long worn, while "confessions" is his confession after taking off the mask. The title itself creates a tension: when confession also takes place beneath a mask, the line between truth and performance blurs. Read with this contradiction in mind as you interpret each of the narrator's self-explanations, and you will find that he is both confessing and continuing to perform.

Will it feel depressing to read?

There is a certain sense of oppression. The narrator lives long in self-doubt and insincere performance, and pain is repeatedly written. But Mishima's prose has an aesthetic restraint; it is not cathartic heaviness. If you are feeling low recently, read in sections and put it down when needed; if you are steady, this oppression can instead bring a deeper understanding of human complexity.

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About the author

Yukio Mishima Author · Japan · 1925–1970

Yukio Mishima (1925–1970) was a Japanese novelist and playwright, born Hiraoka Kimitake in Tokyo and a graduate of the Faculty of Law at the University of Tokyo. He established his literary standing with Confessions of a Mask in 1949, and went on to explore beauty, desire and death in a coolly refined and intensely aesthetic style. His major works include The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, The Sound of Waves and the tetralogy The Sea of Fertility, whose volumes Spring Snow, Runaway Horses and The Decay of the Angel are available in Chinese. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature several times. On 25 November 1970 he committed seppuku at a Self-Defense Forces base, and his life and writing have remained a subject of public discussion. The library holds 84 of his works, mostly under foreign literature, young adult literature and classics.

汪洋 Author

Wang Yang is an author about whom limited public information is available; details such as nationality, dates of birth and death, and an English name have not been recorded. Judging from the 37 works held in the collection, Wang Yang's editorial or translation work centers mainly on foreign literature and classic works, covering categories such as world classics and science fiction. Representative titles include English literary classics such as David Copperfield (2 volumes), The Complete Novels of Jane Austen, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, and The Scarlet Letter, as well as Japanese works such as Confessions of a Mask, The Sound of Waves, and The Temple of the Golden Pavilion. These titles indicate a sustained engagement with nineteenth-century British fiction and modern Japanese literature, and the work helps Chinese-language readers access foreign classics. Owing to the lack of reliable biographical material, this note describes only the scope and subjects of the works and makes no further inference about the author's identity or experience.